90mm or 75mm for landscape photography?
I currently shoot in full frame digital and use my 16-35 a lot for seascapes but favour 24mm foe landscape. On the 4x5, I only have the 150mm it is workable for some landscapes. I don't think I will be shooting seascapes with the 4x5. The 90mm are readily available and affordable. I'm afraid the 75 may be too wide for 4x5?
What do you guys think?
I don't like either - too wide. But the 90 seems to work out best for WA
90mm is a very handy focal lenght and it's my second most used lens with my 5x4 cameras. I do have a 65mm for my 5x4 kit and that's only really used on rare occasions.
Ian
I have the 90 super angulon but would like to replace it with a 75. I find the 90 not wide enough and found it gave me the same vibe as a 28 did in 135 format (ie-kinda meh). Rented a 75 a couple of times and it felt just right. Also used a 65 and that was too wide for my lf work.
Last edited by Fred L; 16-Mar-2012 at 08:08.
where we're going, we don't need roads. just a Giesler, 9.9 horses, wide open Shield waters and I'm outta here
To my taste, both are too wide; I find that even the 110 is too wide for landscape. But that's my 'landscape point of view'. It would be great if you could test drive some lenses and see which one fits your 'landscape point of view'. Perhaps you can rent them...?
135mm is my typical "wide" for landscapes.
Its very personal.
A 90 is a great standard wide in the 24/28mm vein (35mm terms). 75 is certainly not too wide (John Sexton manages with his), but if I were going down this route, I might go for:
75, 120, 180/210
90, 135, 210 etc
A 110-120 would give you a significantly wider view and mean the 75 fits in neatly should you need wider. IMHO, unless you like big gaps, a 90 works beautifully with a 135. There is certainly nothing wrong with 90 and 150, but I personally like something in between and never got on too well with standard lenses, whether 50mm on my 35mm cameras, or 150s on 4x5! YMMV!
Get a 90 if it's readily available and affordable. I've had both and find the 90 is plenty wide for most situations. I sold my 75 as it was more valuable to someone else and not getting much use. If you don't like 90, you won't have a problem selling it. I alternate between 210, 127, and 90 for outdoor stuff.
If you can try both out before committing to a purchase. I used to shoot fairly wide on digital <=24mm, so went with an equivalent on LF, but within a few months I found 75 and even the 90 was too wide for me. Maybe because using LF changed my whole outlook on the subject material I photographed but I've now sold on the 75 and planning to sell the 90 in favour of something around 120ish. Horses for courses though... what suits me as wide is likely to be completely different to others.
My widest lens for 4x5 is a 90mm. I've never been in a situation in the landscape where I thought "I wish I had something wider". However, after seeking out images made by others with a 75mm I think it's a matter of me not recognizing the applications of the optic. I was surprised to see how many images in John Sexton's book "Recollections" were made with a 75mm and the way he used it did not make me feel like the wide perspective was dominating the picture...
I think the best thing you could do is seek out images, here - apug - flickr - books - whereever, that were made with both optics and see which seems to fit your vision best. Good luck!
Shawn
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