your favorite 90mm lens?

[Gem Singer]

Jamie,

Check your private messages.

Upper right hand corner of this page.

[Steve Hamley]

The 80mm Schneider Super Symmar XL!

Cheers, Steve

[jamie c]

sorry everyone, my internet was down. and i couldn't access the site to respond.
i appreciate all the help.

i ask because i am pretty sold on the chamonix 4x5, and i was looking for a nice 90mm lens to compliment it. ideally an f-5.6 or so.

[David Karp]

If you are set on one of the larger 90s, then I would really consider the f/4.5 Rodenstock Grandagon-N. You get a bit more light to work with. I like mine very much.

That being said, I own or have owned 3 90mm lenses. A single coated f/8 Fujinon (very nice-smaller image circle), the Grandagon-N (very nice), Nikkor SW f/8 (very nice with image circle comparable to the bigger Rodenstock. Personally, I think that the Nikkor is the best fit for a field camera that offers the movements to take advantage of the image circle.

The Schneider 90 XL is also a nice lens (by reputation - I never tried it), but it is even larger than the Grandagon-N. Not the best choice for a field camera in my opinion.

[speedtrials]

I had at the same time both of the Nikon 90mm's: the f/8 verison and the f/4.5 version. I got rid of the f/8 version as I found the brighter one much easier and nicer to use. For me, the gain in brightness was worth the extra weight.

[Andre Noble]

Nikon 90 F8

[jamie c]

thanks again -

the 4.5 or 5.6 is important to me, as i shoot mostly composed or staged scenarios with people and location. i need the wide angle for smaller spaces, and the brightest screen possible to view the composition at its best. the large, or heavy lens doesn't really bother me because i have to lug around a strobe as well. a little extra weight can't hurt, right!

j.

[Eric Brody]

The Nikon f/8 is an impressive lens, sharp, with a large image circle, and quite easy to focus. Since it is usually used at f/22 or so, paying for and carrying the f/4.5 never appealed to me but I'm usually working outdoors in decent light. Were I doing indoor architecture type work, the wider aperture might appeal. It was the second lens I bought, after my Fuji 210. I still have both and still use both, and still love both.

Eric

[SAShruby]

None. I don't have anything smaller than 120. Interesting is that the most famous fotographs are not taken with wide lens.

Let the hell begin

[Eric Brody]

While the Chamonix is a fine camera for field use, why are you not looking at a monorail with more flexibility if you're doing "mostly composed or staged scenarios with people and location" and "a little extra weight can't hurt, right!" It sounds like weight is not an issue. Consider the Arca 141, it's gorgeous and lovely to use.

Eric