A set of lenses for 5x7

[sully75]

Hello All,

I have a new to me 5x7 camera, and currently have 3 lenses for it. It's been a slow year for me for photography but I'm psyched to get back to it. So I'm working on my rig as I'm starting to get back into it.

Anyway, I have 3 Fuji lenses 180mm, 210mm and 250mm. It's occuring to me that these are all pretty close in focal length. I've used another 180mm lens on 5x7 exclusively for a couple of years, and like it for slightly wider portraits (mostly what I do is portraits), but closer in it leaves a lot of distortion.

I've never used a 90mm on 5x7. It appears to be about a 22mm equivalent for 35mm. I'm wondering if that's too wide to use for environmental portraits. I could also try to find a (harder to find) 120mm lens

I'd like to keep it to 3 lenses, and be able to do everything with them. I'm thinking 90mm or 120mm, 210mm and maybe a 300mm. But also concerned that maybe the 210mm might be too tight, the 90mm too wide for a lot of things.

So a 4 lens setup could be 90mm, 180mm, 250mm and ?? something longer than 300? Not sure if I really need that.

I know this is all OCD faffing. But if you have any thoughts, please let me know.

Thanks
Paul

[john biskupski]

There are a lot of useful suggestions on the Lens section thread "5X7 Wide Angle Lenses" dated Feb 3. Worth reading. 90 was too wide for many, but you've got a good range of moderate wide lenses to choose from in the 110-150 range (e.g. 120 SA or 120 SW, 150 G-Claron). Many great 180's including the tiny Fuji A. Don't overlook the venerable 203/7.7 Ektar. And great choices in the 240-300 range, from Fuji A 240 to Fuji 250 W, 270 G-Claron, and all the 300's to choose from depending on your appetite for size and price. Again, don't overlook the older Symmar 210/370 style of lens, could be nice for portraiture.

[Michael Graves]

I'm not a portrait guy. I prefer nature detail and old architecture. However, 5x7 is my favorite format, and a 120 Fujinon SW is my most frequently used lens. It delivers a very sharp image and give ample coverage for relatively significant movements. Its down side is that it takes up 50% of the space I have allocated for lenses in my field kit. I fit three other lenses into the other 50%.

[Ken Lee]

IMHO a 300mm lens on 5x7 is ideal, just as a 200mm or 210mm lens is ideal on 4x5.

By "ideal", I refer to how this length renders space itself: the sense of compression. The sense of space is an aesthetic element, just like tonality, aspect ratio, texture, etc.

Please don't point out that only subject distance determines compression: this is well known. But focal length can determine subject distance, hence compression.

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

Paul, if I had your three lenses I add a 120mm f/8 lens to the mix. I would shoot with those four lenses for a while and see if there were any shots I was missing. If I were setting up a kit from scratch I would get a 150mm, 210mm and 300mm. I don't shoot 5X7 but I have been curious about how my 150mm G-Claron would do with the format.

[Gary Tarbert]

Hi Paul, I shoot a bit in 5x8(close!!) lenses 120 ,180 ,240 ,300 and very seldom 450 If i cut down to 3 it would be 120,180 & 300 Cheers Gary

[Steve Hamley]

Good suggestions especially for shorter focal lengths. If you can justify it, a 100mm Schneider Super Symmar XL is probably the best choice, lots of coverage, bright, sharp, and flare resistant pointed into the light. A 125mm single coated Fuji W would cover plus a little, and the CM-W will cover plus a few mm. The latter is sharp enough off center that if you don't mind limited movements at infinity, will work. Up close, it would be fine.

I'd be looking at the 110mm, the 180mm, a 300mm and either a 360mm (the 350mm f:11 Schneider is sweet) or and a 450mm for a nice 4-lens set.

Cheers, Steve

[sully75]

Thanks for all the suggestions. If I buy a wide, my budget is pretty low, <$400. I can't really tell what the actual value of the wide Fujis and Nikons, there are always some on ebay but the buy-it-now price always seems really elevated and they never sell.

[William Whitaker]

If you remove the 210mm, the focal lengths won't be so close. Also your bag will be that much lighter, but your wallet won't be.

[sully75]

The annoying thing is that the 210mm is the cheapest of all of them. I don't get much for getting rid of it.