4x5 portrait lens in 240mm

[nonuniform]

I've read as many of the threads as I possibly can, so, I'm just looking for anyone that can point me to samples of various portraits taken with the lenses I'm considering.

I've been using a Schneider 240/5.6 Symmar S MC on my Zone IV (Wista version, not the later Wisner) field camera. It's a big lens, as other threads have mentioned, can't really focus close enough for a head shot. I'm okay with that.

I let a friend borrow this lens, and, he dropped it out in the desert and scratched it. He owns it now and is buying me something new.

I found this on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_500wt_1413

What is that shutter/mount? I have a spare Copal #3, can I just unscrew the front/rear elements and pop them in my shutter?

Other lenses:
Tessars - not sure, did they make a 240/250?
Rotelar 270mm - someone else on the forum mentioned this lens.... is it an interesting piece of glass for portraits?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ht_3443wt_1163

Found a Nikkor 240/5.6 at KEH, I've always found Nikkor and Schneider to be very close.

I probably won't be convinced to shoot 210mm, since I sold that to get the 240mm!

I guess I'm just looking to see samples of people's work shot with other lenses - especially the Tessars.

Thanks!

[Raidahl]

I have Tessar 250mm/f4.5, so they sure do. There seems to be couple of those available on ebay

[Ken Lee]

The first lens you mention, is mounted in a Sinar DB mount: it has no shutter. It's designed to be used on Sinar cameras with a Sinar Copal Shutter. So unless you want to use a hat for a shutter like they did 100 years ago, forget that one. Or get a Sinar and a Sinar shutter I love mine.

If your camera doesn't have enough bellows draw for a head shot, the the problem is with the camera, not with the lens. Changing lenses won't fix that problem, unless you go for a telephoto design rather than a prime lens. Am I missing something here ?

I like Tessars for portraits. They usually come in vintage shutters with many-bladed diaphragms. You might this article interesting. It shows several sample images.

[Frank Petronio]

There are vintage Schneider Xenars 240/5.5s in older compound shutters. To use the lens wide open in bright light you may need to use neutral density filters (our ancestors never had such problems with ISO 25 film). Those would be my first choice for a portrait lens.

Your little Wista won't be able to focus it very closely though. You're probably out of luck unless you switch to a camera with a longer focusing track.

There are Schneider telephotos like the 240 Tele-Xenar (there are also 270 and longer versions) but it will vignette, it was made for 6x9.

The 270 Rodenstock Roletar is a fine portrait lens, I used one and thought it was nice. Most are full of haze but that's not always a problem for portraits most of the time.

Of course you can drop the elements from a Sinar DB-mounted lens into your Copal 3 shutter. Having an expert check it is a good idea as some lenses use thin metal spacers to adjust the distance between the front and rear, also to get the aperture scale lined up properly... but you can probably do it yourself and see what happens first.

[Gem Singer]

You're asking quote a lot from a Wista Zone VI when mounting a heavy lens, in a Copal 3 shutter, on its' front standard. Especially a lens that requires a lot of bellows extension.

Why not consider a Nikon/Nikkor f9 300M or a Fujinon f8.5 300C?

Both are 4-element lenses, mounted in Copal 1 shutters, and are excellent portrait lenses for 4x5.

[Tim Deming]

Voigtlander Heliars of 240mm f4.5 are also out there

cheers

Tim

[Arne Croell]

Voigtlander Heliars of 240mm f4.5 are also out there

cheers

Tim

Certainly nice for portraits. They come in a Compound IV shutter, though, which barely fits on a Technika lensboard; I assume the Zone VI lensboard has a similar size.

[Fotoguy20d]

In that focal length, my favorite is a 240mm (9 1/2") Dagor. Mine is circa 1908 but in a Supermatic shutter. I usually use it with my 8x10 but happened to have used it yesterday on my 4x5 Wood-Field (but not for portrait use). I've never tried a head shot with it - for portraits in 8x10 its too wide, and this was the first time its been on a 4x5 camera.

Dan

[drew.saunders]

If you're looking for a Tessar-type lens in that focal length, I recently picked up a Fujinar 250/4.7 in Copal 3s (they also made it as a 4.5 in a "Shanel" shutter that's larger than the Copal). It's single coated and would be an excellent "gentle focus" portrait lens. I haven't used it for any portraits yet, but am liking it even for general purpose work. Stopped down, it's functionally as sharp as my 250/6.3 Fuji Plasmat lens for my purposes.

The Copal 3s fits a Technika lensboard and the lens, although heavy, isn't obscenely heavy.

[Ole Tjugen]

A 240/4.5 lens would require a Compound IV or similar huge shutter which is a problem with many smallish lens boards.

A 240/5.6 lens should fit in a #3 shutter, Copal, Compound or other, which is a bit more easy to handle.

240/7 or slower should fit in a #1 shutter.