Recommendations for a general purpose lens for a Calumet 4x5?

[cmetzbower]

This is my first time working with LF and need to buy a lens for my Calumet C400 4x5. Any recommendations?

[Bob Salomon]

What format do you shoot now and what’s your favorite focal length for it?

[Vaughn]

A Caltar IIN 150mm/5.6 would do you very well as a high quality starter lens. Or the same in 180mm, though not as common. Similar focal lengths, speed, and age by Scheinder, Nikon, Fuji, Rodenstock will all be fine. The Caltar just usually run a little cheaper. In Copal 0 shutters, nice, light weight, dependable.

This would start you out with a modern normal lens and give you experience to figure out where you want to go next...longer and/or shorter. Coverage is good so you can play with movements, and at f5.6, bright enough to see the image on the ground glass in low light.

Bob asks a good question, but consider allowing the new format (4x5) to help train your eye and see afresh. Sometimes ones vision using small format cameras does not translate the same when moved to large format, and it becomes an opportunity to expand ones vision. Have fun!

[cmetzbower]

When I’m shooting 35mm, I prefer my 50mm but if it’s 120 film, I like my 150mm lens.

[cmetzbower]

I was looking for something in the $80-$200 range. Most of my other cameras are Nikon, are the Nikon LF lenses any good?

[pendennis]

For practical usage, almost any good lens ranging from 135mm, to 180mm. These are considered "normal" lenses, since they fairly easily cover the 4x5 format (approximately 162mm on the diagonal), and allow for some standard movements (swing, tilt, rise, fall).

You should also do some reading on large format lenses, the books frequently have 35mm, 120 size, focal length equivalents. For instance, a 35mm "normal" lenses are around 43mm focal length, and in 120 size, 75-80mm focal length.

Like most smaller format users, first go with a 150mm +/- "normal", then to a telephoto (200mm+), and finally a 120mm-90mm for wide angle. There are lots of lenses on both sides of the wide and long focal lengths for specialty shooting.

[pendennis]

I was looking for something in the $80-$200 range. Most of my other cameras are Nikon, are the Nikon LF lenses any good?

Nikons are fine LF lenses, and your budget, at the top end especially will fetch a decent lens. Don't forget, though, add a lens board drilled to the proper opening.

[Bob Salomon]

When I’m shooting 35mm, I prefer my 50mm but if it’s 120 film, I like my 150mm lens.

So for 35 you like a “normal” lens but on 120 a portrait length.

The most popular normal lens for 45 is the 150mm. Maybe you should start there.

Having been the Linhof distributor since the late 70s to 2015 and the Rodenstock distributor from 86 to 2015 the most popular lenses were the 90, 150 and 210mm.

[drew.saunders]

When I’m shooting 35mm, I prefer my 50mm but if it’s 120 film, I like my 150mm lens.

Since you like a longer lens on 120, another popular option for a first lens is a 210mm f/5.6. You should be able to find a good one for under $200. Fujinon lenses, of which I have several, are often a bit less expensive than Nikkor, Schneider and Rodenstock, but all four are good. Caltar lenses are relabeled, and are also good, and often a good price. http://www.keh.com and http://www.igorcamera.com might be a bit more than eBay, but they're both reputable sellers.

Nikon made the Nikkor-M 200 f/8, and it's a very sharp, very small, lens. Sadly, it's $400 and up, mostly up, on eBay these days, so out of your price range (I may have paid less than that new in 2001!). It's possibly my most used lens. Since you got a monorail, the small size and light weight of the 200/8 M might not appeal over a larger 200/5.6 lens.

[Vaughn]

On Photrio, there is a Nikon 180/5.6 for sale for $215 plus shipping from Japan (good seller). It's hard to find a good shutter for that price.

[Mark Sampson]

-And I've been happily using a 180/5.6 Nikkor-W since 1986. Back then I paid $400 for a good used example. I'd grab that one Vaughn has mentioned if I didn't still have mine!