ULF Lens buying help

[thevegasrealtor]

Hi! Just wondering if there is someone on here who could help me choose a portrait lens that I can build my camera around, either 16x20 or 20x24, haven't decided yet and lens will determine. Just need someone to help me look for one so I don't make mistakes. I would be super grateful!

[Andrew Plume]

well, good luck..................but a pure pukka portrait lens for that coverage is going to significantly set you back, so as long as you know that, then as I say good luck

there are plenty of portrait photographers on this site and I'm sure that they'll chime in

regards

Andrew

[thevegasrealtor]

It's for wet plate, not sure if that matters. I've got about a grand for the lens set aside. Depending on the answers I receive here then 11x14 might also be considered lol.

[Dan Fromm]

Hmm. Normal for 16x20 is 600 mm. Normal for 20x24 is around 800 mm. You'll want a lens perhaps half again as long. 900 or 1200 mm, possibly longer. You're in narrow angle process lens territory.

Normal for 11x14 is 450 mm or so. Think hard about 11x14.

[thevegasrealtor]

Thanks for the info Dan, I'm thinking maybe 11x14 might be a good place to start for now. I suppose I can always go bigger later. So for 11x14 for shoulder and head portraits I should be looking at 500mm+?


Thanks for the info Dan, I'm thinking maybe 11x14 might be a good place to start for now. I suppose I can always go bigger later. So for 11x14 for shoulder and head portraits I should be looking at 500mm+?

[Pere Casals]

Hi! Just wondering if there is someone on here who could help me choose a portrait lens that I can build my camera around, either 16x20 or 20x24, haven't decided yet and lens will determine. Just need someone to help me look for one so I don't make mistakes. I would be super grateful!

Here you have good info about lenses for 14x17", some cover much more.

http://www.angusparkerphoto.com/blog/2015/2/ulf-lens-recommendations-14x17


Be aware that process lenses often have image circle specified for 1:1 magnification, so for close objects, for distant objects those lenses are covering much less.

With general photography lenses it is the counter, image circle is specified for distant (infinite) subjects, so as you give bellows extension to focus close objetcs you get a larger circle of image.

Regards.

[Pere Casals]

Thanks for the info Dan, I'm thinking maybe 11x14 might be a good place to start for now. I suppose I can always go bigger later. So for 11x14 for shoulder and head portraits I should be looking at 500mm+?

For h&s 11x14" I'd use from 500 to 800mm. It depends on the prespective you want, this is distance from camera to subject.

Humans do remember other's faces with the look they have from some 3m. If you get too close nose increases relative size in a front looking shot. But this is about tastes.

Well, we know what was Yousuf Karsh's taste: 14" (355mm) for 8x10, this would be some 500mm for 11x14, but if you want a narrower framming than him then you should rise the bet to some 800mm.

http://karsh.org/photographs/

[goamules]

If you are just getting into wetplate, I recommend you also go read through the Collodion.com forum. Much of the equipment needed for wetplate is quite different than for Large Format film. Also, if you are just learning, you will spend a lot of money on chemicals trying to pour onto Mammoth sized plates, many of which will have learning flaws and problems. Better to start with about a 5x7 camera, and shoot 20 or 30 plates, cheaply, in 4-6 sessions, while learning. Then get out the big camera when you are certain you have your technique down.

Typically a Mammoth sized lens will cost over your budget, but there are some poor man solutions that will get you there. With wetplate you need a pretty fast lens, F4.5 or faster is ideal for portraits. Any slower, and you are making your subject hold still for 20 seconds or longer, or flashing them with a thermonuclear amount of artificial light.

A good, very fast, wetplate 8x10 lens is typically $1500 - $2500. Again, you can use a "second tier" lens, that is slower, but it's not ideal.

I sold hundreds of wetplate lenses to happy customers from 2007 to 2012. This is just my advice.

[thevegasrealtor]

I bought a crown graphic to learn on but I'm just planning for the eventual urge to go larger and larger :)

[Tri Tran]

I have a perfect lens for you. Let me know when you are ready.

[angusparker]

I recommend 11x14 in ULF territory. You can fairly easily buy film. Contact printing a film or glass negative is more feasible too. Remember you will be printing on the next size up paper 16x20 which is probably the last size reasonable to do in trays. The logical lens on the short side is the Nikkor 450mm f9 but you might want something faster for wetplate which would probably be a cheap brass antique lens with a hat for a shutter. For 600mm I’d go the 24” Artar route but again for wetplate this would probably be too slow.


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