10x8 lenses...240mm or similar

[Former Member 8144]

Hi all,

I am embarking on a long term project that is to be shot on 10x8.
I'm new to 10x8 having always previousley shot 5x4 and have started a thread on the camera section regarding, well, cameras.

As for lenses I'm looking to get a bit of advice also.

I will be using rise, fall and shift so I need lenses with enough movements for that but this is not for architectural work so the movements will not be huge.
(Shots will be of various objects and structures within the surrounding landscape, some more traditional landscapes and some larger structures, but mostly low level.)

I may very well go with a one lens set up as it suits the project that all the images have a similar feel in terms of field of view and so wanting something fairly naturalistic as opposed to too wide a perspective I will probably be looking around the 240mm mark.

The style of the images do not require the most modern sharp look at all and so whist not looking for an old look in particular I presume I will be fine with one of the older designed lenses?

Someone has mentioned the schneider claron G and I see for these there are both older and newer versions...any big differences and any others i should be looking at such as the fujinon F9A, etc, etc?

Thanks,

Marc

[Capocheny]

Hi Marc,

I own a 240 Symmar, 240 Nikkor, 240 G-Claron, and now, a 240 Germinar... I don't think you'll find a world of a difference between them for your purposes. They're all made by very reputable companies.

So, find one that suits your budget and go for it. :)

The 240 Fujinon A is also reputed to be a great lens but I've not owned one before.

As for much OLDER lenses... can't speak to them but I'm sure somebody here will...

Btw, the 240 is one of my favorite lenses on 8x10... if I could carry only one lens, it would definitely be a 240! :)

Good luck on the project.

Cheers

[Ron Marshall]

If rise is a concern, on 8x10 the Fuji 240 f9 will only allow 18mm of rise, compared to the 43mm for the APO Sironar-S.

[Matus Kalisky]

I have no personal experience here but what about the single coated version of Fujinon W 250/6.7 ? It is supposed to have IC of 380mm. I guess the Germinar 240/9 W should be great too, but the cost may be high...

[Steve Goldstein]

The Fujinon-W 250mm f/6.7 (not the later f/6.3 in the same focal length) has an image circle of 398mm according to some old Fuji specs, so will allow a ton of movements. The 240mm f/9 Graphic Kowa is throws a slightly smaller circle, 375mm is a number I've seen on the web somewhere. I'm not sure if a 240mm f/9 Computar exists, but if so it'll also be in that range or bigger, though it could be fantastically expensive due to its cultish status. There's also the 250mm f/6.3 Wide-Field Ektar, if you don't mind the gigantic shutter.

The Fujinon is in a Copal 1, the Graphic-Kowa/Computar in a Copal 3S, and the WFEktar lives in an Ilex #5 that's nearly 6" across.

[tim atherton]

Yes - the Fuji W 250mm f6.7 (NOT the 6.3) is a very nice lens.

Lets of coverage and I've never found that it being single coated to be a problem. I've been using one for a good few years and it's one of my favourites.

[Eric Leppanen]

I think the best f/9 240mm lens available for 8x10 is the Docter Germinar W. There was a large group purchase of this lens at the beginning of this year, and possibly someone may have a copy they might want to sell. The last 240 Germinar W Ebay sale I have a record of was in February of this year; it sold for $777. Here is a description of the lens and the thread discussing the group purchase:

http://www.reallybigcameras.com/Docter_Optics/240mm_Germinar_W.html
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=32270&highlight=240+germinar

The Germinar is rather unique in its lens category in that it is multi-coated (the G-Claron is single-coated, as is the Kowa Graphic, Computar and Fuji 250 f/6.7 if I recall correctly). It has more image circle than the Fuji 240A (around 400mm when fully stopped down, compared to 336mm) or the much larger Rodenstock Sironar S 240mm f/5.6 (372 mm). I have found the Fuji 240A very restricting to use on 8x10; not only is rise extremely limited, but it frequently vignettes when front tilt is applied.

The only restrictions I have found with the Germinar occur only with extreme movements: you must stop down heavily to obtain maximum coverage (f/64 doesn't make for the sharpest negatives!) and it needs a CF when shooting chrome film (here again only with extreme movements). But it sounds like in your application these issues won't matter.

[Walter Calahan]

My Nikon 240 mm works for me.

[Dave Moeller]

Another vote for the Docter Germinar 240/9. Just a great lens. (Now, if SKGrimes will just get me my shutter before I die of old age...)

[Daniel_Buck]

240 g-claron gets my vote! Seems to have plenty of coverage! I can do full rise on my tachihara 8x10 (2 inches maybe?), and it only vignettes if I have 2 filters on it (at full rise). No vignetting with no filters, and I don't think it vignettes with just one filter. (my filters are fat though). I don't know the differences between the new and the old, sorry. Haven't used other 240mm lenses, so I can't compare. However, when I was looking for a 240, several others came up in my search, and I read several times that the optical performance doesn't vary much between them.

[Former Member 8144]

Thanks guys,
Great stuff.
I'll keep an eye out for soem of these lenses over the next month or so.

It looks like any of the 240's I need are all pretty small and light so that also gives me the option of one (again small and light) longer lens for those shots that for various reasons...like the subject is in the sea!...I can't get very close to.

So looking at around the 480/500mm mark are there similar claron's or do I need to be looking at the nikkor or fuji 450mm options?

Thanks.

[Ole Tjugen]

There's always the cheap solution... Schneider Symmar 240/420mm f:5.6/11 convertible. Comes in a Compur #2 shutter which is far smaller than any #3, but is long out of production.

[JJ Viau]

Hello again Mark,

I use Fujis a W 250/6.7 (i think MPEX as one on sale now) and a L 420/8. I am happy with the 2 of them but only do contacts. I only know that the Sironar n 240mm did not have enough coverage for me...

[Jim Galli]

A 9 1/2" Dagor is hard to beat. Compact and light. Another favorite but not so often seen is the Series VIIa Protar. Front and rear are 16 1/8" f12.5 and combined it is 9 1/4" f6.3. A really lovely lens. Either has good movements for what I do but I suppose the Dagor has a bit more.

[Former Member 8144]

Jim,
I have often heard about the dagor lenses...how do they compare to the modern 240mm such as the g-clarons etc. (I am shooting colour)
And are there any specific models, issues, I should be looking out for?

Thanks,

Marc