Wide angle for 4x5

[Turner Reich]

It appears that wide angle lenses have never been more expensive to obtain. I was looking for an old 75mm more or less but they wind up being around $400.00 and up. I guess I will live with, well, what I have.

[JW Dewdney]

That doesn't seem too bad to me... especially when you consider the cost of inflation. I remember the first 90/8 I bought - it was some 1950s super-angulon in fairly junky shape for $350 - and that was probably about 1988... seems a 75 would have been MORE money.

[Turner Reich]

My mistake, I wanted to say 90mm, I don't know what I was thinking. A 90mm would be about $350 and up so things haven't changed that much except for inflation of course. I guess I just need to figure out if I really need one, I haven't yet and even with medium format I haven't used the 55mm wide angle very much. I was thinking that on my next trip to Europe I might need a wide angle lens for some of the buildings. I love architectural details as much as land and seascapes.
Thanks

[Ole Tjugen]

It also depends on how much coverage you want, and how much you want an extra stop or two of brightness.

In 90mm the old Angulon f:6.8 covers nicely, but with no movements. A Super Angulon f:8 covers with lots of movements (I use mine on 5x7" far more often than on 4x5"), but is bigger and more expensive. From there on extra brightness adds more weight and a lot more money.

Last time I shot buildings I used an antique Holborn f:16 3 1/4" WA Rectilinear on a Speed Graphic. I think it cost me about $20 - and it's surprisingly sharp!

[Nick_3536]

If you can go to 105mm look for Fuji SW 105mm. Lots of coverage. 67mm filters in the early models. Plus the ones in Seiko shutters are must cheaper then anything else of similar vintage. I think mine was high $2xx range.

[Darryl Baird]

a little patience with eeeeebuy can net wonders. I know for a fact there have been many 90mm f/8, 6.8, and even 5.6. (I got a 5.6 SWD Fuji for $400) lenses through the summer. You can do a search of "completed" auctions to find what were the variables.

avoid auction that end on weekends, search for poorly labeled/described auctions, and do your homework on which lenses cover what you need and how their sharpness compares (Thalmann and Perez have done wonderful work with this data).

I'd pay 300-350 tops for a pristine f/8 lens. I think you can do better with careful and diligent work. Sniping software is a plus too.

[Turner Reich]

Thanks for the ideas on lenses and eBeg, I'll start watching during the week.

[ericantonio]

Also, some say (I believe EVERYTHING on the innernet!), that the 90mm Orbit is the same as the SA. Who knows, but I like to believe it. I think they are pretty affordable. Got mine with my 4x5.

[Nick_3536]

I think it'll depend on which vintage of Orbit. Calumet had quite a few different companies make them lenses over the years.

[Mark Sawyer]

The 90mm Acugon is also a lovely lens, and a close relative of the Super Angulon. They pop up fairly often at the auction site.

[adonis_abril]

I had a Rodenstock 75mm f/4.5, nice lens, wish I could've used it more and be familiar with it... unfortunately it was stolen. It's fairly expensive in the used market and runs arounds $675. I found a Nikkor 75mm f/4.5 to replace it with and never looked back. I've never ran out of coverage using it on a Canham DLC 45 - with extreme rise and moderate tilts...I could see this lens being useful for architecture. One problem though is that it's hard to focus on the corners with a fresnel glass (stock Canham fresnel/glass). Oh, and I got the Nikon for around $400 - can't understand now why I would pay extra for the Rodenstock.

[Turner Reich]

Great ideas, thank you all very much.