Buying a second 150mm 4x5 lens (for the kiddo)

[m00dawg]

I currently have a Fujinon 150mm W 5.6. I believe it's multi-coated since the lettering is on the outside. It works great! It has the most accurate shutter compared to my 90mm Schnieder and 210 Rodenstock. It's accurate enough up until 1/125 where it starts to drift. 1/500 is nearly a full stop off. But it works well!

I upgraded from an Intrepid MK2 to an Chamonix 45F2. I still have the MK2 and my kiddo has taken a real likening to it. We're going on vacation here later this summer and I wanted to get a lens for him to use on Woodie (the name of the MK2). That way I'm not having to worry about sharing a lens.

Though I could just buy another Fujinon perhaps, this seemed like a good time to try another brand or type of 150mm lens since I could do A/B comparisons if I wanted. Curious what folks may recommend? Buying a super new Schneider probably isn't in the cards but I found some Rodenstock and Schneider's available from the 80's to 90's for a not terrible price. Granted I got an awesome deal on my current Fujinon and since 4x5 has made a bigger comeback since, prices seem to have risen.

Any thoughts?

[Two23]

Pretty much any of them will do well. I would look for a caltar or nikkor.


Kent in SD

[Bernice Loui]

If you're adventurous, consider a 6" - 150mm Tessar formulation as another lens in this focal length. Tessar formulations have a smaller image circle compared to a Plasmat, but offers something different in image rendition specially at taking apertures larger than f22.


Bernice

[BrianShaw]

I agree with both of the above. Don’t write off an option like a Commercial Ektar.

[m00dawg]

Ah good points. I didn't think of going that direction (Tessar and old Ektars) but that would be interesting. On the note of Nikkor, I thought about that but the difficulties in determining the age of the lenses relative to Schneider or Rodenstock (and to some degree Fujinon) was a tad frustrating. I do enjoy Nikon glass as a general rule though.

[Mark Sampson]

I don't believe that Nikon ever made any changes to their LF lens designs, so age should not be a factor. But you can't go wrong with any modern 150mm lens, if the glass is clean and the shutter works. A 152/4.5 Ektar would be a good choice... for higher contrast and superb close-up performance I'd think about the Schneider 150/9 G-Claron. I've used both.

[Corran]

I don't know what price range you are looking at but Schneider APO Symmars are selling for around $200-250 I think and they are fantastic, if you want a superlative, modern lens.

Another option, a 150mm Rodenstock Geronar. Modern coated lens but a triplet formula, so may be nice for wider aperture shooting and comparing out-of-focus rendering. These sell really cheap.

Tessar is nice but IMO will not match your other lenses in contrast, so take that into account (you may want to shoot at a different EI or develop longer to increase contrast, or use it in really contrasty light).

G-Claron is excellent for general shooting and "macro" as well, so a useful option.

[Roger Thoms]

If you want a very light, compact lens a G-Claron is another choice. I love mine for 4x5.

Roger

[Vaughn]

For the money a Caltar IIN 150/5.6 is a great lens.

[Pere Casals]

Any thoughts?

You will have same problem with all lenses, so you may find a way to easily mount your lenses in both cameras.

Me, I use cambo and sinar, so I made a cambo board that takes sinar boards.

192113

In your case you may mount your lenses in small circular lensboards and make an adapter for each camera to take those circular boards, in that way when you carry several lenses also you will save a lot of space.

[Michael Graves]

I'm going to support Berenice's stance. Most of the "modern" lenses are going to be so close to one another in performance that seeing any real difference at standard print size/viewing distance is going to be unlikely. Especially with B&W. With significant enlargement, perhaps. However by going with something like a 6.5" anastigmat or a 6" tessar, you are likely to see a difference in image character.

[John Layton]

Another vote for the G-Claron...a great little lens!

[m00dawg]

Oh wow I went to lunch and this thread exploded with some great advice. Thanks everyone! I'll check out the G-claron see what's up about it. I do tend to like contrast in lenses particularly since I don't shoot people that much (when I do I try to use the 210). I was trying to think of a lens that might give a different look than my Fujinon just so I don't have a lens that's almost the same sitting around. Main goal is for the kiddo to have a lens to shoot with but, yeah, if I can gain other benefits, I should.

