The old 'what the best lenses' question

[BrianShaw]

I guess I should take that personally... but your question is basically unanswerable. So here is some opinion.

IF I were to do it all over again I'd buy two or three used lenses -- all Kodak Commercial Ektars: 8.5 inch, 10 inch, 12 inch. Budget would be $300 - $500 each with another $100 each to have the shutter overhauled.

IF you want newer lenses, I'd buy Schneider Symmar-S MC, as Bill suggests, in 90 (Super-Angulon, really), 150, 210, and 300 (not 500). For any needs > 300 I'd crop.

Are you happier now?

[BrianShaw]

p.s. I don't know the capabilities of the camera you are thinking about, but I've never had good experience with architecture using folding cameras -- not enough movement.

[Rudgey]

Thanks Bill, no my architectural work is done on another set up.

[BrianShaw]

(I'm Brian, not Bill.) Oh, sorry. You said that in the first post. I have the same comment about studio close-up too.

[adam satushek]

Just my 2 cents, since you stated, "Looking for a good 90mm 150 or 210mm & 500mm"

These are part of my 4x5 line-up....

90mm: Nikkor-SW f/8
150mm: Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-S f/5.6
210mm: Schneider Apo-Symmar f/5.6
450mm: Nikkor-M f/9

(Note I also throw a 120mm Nikkor-SW f/8 and a 300mm Nikkor-M f/9 in there to fill in the gaps, the 120 has tons of coverage which I find very handy)

Hope that helps...

[turtle]

OK, I think I can help. This is just an opinion:

Forget new lenses. That's a waste of money IMHO.
Forget the 90 XL. It is huge and has more coverage than you need, by far. It also it a b1tch to fit the rear element thru the lens boards of your ebony.

To make life simple, especially if you are unfamiliar, buy only lenses on modern Copal shutters with a black dial, or the silver dial. Sure there are other great shutters out there, but I think you need to keep things simple until you are more up to speed. It will also keep everything uniform.

Look at:

90 Nikkor SW f8 (biggest coverage and lightest), Schneider Super Angulon f8, Rodenstock f6.8 Grandagon. Fujinon SW ($350-500)
150 Symmar S, APO Symmar, Sironar N, APO Sironar, N, Fujinon W ($200-500)
210 same as above or a Schneider 210 G Claron. This is excellent for close up work and infinity stopped down. ($250-325)
300 Rodenstock Geronar f9, Nikkor-M f9, Fujinon-C f8.5, 305mm Schneider G Claron.($250-700)
450 Fujinon-C f12.5 (tiny lens in copal 1), Nikkor M f9 (much bigger lens in copal 3) ($850-950). Make sure you have the bellows extension for this lens on your ebony!

This is all possible within your budget. Easily in fact. If you find you needs something different, you should have the cash remaining to do so.

IMHO don't buy Schneider APO Symmar L or Rodenstock Sironar S lenses as they have a little more coverage but are a lot more expensive. If you run out of image circle with the lenses you have, you can then trade up after selling your wise purchases for what you bought them for +/-. Unless you are doing architecture, you should be OK with the coverage of the 150mm lenses listed above.

You can get bargains with Caltar lenses. A Caltar N-II is a Rodenstock APO/Sironar N, but sometimes cheaper.

All of the above lenses are absolutely superb and, with the exception of the 210 G-Claron, are multicoated. I've owned many of them and all have been better than me. My lens choices now are only related to my specific needs, but it does not sound like yours are quite clear to you yet (mine are generally about low weight for example).

Have fun!

[turtle]

PS being flexible on brand will allow you to find well priced lenses much more quickly. There are some seriously good bargains out there in the 150 and 210mm focal lengths. If shooting 5x4, almost all 210 5.6 lenses will have far more coverage than you will ever need so the ones with super coverage are a waste of money. OK, so the APO Sironar S might be a minuscule sliver of an almost invisible hair sharper than the 'N' version under lab conditions, but once translated to prints obtained in the field, it is going to make no difference whatsoever IMHO.

You might also wish to consider swapping the 150 for a 135mm, if you are not a standard lens kinda guy. I'm not and prefer to have my lenses on either side of 150 i.e. 120, 180, or 135, 210. If you do go for a 135, it is worth getting something with more coverage, like an APO Sironar S or APO Symmar L, but it will cost 2-3 times more.

[rdenney]

Jesus.

Are you suggesting prayer? Then, yes, I agree. But I am not sure divine intervention is necessary specifically for lenses.

I rather agree with the notion that best bang for the buck comes from tessar designs in the longer lenses and more modern designs in the shorter lenses, with maybe one really sharp lens in the middle for those occasions when someone is asking for a photograph to make a print measured in feet. I ended up with Super Angulons of f/5.6 design for 65 and 90, and of f/8 design for 121. I typically don't use a lens at 150 or 180, though I have a Geronar at 150 and an old Symmar Convertible at 180--these are cheapies that work pretty well stopped down, for scratching itches. At 210 I have a very fine Sinaron-W, which is an APO-Sironar-N, state of the art maybe 15 years ago. For longer lenses I have a Caltar Type Y at 240 and an Ilex-Caltar 12", both of which are good-quality tessar designs. Except for the 90/5.6, which is a multi-coated lens from around 1990 (about when I bought it), I didn't pay more than $300 for any of these, and many were $200. But my choices reflect advances in technology over the decades: More modern and sophisticated wide-field designs for short focal lengths, and longer lenses selected for their rendering as much as anything, which we've known how to do forever.

On the other hand, I'm not sure anyone returning to large-format with a new Ebony is necessarily looking for the best bang for the buck.

Rick "who also prays (for forgiveness) when expressing envy" Denney

[BrianShaw]

on the other hand, i'm not sure anyone returning to large-format with a new ebony is necessarily looking for the best bang for the buck.

lol

[mortensen]

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...-8-Grandagon-N

By a lot of people assumed to be among the best lenses out there in their respective focal lengths, available in LN condition from the same seller (whom I have no affiliation with). If you can afford a new Ebony, you can afford this, too. Just sayin'...