Advice appreciated - lens kit

[axer]

Hi guys,

as I can't afford testing much lenses, I have to decide before I buy. Here's the situation:

• I will be shooting landscapes, architecture, family portraits and time to time still life,
• I need to cover 20 - 85mm (35mm equivalent in focal lenght) with three (maximum four) lenses,
• lenses should have the same filter thread's size,
• filters must be in reasonable size,
• lenses MUST NOT be hell expensive,
• lenses MUST be decent performers (I do not want to change them instantly),
• lenses will be mounted on Horseman LE45 camera.

Here's the set that, I believe, will meet my expectations:

• 75mm/4.5 Nikkor SW,
• 150mm/5.6 Fujinon CM-W,
• 305mm/9 G-Claron.

All lenses have 67mm filter thread, all are reasonable light, all are not too expensive (I think), the set covers expected range nicely, all have some space in image circle for movements on 5x4.

But... Are there better alternatives? Did I miss something? Any help appreciated.

[Frank Petronio]

Kudos on pulling together a 67mm set that good!

Once you shoot you will find that what works for 35mm is not quite the same in a larger format. To me, 75mm is really wide but at the same time it is useful for interiors. You might want a 90mm in due course though. Even though it is only 15mm different, on the wide end that is a significant step. A 90mm is very useful for exteriors and landscape.

[Ron Marshall]

Everyone has their preferred focal lengths in LF, as with 35mm. I found that 90-135-200 works best for me.

I found 75 was not wide enough for many of the subjects I wanted to shoot, while not offering enough movement for other subjects I wanted. I "replaced" it with a 55 and a 90.

You may be best to begin with one lens and shoot for a while to get a feel for LF.

[axer]

I found 75 was not wide enough for many of the subjects I wanted to shoot, while not offering enough movement for other subjects I wanted. I "replaced" it with a 55 and a 90.

For what kind of subjects was 75mm not wide enough?

You may be best to begin with one lens and shoot for a while to get a feel for LF.

I did. So far I have Horseman LE45 with Geronar 210mm. I liked LF, so I decided to stick with it.

[r.e.]

Axer, a couple of questions.

Would you buy these lenses and focal lengths if a 67mm filter thread wasn't a requirement?

Of the subjects that you list, which one(s) is the G-Claron 305mm f9 for? In particular, is it the lens that you intend to use for portraits?

[axer]

Would you buy these lenses and focal lengths if a 67mm filter thread wasn't a requirement?

I don't know if I would (and will) buy those particular lenses, I was looking at focal lenghts that, I believe, are most apropriate for me.

Of the subjects that you list, which one(s) is the G-Claron 305mm f9 for? In particular, is it the lens that you intend to use for portraits?

It is, as well as for some still life. Is it a bad lens?

[r.e.]

It is, as well as for some still life. Is it a bad lens?

I like to have a bright image on the ground glass when I compose. That means that I have a strong bias in favour of lenses with large maximum apertures. For me, this is particularly important when composing indoors in natural light. For that reason, I would dismiss this lens out of hand for portraits and still life.

I will leave it to others who have experience with the G-Claron to say what they think of its performance as a portrait and still life lens, especially with regard to this lens's optimal range of taking apertures and magnification. I suspect that you will find yourself being pushed to at least f22, but that is a suspicion on my part, and is not based on having worked with the lens.

I think that if you insist that every lens have a 67mm filter thread, you could wind up shooting yourself in the foot. You might consider standardizing your filters around a step up ring arrangement.

[Donald Miller]

I shot the 305 repro Claron on 4X5 and switched to 305 G Claron (larger IC) for 5X7...I don't find that the F9 max aperture is a hindrance. The G Claron is a wonderfully sharp lens...that may be a hindrance on portraiture. I usually filter the lens with soft focus filters when using it for portraiture.

The 75 is too wide for my taste...in fact the 90 SA I have gets very limited usage. I don't like "normal" (150mm) lenses but that is my own taste. I prefer 90-120-210 and 305 as a four lens kit for 4X5.

[Brian Ellis]

I wouldn't put that much emphasis on filter size. You can use step-up rings or you can use filters other than threaded circular filters such as the Lee system. You actually don't even need to attach a threaded filter to the lens, you can just hold the filter in front of the lens with your hand as long as your hand doesn't get in the way of the photograph. And if you stick with LF photography for a while there's sure to come a time when the lens you want or think you need isn't available in 67mm threads and there goes your nice symmetry of filter sizes.

Having said that, I think your choices are good - you follow what I think is a good rule of thumb when starting out, which is to roughly double the focal length when going from one lens to the next longest. I've never owned any of the specific lenses you mention but I was always partial to G Clarons which I've owned in a bunch of different focal lengths - small, light weight, inexpensive, excellent performers. Once you get into longer focal lengths such as 305 the f9 maximum aperture shouldn't be a problem at all in terms of composing and focusing on the ground glass.

[Ken Lee]

"...as I can't afford testing much lenses, I have to decide before I buy".

That's how we test lenses