Which 240 mm lens to cover 5x7?

[sepstein17]

Found a few on the bay -- looking for feedback and/or relative ranking -- thank you --

Nikkor W 240 f5.6
Nikkor 240 f9 - APO Nikkor

Fujinon A - 240 f9

Rodenstock Sironar N 240 f5.6
Rodenstock APO Sironar N 240 f5.6

steve

[Bob Salomon]

The 5.6 lenses in 240mm all cover 810.

[Old-N-Feeble]

I'll not comment other than to suggest you decide what matters to you.

Size/weight
Maximum aperture
Shutter or barrel mount
Most coverage
Sharpness, contrast, bokeh, etc.

For "MY" purposes, and chosen only from the lenses you listed, I would buy the Fuji-A... but a late EBC coated version.

[Alan Gales]

At just 10mm longer the Fujinon 250mm W f/6.7 lenses have an image circle of 398mm which has room to spare on 8x10. They are single coated. I paid $300.00 for mine in a Copal #1 shutter a few years ago. Lately I've seen them go for $250.00 or less, if you are looking for a bargain.

Jock Sturges used one for his earlier work. http://onlinebrowsing.blogspot.com/2010/03/jock-sturges-danny-lyon-and-sturges-was.html

[EdSawyer]

There's also a nice Fujinon 250/6.3 in Copal 1 also.

Plus I bet some of the 240mm tessars would cover, like Congo, xenars, jena tessars, etc.

And possibly some of the teles like 240 Tele Arton.

[Kevin Crisp]

240 G Claron if small size and weight matter.

[Roger Thoms]

240 G Claron if small size and weight matter.My thoughts too, plus they are reasonably priced. Haven't shoot the 240mm G-Claron on 5x7, it's my favorite lens for my 8x10.

Roger

[Ray Marrero]

Granted the lenses you've mentioned above are on the modern side, but must say I love my 1922 Jos. Schneider Xenar 24cm f/4.5 for 5X7. Came on a 2D I purchased years ago and since has found its home mounted to my 5X7 Technika. For B&W work this is my goto 240mm. Big glass plus a Compound 4 shutter makes it a bit heavy, but so is my camera so no loss there. I guess it depends on subject matter, vision, coated vs. uncoated, B&W vs. color, etc.

[David Karp]

The 240mm Fujinon A will cover no problem. It covers Whole Plate with movement. I understand it also covers 8x10, but I have not experienced that personally.

If you like the Rodenstock lenses, then a very good option would be the 240mm f/5.6 Caltar II-N. That is a rebranded Rodenstock.

The Rodenstock, Nikon, and Schneider f/5.6 lenses will be large and in Copal No. 3 shutters. If I was going to choose one of those, I would choose a Caltar II-N version of the Rodenstock. It would be like my 210mm Caltar II-N, which I like very much and which would likely be less expensive than the others.

I agree that the 250mm Fujinon W is nice. I have one that I use on my WP camera. It has a larger image circle than the 240mm Fujinon A. The Copal No. 1 is nice when compared to the No. 3 from the f/5.6 lenses discussed above.

If you want a smaller, lighter lens, the 240mm Fujinon A is very nice. It is smaller than the G-Claron. It comes in a No. 0 shutter, while the G-Claron is in a No. 1.

[Gary Tarbert]

I have used the 240 A on 5x8 and 8x10 covers 8x10 very little scope for movements but 5x7 easily!!

[IanG]

There's also a nice Fujinon 250/6.3 in Copal 1 also.

Plus I bet some of the 240mm tessars would cover, like Congo, xenars, jena tessars, etc.

And possibly some of the teles like 240 Tele Arton.


The 240mm Tele Arton doesn't cover 7x5 it covers 5x4 with room for movements though. As a 210mm f4.5 Tessar will cover 7x5 with reasonable room for movements then any 240mm Tessar type lens will cover well, the closest CZJ Tessar was a 250mm f4.5.

My main 7x5 standard lenses are a 1919 CZJ 21cm f4.5 Tessar in a Compound or a 240mm f5.6 Nikon W in a Copal 3, the Nikon lens is larger and heavier but not unwieldy it has the advantage of being a moderate wide angle on my 10x8 cameras as well.

Ian

[Carsten Wolff]

I'll not comment other than to suggest you decide what matters to you.

Size/weight
Maximum aperture
Shutter or barrel mount
Most coverage
Sharpness, contrast, bokeh, etc.

For "MY" purposes, and chosen only from the lenses you listed, I would buy the Fuji-A... but a late EBC coated version.

Good comment and good choice. I personally usu. like wider aperture and used a 10" Conley-V for many years; now, in that range, I love both the 250mm f/6.3 Fuji and 210mm f/6.3 Komura to the same degree.

[sepstein17]

Thanx everyone - now time to chart your answers and try to follow the advice of Sy Simms...

Enjoy the bird y'all.

Steve