Which wideangle for a Crown Graphic?

[BradS]

or you could buy Frank's 120mm lens....

actually a very good suggestion. Thje problem with the 90mm lens on a 4x5 crown/speed is that most lenses of that focal length will want to sit at or very near the hinge in the bed and need the bed to be dropped. The 120mm would avoid both of these problems and give nice coverage!.

[Bill_1856]

Don't even think of buying another lens until you've use the 135 for several months. Then you'll know what/if other lens you will need.

[Tilman Drobik]

Yes indeed, that is a good point. I should wait and buy a WA lens later. But for now I think an Angulon might a good thing to start a way into LF.

Thanks Tilman

[Zaitz]

I love my Caltar 75mm f6.8. I shaved the lip of the lens cap slightly and it folds up fine inside my Crown Graphic Special. Both for sale btw .

And I disagree completely with not getting another lens. I heard that from several people when I first ventured into 4x5. I knew what lenses I liked in 35mm and the same has held true for 4x5. Using the 135mm, for me, was a waste of time as I don't enjoy a similar focal length in 35mm and haven't for 4x5. I should have bought what I knew I liked from the get go.

[Jim Andrada]

Plus 1 for the Wide Field Ektar. It's compact and quite nice. I've used a 75mm Grandagon which works nicely. The Crown works better with really short lenses than the Super because the Crown's internal tracks are coupled to the tracks on the bed - ie they focus. The Super for some strange reason doesn't couple them so the internal tracks don't move - I think it's because the way they use the tracks to latch the door closed instead of the hidden button on the Crown. I actually like the Crown better, but the Super has forward tilt (inconvenient but there), the back rotates, and the focusing hood snaps off so old guys like me can get their faces close enough to see the groundglass.

[Liam:]

I use a Schneider 90 f6.8 Angulon on my crown and its perfect, not much room for movement and I have a habit of not dropping the bed but it only cost me £100. It does overlap with the 135mm, I will probably by a 180mm lens soon and leave the 135 at home.

[Dan Fromm]

Plus 1 for the Wide Field Ektar. It's compact and quite nice. I've used a 75mm Grandagon which works nicely. The Crown works better with really short lenses than the Super because the Crown's internal tracks are coupled to the tracks on the bed - ie they focus. The Super for some strange reason doesn't couple them so the internal tracks don't move - I think it's because the way they use the tracks to latch the door closed instead of the hidden button on the Crown. I actually like the Crown better, but the Super has forward tilt (inconvenient but there), the back rotates, and the focusing hood snaps off so old guys like me can get their faces close enough to see the groundglass.

Jim, the Crown's hood should snap off too. All of my 2x3 Pacemaker Graphics have removable hoods. Read the manual.

[Frank Petronio]

The 90mm Angulon is pretty dim to focus, actually all but the fastest and most expensive wide angle lenses are going to be harder to focus than any of the normal 135 or longer lenses, that's not me, it's physics.

So yes, for learning please start with the 135 to 180 range on a Crown so you'll at least make a few successful shots early on....

Oh yeah my 120L for sale is bright and easy to focus but it is probably too expensive.

[IanG]

The 90mm Angulon is pretty dim to focus, actually all but the fastest and most expensive wide angle lenses are going to be harder to focus than any of the normal 135 or longer lenses, that's not me, it's physics.

If the screen has a fesnel it's much easier to focus with the 90mm f6.8 Angulon, it makes a huge differance. I retro fitted a fresnel to my Crown Grapghic now hand held composing and focussing on the screen is easy with the Angulon.

Ian

[Liam:]

If the screen has a fesnel it's much easier to focus with the 90mm f6.8 Angulon, it makes a huge differance. I retro fitted a fresnel to my Crown Grapghic now hand held composing and focussing on the screen is easy with the Angulon.

Ian

How do you do this with out mucking up the focus? I guess you need to shim the film holder if you put the fresnel on the lens side...?