good/best portrait lens for 5x7

[Warren Clark]

Re: Cooke Portrait PS 945

Has anyone used this lens for 5x7 portraits ?
The image circle is listed as 190 mm at infinity.

Thanks,

Warren Clark

[David Aimone]

The Tessar is lovely for portraits and cost $45 for the lens in barrel.

Jay,

Where have you seen the Tessar for $45? I'd pick one up for that...
One on ebay right now for $150 in barrel.

David

[DrTang]

I'm using a 300mm, but if I get a 240 conv. symar..I'll check out both the 240 and 360 lengths of it..300 seems right for now...it's like a 75mm on a 35mm camera..I think..which is about perfect for what I shoot

[mdm]

i like to use something kind of longish for 5x7 portraits ( like 14" )
so you can get a nice crop and not be in the subject's face.

I dont. A looseish head and shoulders with a 210 is about
conversational distance and the photograph looks nice and natural.
Step back and you get some interesting context around the sitter. A
long lens will isolate you, make you an outsider, and do the same to
the sitter. For my taste 240 is long and 180 is wide, outside of those boundaries you are relying on gimmickry.

[Jim Galli]

I dont. A looseish head and shoulders with a 210 is about
conversational distance and the photograph looks nice and natural.
Step back and you get some interesting context around the sitter. A
long lens will isolate you, make you an outsider, and do the same to
the sitter. For my taste 240 is long and 180 is wide, outside of those boundaries you are relying on gimmickry.

gimmickry? Do tell. Abel's 'professional portrait lightings' would have you outvoted smartly. Most of the old pro's in the 1940's were still using 16's to 21's for 5X7 at that writing. A 12 or a 14 on 5X7 was rare then.

[mdm]

Oh well, thats what I think. I dont have or want lights. I just do what I think makes sense. Sometimes I change my mind. I supose they were also using head clamps and making glorified passport photos.

Why do people here recommend a 135mm on 4x5 for still life, did someone not make a lot of portraits on 5x7 with a 180mm. I agree because my limited experience supports that view.

And I will post some examples to back up my view, this afternoon when I have had time to do some scanning.

[Jim Noel]

The shortest lens I use for portraits on 5x7 is 12' (300mm). When space is available I prefer a 15" or 19" lens. I would feel far too close to the subject if I used a 210 mm.

[jnantz]

i worked for a portraitist for about a year ... she had a 14" lens
and shot 5x7 portraits with it for 60+ years ...
she was from an old tradition though trained in the 20s/30s ...
i don't know if i would call karshesque-style gimmickery ...

that said, traditions and rules are always meant to be broken.
if something else better suites your shooting style, by all means use that ...

[mdm]

Two simple examples of what a 210mm is born to do, on 5x7. Straight from the scanner.

This is how I see. If you use a wide angle or a long or telephoto lens, you are introducing distorted perspective. While every lens places something between the sitter and the viewer and could be decribed as gimmick, those at the extremes, that distort perspective or swirl or glow are much more gimmiky on the continuum of gimmickry.

[Jim Galli]

Long live gimmickry then.