Enlarging lenses Suitable for 16x20?

[Joseph McCarthy]

Hello All,

I was putting together a 16x20 box camera for a little fun and was wondering if any one knew the following:

1. Will a Schneider Compon-S 360mm/F6.8 enlarging lens cover the 16x20 area at infinity (or near) which would naturally place the lens out around 360mm or so?

2. Or will a 300mm/F9 Rodenstock APO-Ronar Lens cover the 16x20 area at infinity?

Any additional info on the image circle of these lenses (if known) would be appreciated, they are both 8x10 enlarging lenses, but I'm sure I'm stating the obvious. Naturally the idea is to have a nice wide angle lens for 16x20 without needing to find very rare optics, etc. that cover the 16x20 area.

Thanks

[John Kasaian]

Joseph,

Perhaps a Nikkor 450 M will work---covers 12x20 with all kinds of room & not too expensive---lots cheaper than the very desireable 19" Dagor and (gasp) its "modern!".Midwest Photo usually has some used ones. Good Luck!

[J. P. Mose]

A 355mm Schneider G-Claron will as this is a commonly used lens for 12x20 format.

[David Vickery]

The Ronar will not cover at infinity. You would probably have to go to a 24" ronar before that type of lens would cover. Having said that, the 19" Artar has pretty big coverage at infinity and might be usable on the 16x20?? I have used mine on the 12x20 with plenty of room for movements.

If the Componon is one of the older types then it may actually cover at infinity. I know that the older convertible symmars would probably cover or come close to it, and I think that those Componons and Symmars from that same era had similar formulas. If you have the Componon then try it out and let us know whether it covers. As others have stated, the 450mm nikkor-M, the 355 G-Claron will cover it as well as possibly the 300mm Computar Symmetrigon, the 12" and 14" Dagors(not all of them will cover--mostly the older ones will.). And there are a variety of less common older lenses that will do the job for a higher price.

I think that one of the absolute best choices is the 450 nikkor-M, based on low price for huge coverage.

[John Kasaian]

Joseph,

I don't know how long your "bellows" are, but some of the longer Kodak anastigmat and ektanons have pretty huge image circles, but I think these would be the longer focal lengths though(20"+) Perhaps someone here has the specifics on these lenses.