11-inch or 280mm non-tele lenses ?

[Ken Lee]

Are there - or were there - any normal (non-tele) lenses that are of focal length 11 inches or 280mm ?

Thanks !

[Dan Fromm]

Exactly 280 mm? Why such precision?

There are certainly normal 270s and 300s, see http://www.graflex.org/lenses/lens-spec.html. Also look in the Vade Mecum for 11in, it shows some.

[C. D. Keth]

I have never heard of a 280mm. There is a 270mm g-claron.

[Ken Lee]

For 5x7 I find 240mm a bit too short, and 300mm a bit too long. It sounds silly I admit.

[Ken Lee]

Is the 270mm G-Claron useable as both a taking lens and an enlarging lens, or are there several models ?

[William Whitaker]

10 3/4" was a fairly common focal length and is very close to the length you're asking about. I believe it was intended for whole plate. They seem to show up all the time. I have a Velostigmat 1A, I believe, which is 11" FL, but I'll have to double-check.

[E. von Hoegh]

For 5x7 I find 240mm a bit too short, and 300mm a bit too long. It sounds silly I admit.

The Dagors, G-Clarons, Artars, and a few others were made in 10 3/4" / 270mm focal lengths. Not 280mm, but right in the middle of 240 - 300.

[Steve Goldstein]

There's also a Computar/Graphic-Kowa 270mm, in a Copal 3S shutter. They're probably overkill, having coverage way beyond what you could reasonably use for 5x7.

[goodfood]

Leica 280 mm f/4.8 Telyt for M with visoflex. I own this lens. Unscrew the lens unit and use an adapter to shutter. Sure can cover 5X7. The 135mm f/4.5 Hektor can cover 4X5 without dark corner with beautiful Leica colour.

[C. D. Keth]

Is the 270mm G-Claron useable as both a taking lens and an enlarging lens, or are there several models ?

I've never enlarged with one but it's a great taking lens. Very sharp like the other g-clarons. I have to imagine it would be a great enlarging lens, too.

[Roger Hesketh]

You could give a 10 1/2 inch Series IIB f6 Cooke Aviar a go. It is a barrel lens ,single coated. Not that expensive.

[Roger Hesketh]

Sorry that should have read Aviar Series IIIB not IIB .

Gundlach Turner Reich Series II No. 4 for Whole Plate is also 10 1/2 " when used unconverted.

[sun of sand]

or you could just say process type lenses

Considering your previous posts I'd suggest trying an f5 Celor 10 3/4 270mm
bridges the gap between soft and sharp, also

[Armin Seeholzer]

I heard not so good things about the 270 G-Glarons this are extrem wide field lenses, but I not had one by myself!
But a very good and sharp lens are the 270mm Konica GRII and I have a 270mm and also a 210mm I would sell my 270mm if you are interested, because I have to much around 270mm. I have the 240mm Sinaron Se, Tessar 250mm, Imagon 250mm, Ross RR 270mm and my APO Ronar 300mm.

[David Lindquist]

On page 25 of the 1933 Zeiss catalogue here: http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/zeiss_3.html

Shows the Double Protar made up of 59 and 41 cm components had a focal length of 28 cm or 11 inches. This is the only example of a large format lens in this focal length that I've come across.

David

[Roger Hesketh]

Their are other 11 inch large format lenses but it is an uncommon size. Prewar in addition to the convertible 1a already mentioned Wollensak also made an 11 inch Series IIIa f 12.5 Extreme Wide Angle Anastigmat. Ross also made an 11" Telecentric to cover quarter plate, I have one, but the OP did ask about non tele designs.

[Don Dudenbostel]

The G Clarons are excellent for shooting and enlarging. I use a 240mm on 5x7 and did for years on 8x10 to shoot and enlarge. It's corrected for close work so enlarging with it is as good as any regular enlarging lens. Its a tack sharp lens and small.

When I was shooting 8x10 I also had a 305mm and still have a 150mm and the 240mm for 4x5.

[Dan Fromm]

Armin, are you thinking of the f/11 wide-angle G-Claron? This is a 4/4 double Gauss type, not a 6/2 dagor type (early) or 6/4 plasmat type (later) like plain G-Clarons. Reports on w/a G-Clarons are, um, equivocal.

[William Whitaker]

I have a Velostigmat 1A, I believe, which is 11" FL, but I'll have to double-check.

11 1/2" FL. Sorry.

[Peter Gomena]

As Will noted on the first page, 10-3/4 or 11" would be normal for a whole plate camera. Given that the format fell out of favor in the U.S. prior to WWII, I'd think modern lenses in that focal length would be pretty scarce. Pity, it's a great format.

[Tracy Storer]

Ken, another +1 for G-Clarons as shooting lenses, Schneider DID offer them in shutters for that purpose. Whether Dagor design or Plasmat, you'll find them quite good.
A 270 G-Claron will fit a Copal #1, where a 10 3/4" Dagor will have to be in a bigger shutter. I think the 270 GKs are not the most common FL, but should be a great fit for you. I don't know if Voigtlander made a Heliar in 270 / 10 3/4", I don't think so.
Good luck !

[Ken Lee]

Choice of focal length (or rather viewing angle) is a subtlety I admit. But the more photos I see, the more blatant it becomes.

[Alan Gales]

It is a subtlety but if you prefer a certain focal length then there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

[dap]

I have a Busch "Portrait Aplanat no3" that has a big ol' 280mm engraved on it. It is relatively old so it might not be what you are looking for, but if 280mm is your sweet spot it might be worth the hunt.

[Carsten Wolff]

Single elements of a Turner Reich are often 11", but you're off the modern lens chart now. I personally like the older Conley/Wollensak offerings; however, as they are often barrel lenses, which don't directly screw into a shutter in that FL range, shutter-mounting them can be a bit of a pain (I got my 10" Conley V shutter-mounted for convenience). I think the Goerz (and later Schneider) 10 3/4" Artar has already been mentioned.
There is a Fujinon process/projection lens type, called Fujinon-CP (a dialyte, I think) that came at least in in 170mm, 185mm, [...] and 270mm (if not other) f8 versions in - wait for it - molded plastic "barrels", to be used in copiers or whatnot.....I had (or still have somewhere) the 170mm; surprisingly, and strangely, mine covers 5x7" (!).....

[Hugo Zhang]

This?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/J-H-DALLMEYER-6-3-280mm-LONDON-RAPIDE-LANDSCAPE-N-2-SPECIAL-LANDSCAPE-RARE-/120931562500?_trksid=p2046732.m2060&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D6136217964765152411%26pid%3D100040%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D4%26sd%3D130864645486%26

[John Kasaian]

Is the 270mm G-Claron useable as both a taking lens and an enlarging lens, or are there several models ?
f/9 is a wee bit dim for enlarging IMHO.

[Ken Lee]

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/couchartar2.jpg
Cushions, 2013
Sinar P, 10.75 inch Red Dot Artar
5x7 HP5+, Divided Pyrocat HDC

[E. von Hoegh]

Ken, that's a 10 3/4" lens, not a 10.75". ;)

[rjmeyer314]

I have a 270mm Schneider Xenar. It's an ancient full plate lens that I use on my 8x10. If you look for full plate lenses I suspect you'll find it was a common focal length.