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View Full Version : Lens for 4x10, Please Advice.



C.J.
9-Mar-2002, 08:43
Greeting

I am thinking to add a 4x10 camera back to my 5x7 Canham, some qustions:

1. Which 90mm lens will covers 4x10 ? prefer to have to small /light weighted if possible.

2. Is it necessary to have 90mm for 4x10 ? would 110 mm be just fine, especially 110mm seems a good choice for 5x7 format ...

3. I understand people cut 8x10 film to fit 4x10. Intend to do the same, I am wondering that, after you split a sheet 8x10, there will be one sheet 4x10 has code notch and the other doesn't. How do you do to indentify emulsion side with that non notch film ?

Thanks in advance for all advices, greatly appreciated.

Bjorn Nilsson
9-Mar-2002, 09:54
You'll need at least 275 mm of image circle, as that is the diagonal of 4X10".

As most 90mm wideangles only covers around 220-240 mm, they will not do. Not even the Schneider Super Angulon XL 90 will do, as it has 259mm image circle at f/22.

The Symmar XL 110 will work though, even though without any substancial movements. (The image circle for the 110XL at f/22 is 288 mm.)

When cutting the film, you can cut a 1/4" from the corner (the top right hand one), so that you know up from down in the future, unless you load the film holders at the same time. Just make sure that you find and dispose of the cut-offs, so that they later don't end up on top of the film in the filmholder. Those little scrap pieces tend to end up whereever they're not supposed to.

Jason Greenberg Motamedi
9-Mar-2002, 14:19
With 'panoramic' cameras I have always prefered to use what would be the standard lens with 'ideal' format for the 'height' of the camera. So, a 4x10 has a height of 4", and an 'ideal' format would be 4x5, with standard lens of 150mm (6x17 would be ~90 mm). I think a 90 or even 110 mm would be really wide. My suggestion would be a 150 mm Super-Symmar, or on budget try a 6 1/2" WA Dagor (what I use). I find 165mm Super Angulons too big and too expensive, and I don't think a 165mm Angulon will cover.

pudge
10-Mar-2002, 12:31
Haven't used it myself, but I understood a few years ago (from Patrick Alt, who made a lovely camera at this size) that Ilford was coating at least one of their b&w films in 4x10, though I haven't seen it distributed in this country. Robert White, the British dealear, ought to know. When cutting down film, remember to measure the actual size of the film, which is generally 1/8" shy of its reported dimension in each direction (so it fits in the film holder). Naturally, you want to replicate this scenario with the two halves.

Wayne Firth
10-Mar-2002, 15:16
I use this format and know that a 90mm f/8 SA will definitely not cover the format. My widest lens that I use on the format is the 121mm f/8 SA which is very wide. It can be very impressive for some shots but I find that I agree with the idea of using a lens that is closer to "normal." I really like shooting 4x10 with a 240mm G-Claron which gives a nice perspective and is small in size. Remember that panoramic does not mean you have to use the widest lens available. I have a Canham 4x10 but because I use it for landscapes I find the movements are not important enough to justify dealing with the Canham so I prefer to use my homemade 4x10 camera which is light and compact enough to be hand-held if necessary. As for film, I cut 8x10 Tri-X. I use a hole punch with a stop so that it only nips the film a bit. I do this over the floor rather than the table. So far none of these crumbs have found their way into the film holders.

Stpephen Willlard
10-Mar-2002, 22:32
I have just bought a 4x10 back for my Wisner camera. To my pleasant surprise, many of my Nikkor lenses which are rated for either 4x5, or 5x7 cover my 4x10 back with room to spare.

Here are the lenses I am using with my 4x10 back: 90mm f8 SW, 120mm SW, 180mm W, 210mm W, 300mm f9 M, 360mm T, 500mm T, and 720mm. All of these lenses cover the 4x10 with wide open apertures. Many of them should not be capable of covering the 4x10 according to their specs. I bought the 150 f8 SW fro the 4x10, but it was so big in diameter it would not fit through the 4x4 opening of my front standard. To my surprise I did not need it.