Nikkor-sw 90 Mm F 4.5 ?????

[dreamallen]

question again about lens, I am looking for a wide angle lens, so I have intereste Nikkor-SW 90mm F4.5, it is good lens? Is it expensive and how much is it? Also, how about the Nikkor-SW 75mm F4.5?

thank you

[Aender Brepsom]

Nikkor SW lenses are as excellent as any other modern (= approx.from the last 25 years) lens made by one of the 4 big manufacturers.

The 90mm f/4.5 lenses (Nikkor SW or Rodenstock Grandagon-N) and the f/5.6 Super Angulons are quite large and heavy lenses, but they offer a brighter image on the ground glass. There are f/6.8 and f/8 versions of 90mm lenses that may be a better compromise between brightness and weight/bulk. In terms of image quality, they are all excellent.

Check the for sale ads here and completed auctions on eBay for an idea about the price range. 90mm is a very commun wide angle focal length for 4x5.
75mm is already very wide and a bit more difficult to focus on the ground glass due to stronger light fall off towards the corners.

[Ron Marshall]

I have the Nikon 90mm f8, it is lighter weight and I don't find the lower light level a problem. A very sharp lens.

[timberline12k]

You may also want to consider the 90mm f/4.5 Caltar. They are both manufactured by Rodenstock and appear similar other than cosmetics.

I can't comment on the reproduction characteristics because I just purchased it and am learning about LF. Most of the suggestions for a second lens were for a 90mm. When I found a used f/4.5 Caltar at a price lower than used f/6.8 Rodenstock Grandagons, I thought it might provide some advantages in lower light architecture situations.

If anyone has any suggestions where a f/4.5 would work better than the f/6.8 or f/8, I would appreciate the insight. I normally like fast glass with my D700 and took a leap of faith that buying a faster LF lens would hold similar advantages.

[Nick_3536]

The Nikons haven't been made for awhile. So price will depend on how many are for sale at the moment. For awhile B&H was selling off stock at a good price but I doubt they have any left.

The 4.5 is bigger then the F/8 but it's not huge. It uses bigger filters [82mm I think] which might be more of an issue for you. Landscape the F/8 can be okay. I'm guessing most of the faster lenses are being used by people doing interior work.

[Don Dudenbostel]

I have both a 90mm f4.5 Nikkor and an Schneider 90mm f5.6. I did a side by side comparison and could see no difference on film. Both are as good as you can get. I also had a 121 Super angulon and have a 120 Nikkor SW. Again no difference in image quality. I haven't owned the 75mm Nikkor but had a 65mm SW and found it equally as good as their other lenses. I have a number of other Nikkor lenses, Schneider, Goerz and Fuji. All are top quality and I can't say one is berrer or even very different than another.

The 90mm f4.5 Nikkor and the Schneider 90mm 5.6 SA are virtually the same size. They both take the exact same filter size and weight is about the same.

[Mark Sampson]

The story was that the f/5.6 Schneider SAs are sharper than the f/8 models, if that's true I don't know. The f/8 model I once owned was quite sharp, as is the one I use at work. The other part of the story was that the f/5.6 models have 5 degrees more coverage, 105 vs. 100. I now own a Nikkor 90/8 SW, a favorite, but I've never run out of coverage with any of those 3 lenses. And that's shooting architecture (where a 90mm is your standard f.l.), and your need for coverage is the greatest. I also use the Nikon 75/4.5, an excellent lens, but very wide on 4x5. For me it's a special-purpose lens, mostly useful for photographing kitchens and bathrooms.

[timberline12k]

By the way there is a Nikkor SW 90mm f/4.5 for sale on this forum.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=48969

[goodfood]

I own 90mm f/8 SA and 75mmf/4.5 Nikon. Both are difference lenses. 75mm Nikon is super sharp, color towards cool side (blue). 90mm SA show more saturate color (warmer). I like my SA more. If you want super sharp picture, go for Nikon. This is a choice between Japan and German optic.

[Ed Richards]

> If anyone has any suggestions where a f/4.5 would work better than the f/6.8 or f/8, I would appreciate the insight.

I had a 6.8 Sinaron, which was stolen and replaced with a Nikon 4.5 90mm. It is brighter, but that is not the real advantage. It also has reduced DOF, which, combined with the extra brightness, makes it much easier to focus in difficult environments. Bright sun, no problem with either lens. Dim church, big difference.