What's in your 4x5 Lens kit?

[David K.]

Master Technika with the following lenses:

80mm 4.5 Super Symmar XL

120 5.6 Super Symmar HM

210 5.6 Apo Sironar-S

300 9.0 Apo Ronar

[redrockcoulee]

In my bag with the Shen Hao is my first lens a 150 Symmar (actually my second copy of that lens as sold the first with an earlier camera) and is my most used lens, a 210 Symmar S single coated and a 90 6.8 Caltar that is replacing a 90 6.8 Angulon, and two pinhole lenses. I do have a 120 Angulon that was for our 5X7 that I can just fit into the bag but that is the limit as the camera bag is then full which is not a bad thing to be (no additional weight or costs one hopes).

If started over I would consider a 180 instead of the 150 and 210.

[gregvds]

On a Chamonix 45N-1:

Fujinon 75 SWD 5.6
Schneider Ap Symmar 120 5.6
Fujinon 210 CMW 5.6

In the future,

Fujinon 300 C 8.5

[Jim Graves]

Lightweight:
90mm Angulon
150mm Fuji
240mm Fuji

Very light weight/backpacking:
90mm Angulon
203mm Ektar
Gowland Pocket View 4x5, Feisol 3441 tripod and CB-30 ballhead ... total weight, with both lenses, right at 5 pounds.

[ki6mf]

Landscapes and have 90mm, 150mm and 210mm. I am thinking about a 120-135 as i do lots on subjects that do your look out to the horizon so the wider depth of field for close in work without to much distortion is of interest. Also thinking about a 65-75 wide and the intent here is to get a lot of foreground distortion while still keeping a large depth of field.

[Carsten Wolff]

4x5"
75, 90, 135, 210, 300mm, sometimes also 450/765mm

[In contrast, my 5x7"/6x17" outfit is strangely often different:
75, 108, 159 or 170, 254, 380, or the 450/765mm combo]

[hmf]

65mm f/4.5 Rodenstock
90mm f/8 Nikkor
135mm f/5.6 Fuji CMW
210mm f/5.6 Nikkor
300mm f/9 Nikkor m

[Ivan J. Eberle]

I'm into 4x5 because it's a sweet spot for higher resolving power with color films, so I'm tending to keep lens choices within rather conservative bounds to achieve this. I don't feel the pull to go ultrawide in LF because because frankly it's worlds easier to do with smaller formats like 645 while still resolving extreme detail.

My two Meridians each came with 135mm f/4.7 Wollensak Raptars, modern single hard-coated Tessar designs. These are wickedly sharp in all but the corners and are often maligned on various forums for their small image circle. (Cameras with back moves like the Meridians help alleviate this issue.) At f/16 and f/22 I find them quite capable. For 6x9 film on a Super Graphic, I think they're terrific. (60 year old shutters do run slow but one is within 1/4 stop, consistently.)

Caltar IIN's are bargains considering they're rebranded Rodenstock APO Sironar-N's. I have a 135mm f/5.6 and a 210mm f/5.6.

The 210mm has a 301mm image circle and pristine examples can be sniped for $200 or thereabouts on eBay. I like the mild tele effect in landscapes and tend to use this focal length a lot. My camera has generous moves but I don't have to worry much about the IC.

I bought a Nikkor SW 90mm for the ultimate resolving power, only to find that it's a bit too contrasty to work well with Velvia 50 and Provia 100F in specular light. It's a better lens to use with Astia 100F or Pro160s. Hard to focus in low light but fits inside my camera folded up on a flat board, however it focuses on the inside track of the Meridian only by extending the back. Color balance is different than my Rodenstock/Caltars. Next lens will most likely be a Caltar or Rodenstock Grandagon-N 75mm f/5.6.

[David Karp]

For packing light:
-125mm f.5.6 Fujinon NW
-180mm f/9 Fujinon A
-240mm f/9 Fujinon A (single coated)
-300mm f/9 Nikkor M or 450mm f/12.5 Fujinon C (depending on where I am going-usually the Fuji)

Normal hiking kit:
-90mm f/8 Nikkor SW
-150mm f/5.6 Fujinon NW (or the 125)
-210mm f/6.1 Caltar Pro
-300mm Nikkor M
-450mm Fujinon C

Lenses just for architecture (it has turned out that way anyway):
-75mm f/4.5 Rodenstock Grandagon-N
-90mm f/4.5 Rodenstock Grandagon-N

[mandoman7]

75mm Schneider Angulon 5.6
90mm Nikkor
120 Schneider Angulon
150 Fuji W 5.6
210 Schneider Symmar
250mm Fuji 6.7
305 G-Claron
16 1/2 Red Dot Artar
...Used with a Chamonix 45N and some on a 1950 8x10 Deardorff, using a home-made lens board adapter. This is the field kit, for landscape shooting mostly. If the trek is far, the 4x5 and fewer lenses get used. Near the car, the 8x10 may get consideration. The adapter enables me to keep my options open (4x vs 8x) when I leave the house.