Hi, I am basically trying to achieve a look on the 5 x 4 format that is similar to shooting wide open on the 8 x 10 format ( 300mm @ 5.6 ). After a bit of number crunching, I figured I would need to shoot at 2.8 on a 150mm lens on the 5 x 4 format. As far as I could tell, the Schneider Xenotar 150mm 2.8 seemed the only real candidate. I know there are other faster lenses but this was the latest I could find and I am not really after a 'vintage' look.I recently bought a Schneider Xenar 150mm 3.5 as I could not afford the Xenotar and I thought that this would give me an indicator as to whether what I was searching for could be achieved.. This is quite an old lens ( I believe 1930's or so ) and was sold to me as a coated version and also 3.5.. Now on the front part of the lens it does say Schneider Xenar 150 3,5 but on the aperture part of the lens it is only labelled as 4.5. I recently had this mounted on a Linhof board to fit my Chamonix and was disappointed to see that there was really hardly any difference in drop of focus between my modern Rodenstock 150mm Sironar N @ 5.6 and this ( supposed ) 3.5. The only real difference was that the Xenar was obviously much less sharp. Oh, and it seems that it is a longer lens than a 150mm. I don't know what it would aquate to but on the rough tests that I did, I had to move a significant amount forward to get the subject in the same part of the frame and by doing that I had left out other parts of the scene... Any thoughts? The other lenses I have looked at are the Zeiss Planar 135mm 3.5 and the Xenotar 135mm 3.5. Not quite 2.8 but close.. Any idea how old all three lenses are? Are they all single coated? Ok, thanks so much. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated Kind Regards Josh

Attached is the type of look I am after... Full Body portrait with a serious drop of depth in the background... Thanks again