Lens recommendations for a Century 9

[ScottPhotoCo]

Good afternoon all,

I am finally getting around to setting up my Century 9 for shooting and I realized that because it has the 3 standard set-up that a few of the lenses that I thought I would use with it are just a bit short for what I want to do (primarily portraits). I tried my 36" Heliar and my 8x10 Petzval formula Wollensak and both of them require me to focus too close to the sitter (due to minimum focusing limitations of the bellows/standards). I do have a 50cm f6,3 "E KRAUSS" Tessar that seems to be a good length but I am considering other options as well.

Do any of you have experience with longer focal length lenses? I'm thinking at least 420mm+. Thoughts, recommendations and ideas welcome.

Thank you in advance.

[ghostcount]

42cm Voigtlander Portrait Euryscop and 42cm Voigtlander Heliar ;)

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?74040-42CM-Heliar-Vss-42CM-Euryscop-Portrait-Series-III

A 42cm Xenar if you are inclined to venture outside the Voigtlander pedigree. :p

[Peter De Smidt]

A 420 Fujinon L is a nice tessar in a modern shutter. If you don't need a shutter, something like a 480mm APO Nikkor, or a Ronar, are good choices.

[Bill_1856]

What the H is a "Century 9?"

[Peter De Smidt]

It's a Kodak studio portrait camera.

[ScottPhotoCo]

42cm Voigtlander Portrait Euryscop and 42cm Voigtlander Heliar ;)

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?74040-42CM-Heliar-Vss-42CM-Euryscop-Portrait-Series-III

A 42cm Xenar if you are inclined to venture outside the Voigtlander pedigree. :p

I'm afraid that a big Heliar (unless some miracle happens) is out of my budget for the near future with the house purchase and all. Just exploring ideas for now. I wonder if B&L made a 480mm or longer tessar?

[ScottPhotoCo]

A 420 Fujinon L is a nice tessar in a modern shutter. If you don't need a shutter, something like a 480mm APO Nikkor, or a Ronar, are good choices.

Thanks Peter. I don't necessarily need a shutter as I have a big Packard on the camera. I do, however, have a penchant for big old glass. Both of your suggestions are good ones but I'm hoping to find some faster and older glass. I'm just weird like that. :)

[Mark Sawyer]

There are big Sigmars (19- and 22-inches), and Variums (19 inches) that would be lovely if you could find one. Really though, you never know what will cross your path, and you just have to be able to recognize a great lens when you run across it...

[Steven Tribe]

Apart from the big Euryskops, you might think about the clones made by Suter which were a common studio portrait lens in Europe. Both the A series and the B series were used. There is a list here which translates size number to focal lengths.

The Krauss 50cm F6.3 Tessar was produced in large numbers and is an excellent lens.

[mdarnton]

B&L made a 495mm/4.5 Tessar, but I have never seen one on Ebay, for instance.

[goamules]

Maybe try a Protar VIIa, with a couple different elements. They are convertible, and you can get three focal lengths out of them.

[Peter De Smidt]

I have a 17" Collinear that's very nice, and an TTH Cooke Aviar can also be very good. You might be able to get one of the latter fairly reasonably. They were made for aerial reconnaissance. If you get a WWII lens, they won't be labeled 'TTH', 'Cooke' or 'Aviar', but if the serial number starts with a 'TT', that's what it is. Other markings would be: 14A/3254 That's for a 14" lens.

[cowanw]

I presume the Packard shutter precludes an inbuilt box like the Deardorff studio camera had. Perhaps a Verito with the front lens removed. The Graf variable comes in an 18-20.5 inch model; the Unar in an 18 inch.

[DrTang]

Here's what I did to get my 12" Voigtlander Portrait lens working on that camera


I took an Ilexpo shutter that was on a 9" sq board.. gutted it ...and mounted a board on the back thereby creating a recessed lensboard

hell.. I've shot my 10" WFE with it

[ScottPhotoCo]

I presume the Packard shutter precludes an inbuilt box like the Deardorff studio camera had. Perhaps a Verito with the front lens removed. The Graf variable comes in an 18-20.5 inch model; the Unar in an 18 inch.

It does indeed. It is recessed so it adds minimal extension to the front standard.

[ScottPhotoCo]

Here's what I did to get my 12" Voigtlander Portrait lens working on that camera


I took an Ilexpo shutter that was on a 9" sq board.. gutted it ...and mounted a board on the back thereby creating a recessed lensboard

hell.. I've shot my 10" WFE with it

This is a good idea though with the shorter lenses it would need to be quite recessed on the 9.