Lens for PB-4 bellows

[A Sem]

I am new here and almost new in photography.
I need to take pictures of jewelry on a regular base (from small stud earrings to pretty big necklaces). I started with canon 50D(Sensor Size: 22.3×14.9 mm) and 60mm macro lens. It works good enough, but depth-of-field...too narrow. I've got Nikon PB-4 bellows and adapter to my 50D body. The "stock" lenses for this bellows are 105 and 135mm bellows Nikkors F/4. I've found an info, that they are not multicoated and flare is going to be a problem...???
Also, I got info, that enlarging lenses could be a great replacement. I've bought Rodagon 80mm...tested it...it performs good sharpness and contrast, but really small circle of coverage.
Please suggest to me, what lens is the better solution, than "stock" lenses for this project?

[Tony Lakin]

I am new here and almost new in photography.
I need to take pictures of jewelry on a regular base (from small stud earrings to pretty big necklaces). I started with canon 50D(Sensor Size: 22.3×14.9 mm) and 60mm macro lens. It works good enough, but depth-of-field...too narrow. I've got Nikon PB-4 bellows and adapter to my 50D body. The "stock" lenses for this bellows are 105 and 135mm bellows Nikkors F/4. I've found an info, that they are not multicoated and flare is going to be a problem...???
Also, I got info, that enlarging lenses could be a great replacement. I've bought Rodagon 80mm...tested it...it performs good sharpness and contrast, but really small circle of coverage.
Please suggest to me, what lens is the better solution, than "stock" lenses for this project?

22.3×14.9 mm large format

[John O'Connell]

This is pretty far off-topic, but your theory that the 105mm Bellows-Nikkor will not serve your purposes is crazy. I had one for a few years, and it is the sharpest/contrastiest macro lens I've used. I adapted mine to a Calumet lensboard at one point for use as a 4x5 macro lens, and I was quite happy. Yes, it's single-coated, but you're doing macro---get a flexible bellows hood and you'll have no flare issues.

[erie patsellis]

I'm curious, when you say the 80 Rodagon has too small of an IC, you do realize that it's used to enlarge up to 6x7 negatives, right? I use an 80mm Rodagon with my 4x5 scan back for table top detail type work (typically 1:1 or greater), and it's fine. Perhaps you have a bad sample

[A Sem]

That's right...I should have titled it "Enlarging lens for close ups"
I thought the best pros who can help me figure out the enlarging lenses are here on this forum.
Actually I would like to get a link to some chart of enlarging lenses where I can see their angle of view. For example, Rodagon WA has 70% bigger coverage, than regular one...
If rephrase my question, I'd like to find some enlarging lens around 80-150mm, that is the sharpest and "widest"
Anyway, I really appreciate your answers.

[Dan Fromm]

Sharpest? Ask the lenses.

Widest? Look at the manufacturers' published specifications. For Schneider, look here: http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/archiv.htm For Rodenstock, look here: http://www.rodenstock-photo.com/

Or you could just get a used 120/5.6 Nikon or Rodenstock macro lens.

By the way, I have a PB-4. I can't see how you can run out of coverage with a lens that will cover nominal 6x9 at infinity with it. You'll run out of shift or swing first. I also think that the PB-4's movements are pretty useless. Shift, and not much, no rise/fall mounted normally; rise/fall, no shift, mounted on its side. A little swing, no tilt; tilt, no swing. Hama makes (or made) a nice bellows for 35 mm SLRs with lotsa movements, front and rear. Look for one on eBay.de, and be prepared to pay dearly.

If you want a view camera, just get one. Any of the nicer 2x3 view cameras with an adapter for your digital whatzit would be more useful than a PB-4. Or, for that matter, a 4x5 with bag bellows, and a 4x5 may be less expensive than a 2x3.

[A Sem]

Dan Fromm,
...very informative...
Thanks

[Dan Schmidt]

solve your depth of field issues digitally:

http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfocus.html