Curious, what makes the close-up performance good on the G-claron? I do tend to like doing close up detail shots of things, at least when indoors. I have found the Fujinon W can be a bit tricky to figure out - but I guess they all can when trying to get things setup for macro style work. Of the lenses I have, I've found it takes me the longest to focus with the W at close-up.

[Mark Sampson]

The G-Claron was designed for close-up work, mostly on large graphic-arts (process) cameras. Which explains its slow maximum aperture of f/9.
But it performed well at longer distances, and Schneider sold it as a general-purpose lens at least through the 1990s.
There are a few threads on this forum about them, many dealing with the longer focal lengths.
I used one for close-up work and copying when I worked at Kodak, and it was very sharp and contrasty; thus my recommendation.

[m00dawg]

Awesome thanks Mark! Seems like it may be harder to track down at the usual suspects but I'm gonna keep digging (both for more info and for where I may be able to find one). The process nature might explain why I'm seeing more G-claron enlarger lenses than ones with shutters?

[neil poulsen]

I'm with Pere. I have multiple cameras, and with one exception, by using reduction lens boards, all my lenses fit all cameras. For example, there's a reduction lens board for Linhof Technika boards made for just about any camera.

[m00dawg]

I'm with Pere. I have multiple cameras, and with one exception, by using reduction lens boards, all my lenses fit all cameras. For example, there's a reduction lens board for Linhof Technika boards made for just about any camera.

Yep this is true but my particular issue is slightly different I think. All my lenses work on both cameras (they're all using Linhof boards I believe). But I only have 1 of each length. Fine for me but since the kiddo will be shooting, I'd like to give the him a complete setup and starting him on the 150mm makes sense. But since I only have a single 150mm lens that would present a problem if I need to use it since I tend to use it the most often as well. I don't want to discourage him by forcing him to use a non-standard length but I also don't want to miss my own compositions.

My thought is if I have to get another 150mm, I might try something that is more different than the Fujinon. I mean it's a great lens and getting just another Fujinon would be inexpensive but I figure, if nothing else, I could try another brand at least.

The G-claron seems interesting. The normal Schneider 5.6 lenses also look awesome but Nikon seems to have a good price/performance for modern-ish lenses so might end up being my first choice if I didn't go with a G-claron or tessar (or a vintage Ektar or some such).

This might sound like a solution looking for a problem haha or maybe a waste of money but I think he'll enjoy learning LF more if he has his own setup he can call his own and he's taken a big interest in my Intrepid. For whatever reason, he's not as much a fan of my 45F2 (even though it is glorious!). Kinda neat too because this way Intrepid's mission (bringing LF to more people) comes to fruition twice (once for me as it was my first LF camera, and once for him).

[Pere Casals]

What capability do you want for the additional 150?



Cheap? Lightweight? Large circle for architecture? Great bokeh for portraiture?

[m00dawg]

What capability do you want for the additional 150?

Cheap? Lightweight? Large circle for architecture? Great bokeh for portraiture?

Hmm good question! Of those my current 150mm is cheap (when I bought it anyway), it's pretty lightweight, I rarely ran into the image circle as a downside. Only thing I might think of is the bokeh isn't quite as buttery if memory serves. I spent too much time with movements though haha to remember but I do like having awesome bokeh. I think my Fujinon 90mm f8 also maybe was a bit sharper?

No ills to speak of with my current 150mm but since the kiddo needs one, now is a good opportunity to explore features found in other lenses. So yeah of those, I would rank them in order of:

bokeh, cheap, image circle, lightweight

For contrast, though that might be subtle, I'd prefer higher contrast I think.

I recognize most of the modern lenses will be very close to each other, so this thread is maybe a bit loaded haha. But hey I found out about the G-claron and was reminded about tesser designs, and Ektar lenses so gave me a lot of food for thought just the same! Again thanks for everyone chipping in with such great info!