Who here loves their 75mm lens on 4x5?

[biedron]

Love my 75mm. Balanced Rock and Cacti, Big Bend National Park, Rodenstock 75mm APO Grandagon, Velvia 50.



Sometimes it not wide enough though, and I reach for the 55mm. It all depends.

Bob

[alexn]

I always found my 75 just not quite wide enough... When I want to use a wide angle I almost always yearn for an ultra wide angle.. my 65mm is where I start calling it wiiide but really I need a 55 or 58mm in my bag..

I feel 90% of the time I had a 75mm it was either just too short for what I wanted to do, or just that little too long... I prefer a 55~65mm lens as a wide, then hop straight to a 90~135 for the longer but still wide feel

[Kirk Gittings]

So FWIW for my work I don't like an obvious ultra wide angle look. The exaggerated one point perspective (speaking here for myself solely) is too easy a compositional crutch and gives me an image which shouts WIDE ANGLE to the viewer emphasizing what lens I used rather than my subject. I prefer a 120 if possible-if not a 90. Not saying I never use a wider lens (for commercial work it is absolutely necessary many times) but I try to avoid it. Many top architectural photographers will argue to always use the longest lens possible and not rely on the wide angle POV-such as Nick Merrick at Hedrich Blessing. So I sold my 47 and 65 and just have a 90 and 120. I am casually looking for a 75 but not in any hurry.

[Ari]

I no longer have my 75, I replaced it with the 72XL.
Neither got very much use, but when needed, nothing else will do.

upass077a by Ari4000, on Flickr

[Corran]

I usually carry my 58mmXL and then 90mm f/8, but boy I sure like the rendering of my Biogon 75. Shot a couple of frames with it Saturday but haven't scanned them yet.

[Alan Gales]

I used to own a Nikkor 75mm but replaced it with a 90mm. The 75 was just too wide for me personally. I've seen some great images taken with 75mm and even wider lenses. It's definitely a personal choice. We all see a little differently and that's what makes the photography world go round.

[ROL]

Does 110 in 5x7 format count? I believe it's a fairly close approximation numerically to 75/4x5. When I bought it, a very nice one I might add, I thought I would be using it a lot. But that hasn't turned out to be the case. I use it fairly rarely, so I guess you could say I don't love the 75's cousin so much. Respect it, carry it still – yes.

The reasons aren't so clear to me, but I suspect either I have moved on from seeking near-far relationships, or more likely, increasing age related infirmities have depleted my ability and zeal to shoot near the ground. You can add to that the rather limited available movements with a lens that wide – but oh the depth of field!. For me, the apparent wide angle-ness of any lens may be mostly obviated by the vision of the person using it.

[Drew Wiley]

I thought increasing age brought one a LOT closer to the ground!

[Kirk Gittings]

as long as its not on the ground....then I can hardly get up!

[Jmarmck]

I feel your pain...........literally.