210mm vs 240mm on 8x10

[Jbuck]

hello,
i started to use an 8x10 recently and i have the 360mm lens now.
i wanted to get something more wide angle and am looking into buying either an 210mm or 240mm lens

is the difference of rendering big? the aim to buy it would be shooting full body shoots.

thanks

[Luis-F-S]

Then I'd get the 240. Coverage is much better than with a 210. L

[Pere Casals]

i wanted to get something more wide angle and am looking into buying either an 210mm or 240mm lens


Yes, it would be easier to get a suitable lens in the 240mm.

Check here image circle of different lenses https://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses/LF8x10in.html, you need at least 312.5mm for 8x10.

A 240mm has a jump of +50% to 360mm, so if you plan a lens kit you may want a set of lenses that have focals evenly spaced, so you should decide what jump you want between focals, and if wanting a particular focal for something.

8x10 has less available choices than 4x5, so selecting the focals of a kit is not as easy.


Rendering is proportional, so a 15%. So a bit less the difference than the one between 35mm and 28mm in a full format dslr.

[Jbuck]

thanks alot! my idea was also to aim more towards 240mm ...
thanks

[mdarnton]

210mm is a wide angle lens, somewhere between 24mm and 28mm on 35mm. 240mm is much closer to a 35mm equivalent focal length, and as such doesn't give as much of a w/a effect. I think the choice should be based on how you feel about wide angles. Though my preference is 210, for full-body shots, I'd choose the 240.

For both, Fujinon-W lenses with the lettering on the inside ring are excellent choices because of their very large image circle compared with other lenses of the same type. The 250/6.7 is a bit scarce because of that. Fujinon rendering is very neutral, the results famously sharp. All you give up is multicoating. Image circles: 210: 352mm; 250: 398mm. Basically 80 degrees as opposed to the Symmar's 70 degrees!

[John Kasaian]

I'd say it ultimately depends on how wide you need to go, how much coverage you want to have, how much $$ you want to spend and how heavy a lens your front standard can handle.
I find a 240 is a very useful length on my 8x10.

[Jbuck]

the 360mm 6.8 that i have now, its almost too big and heavy, so id prefer something lighter.. but since im not a fan of wide angle.. i think i will go for a 240mm (hopefully its not as huge as the 360mm)

are the Rodenstok / Schneider 240mm much bigger and heavier than the 210mm?

[Luis-F-S]

You want light get a 240 G-Claron

[Roger Thoms]

You want light get a 240 G-Claron

I'll second that, I've been quite pleased with my 240 G-Claron on my 8x10. Light, affordable, decent coverage. Of course there are plenty of choices in 240mm.

Roger

[Jbuck]

thanks guys! ill take a look

[Oren Grad]

the 360mm 6.8 that i have now, its almost too big and heavy, so id prefer something lighter.. but since im not a fan of wide angle.. i think i will go for a 240mm (hopefully its not as huge as the 360mm)

are the Rodenstok / Schneider 240mm much bigger and heavier than the 210mm?

For the general-purpose plasmat series (Sironar/Symmar, 70-75 degree coverage), 240 is the focal length where they start coming in #3 shutters rather than #1. OTOH, the 80-degree 210's that have decent coverage for 8x10 (Apo-Sironar-W, Super-Symmar HM) also come in a #3. But within each product line, the 240's are substantially smaller/lighter than the 360's.

[John Kasaian]

I'll second that, I've been quite pleased with my 240 G-Claron on my 8x10. Light, affordable, decent coverage. Of course there are plenty of choices in 240mm.

Roger

+1

[Tin Can]

Old thread about 210"s. Covers a a lot of possibilities. https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?62302-210mm-Lens-for-8x10-Spotters-Guide&p=588551&viewfull=1#post588551

Also, if shooting humans at close range wouldn't coverage expand beyond infinity coverage...

[Jbuck]

thanks!!

[Leigh]

jbuck,

If doing full-height portraits the main difference between 210mm and 240mm is the distance between the camera and the subject. You can make exactly the same size image with either lens.

- Leigh

[Jbuck]

jbuck,

If doing full-height portraits the main difference between 210mm and 240mm is the distance between the camera and the subject. You can make exactly the same size image with either lens.

- Leigh


this is important info since 210mm lenses are quite cheaper than 240mm..

but wouldn't a 240mm give more DOF @f5.6 than a 210mm @f5.6 and have a nicer body rendering compared to 210mm?
or are the mm differences too small to make a visible effect?

[Bob Salomon]

this is important info since 210mm lenses are quite cheaper than 240mm..

but wouldn't a 240mm give more DOF @f5.6 than a 210mm @f5.6 and have a nicer body rendering compared to 210mm?
or are the mm differences too small to make a visible effect?

The shorter focal length will have more DOF then the longer lens but will emphasize foreshortening more then the longer lens.

[Luis-F-S]

this is important info since 210mm lenses are quite cheaper than 240mm..

but wouldn't a 240mm give more DOF @f5.6 than a 210mm @f5.6 and have a nicer body rendering compared to 210mm?
or are the mm differences too small to make a visible effect?

f/5.6 is for focusing NOT shooting. Large format lenses are made to be used at f/16 or smaller, down to f/45 for Dagors!

[Drew Wiley]

250 Fuji A is even lighter and smaller than a 240 G-Claron (no.0 shutter), but with just as large an image circle. I own both.

[Jbuck]

What about the Fujion W 250mm f6.3

there is one floating on the bay with an "semi" ok price?

- im only familiar with the Symmar and the Siranor series and old Tessars.

[rohanbassett]

What about the Fujion W 250mm f6.3

there is one floating on the bay with an "semi" ok price?

- im only familiar with the Symmar and the Siranor series and old Tessars.
Much smaller image circle unfortunately — the older 6.7 can do 398mm, but the newer 6.3 can only just cover 8x10.

[Drew Wiley]

Nope, not the 6.3. For 8X10 you want the 250/6.7. I've used that lens too. A stop brighter than the 250A but about the same image circle stopped down.

[Jbuck]

thank you! I have to look into it more than

[Dan O'Farrell]

An inexpensive, but very good option is the 8.5" (215 mm) f/4.8 Ilex-Calumet Series S Caltar, which is convertible to 14".

[Jbuck]

i think i will go with either Symmar 240 or Schneider 240mm lens.. i have experienced them in the 210 and 360 versions and im very happy with them

[neil poulsen]

Much smaller image circle unfortunately — the older 6.7 can do 398mm, but the newer 6.3 can only just cover 8x10.

The f6.7 is a good solution for your needs. It has and improved image circle over others discussed above. And, it can be often found priced under $400.