90mm/4.5 Grandagon-N and Filters

[JPlomley]

I'm hoping to get some feedback from users of this optic. Can an 82mm filter be mounted without the risk of vignetting or making contact with the front element? Or do I need to use a SUR or 82/82 spacer. I'll be receiving the lens in a few weeks time so want to get my filters lined up.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Ben Chase]

I'm hoping to get some feedback from users of this optic. Can an 82mm filter be mounted without the risk of vignetting or making contact with the front element? Or do I need to use a SUR or 82/82 spacer. I'll be receiving the lens in a few weeks time so want to get my filters lined up.

Cheers,
Jeff

I have a Kasemann Lee Polarizer on mine from time to time and I haven't had any problems.

[arthur berger]

I have not had any problems using 82mm filters on my 90 mm 4.5 grandagon. Never had any viignetting using it on my 4x5. It does not touch the front element either so no spacer is needed (unlike the110 schneider )

[JPlomley]

Thank-you gentlemen. I will go ahead and order a B+W 81B MRC and Singh-Ray warm tone polarizer then in an 82mm thread. As an aside, are you satisified with the optimcal performance of this lens? I was headed for an 80XL, but this 90/4.5 was available at such a good price I just could not pass it up.

[Ben Chase]

Thank-you gentlemen. I will go ahead and order a B+W 81B MRC and Singh-Ray warm tone polarizer then in an 82mm thread. As an aside, are you satisified with the optimcal performance of this lens? I was headed for an 80XL, but this 90/4.5 was available at such a good price I just could not pass it up.

The only thing that I don't like is the 82mm filter thread, it made the Kaesemann polarizing filter that much more expensive.

Optically, I'm quite pleased - although I am not typically one to notice subtle differences in how certain lenses will render color. I have so many things to worry about screwing up already, that I can't possibly take that into account right now.

[Michael T. Murphy]

As an aside, are you satisified with the optimcal performance of this lens?

Jeff,

This is one of my favorite lenses on any camera system that I have owned! I think you will be able to see on the ground glass how good this lens is. I love it! (Second favorite would by my 65mm for the Mamiya 7, those are very well regarded lenses.)

Were you able to get it at the price we discussed?

Best,
Michael

[JPlomley]

Hi Michael,

Yes, Aboud honored the original selling price since I sent him a PM just before he upped the asking price after comparing to Lens and Repro's asking price for the same optic nowhere near the condition of this one. I owe you big time for sending me the link. I checked out Aboud and he had 100% positive feedback on ebay and PNet. I also called him and we chatted for about an hour, real friendly guy.

Nice to know how it compares to the Mamiya 7/65mm combo, my favorite camera for B&W street photography. My 135 APO Sironar-S also compares favorably to the 65/4L Mamiya (which means the 90/4.5 must be a stellar performer), and I can never say enough about the performance of the Sironar-S series of lenses (I have the 135, 210, and 300mm. I give the edge to the 300mm, it just nudges out the 135 and 210, but you need to loupe the chromes at 10x magnification to see it).

Thanks again Michael. I'll let you know how it all works out.

Regards,
Jeff

[JPlomley]

Ben/Arthur, just out of curiosity, do your lenses have the green stripe? And if so, does it say "Multicoating" or "MC" anywhere on the barrel?

[Michael T. Murphy]

Good luck Jeff! Give us an update when it arrives and yiu have a chance to test it. At least the GG will be nice and bright. ;>)

Best,
Michael

[JPlomley]

Michael,

Lens recieved and is both optically and cosmetically perfect. I cannot tell it from new. This puppy is razor sharp, centre to edge. It compared favorably to my 135 APO Sironar-S, which surprised me being one of the sharpest optics in my stable.

Cheers,
Jeff

[W.Ferrier]

I have not had any problems using 82mm filters on my 90 mm 4.5 grandagon. Never had any viignetting using it on my 4x5. It does not touch the front element either so no spacer is needed (unlike the110 schneider )

Arthur-@ what f/stops do you normally shoot? I have that lense on a fotoman 6x24and I used f/16 & an 82mm polarizer and had vignetting problems. Would going to f/22-45 help eliminate this problem?

Thanks in advance,

Bill

[Bob Salomon]

[QUOTE=W.Ferrier;Would going to f/22-45 help eliminate this problem?

Thanks in advance,

Bill[/QUOTE]

It would get you into diffraction much past 22.

[Bob Salomon]

Arthur-@ what f/stops do you normally shoot? I have that lense on a fotoman 6x24and I used f/16 & an 82mm polarizer and had vignetting problems. Would going to f/22-45 help eliminate this problem?

Thanks in advance,

Bill

Actually as you stop down the coverage of the lens would increase. That would not reduce vignetting. Going to a very thin step up ring to 105mm and then using a slim 105mm polarizer might eliminate vignetting from the polarizer.

However, when using a polarizer in ultra wide shots that include large areas of sky you will get banding in areas of the sky.

[W.Ferrier]

Bob-thanks for that information-the banding problems have been an issue and I had no idea what caused it. So then is f/22 "kind of " the recommended/most used f/stop in the large format lens? Thanks again,

Bill

[JPlomley]

I will be getting some tests back tomorrow. Checked the lens with an 82mm B+W warming filter (not a slim line), then with a Heliopan 82/105 SUR and B+W 105 WT-Polarizer (not a slim mount), then with a Lee 82mm wide angle adapter ring with one slot for a GND filter and the front fitted with the 105mm ring to which I attached the B+W polarizer. My shooting style dictates focus spreads which can only be accomodated with apertures of f/22. When I tested this optic against my 135 APO Sironar-S at f/22 (no filters), performance was similar.

[JPlomley]

Forgot to add that I am shooting 4x5. 6x24 could be an issue as you are much closer to the edge of the image circle.

[Bob Salomon]

Bob-thanks for that information-the banding problems have been an issue and I had no idea what caused it. So then is f/22 "kind of " the recommended/most used f/stop in the large format lens? Thanks again,

Bill

Beyond f22 you will be into diffraction.

[JPlomley]

Beyond f22 you will be into diffraction.

Yeah, but in my experience so far with the lens, it performs exceptionally well at f/32. I'd rather take the moderate hit in performance due to diffraction than the loss of depth. OOF areas that should be in-focus just bug me alot. Also, if you are scanning your chromes and using good sharpening algorithms, you won't see a difference between f/22 and f/32 in the final print.

[arthur berger]

Most of my photographs with this lens have been taken at either F 22 or F 32. I use a regular 82mm filter- either tiffen or B+W. I never had a problem with vignetting. A polarizer might be a little thicker and maybe that could cause a problem. 6x24 format may be another story however and may be approaching the outer edge of the coverage.
Arthur

[W.Ferrier]

Thank you all for your input- I need to read up on image circle issues. Do you folks ever shoot @ f/5.6-f/16 with this lens ?

Bill

[JPlomley]

A focus spread of 1mm corresponds to f/16.6. As a landscape photographer where objects never fall on the same plane, I just never get this lucky. I'm usually parked between f/22-f/32.