Lens for 5X7

[Terry Hull]

I continue to try and find a lens for the 5X7 camera I recently purchased. The camera uses smaller Linhof boards, so I was surprised to see a 240MM faster lens mounted on a Linhof board. My questions are two: Are all linhof boards small, e.g., the one pictured on the link below; and secondly does anyone have experience with this lens?

The lens isn't listed on the LF lens list on this site.

Thank you

http://cgi.ebay.com/LINHOF-TECHNIKA-XENAR-240MM-F5-5-LENS-W-LINHOF-BOARD-/130519387279?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item1e638fcc8f#ht_500wt_1156

[Gem Singer]

Terry,

This is a telephoto lens. Doesn't cover 5x7.

[msk2193]

This is a Linhof Technika board, and all 4x5 Technikas are the same.

For lens options, see this page:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses/LF5x7in.html
Pay attention to columns 7 & 8.

[Ole Tjugen]

All Technika boards are the same, except those used on Linhof Technikas: The older Technika III uses square flat boards, and the Technika 5x7" uses larger rectangular boards. The one in the auction is a "standard" Technika board though, you can tell from the bevelled bottom corners. And the lens is a Tele-Xenar, which doesn't cover 5x7".

But a non-telephoto 240mm f:5.5 SHOULD fit in a Compound III shutter, which will just barely fit on a Technika board.

[Mark Tweed]

Terry, you asked about users of this lens, I have one of these Schneider 240mm f5.5 Tele-Xenars, in fact it is a 'Linhof branded' one in mint shape. I bought it umpteen years ago from Kerry Thalmann when he was unloading a museum's cache load of lenses to fund the cost of a newborn entering into his family.

The 240mm Tele-Xenar was developed for use on the 6X9 Baby Linhofs, however it works equally fine on my 2X3 Century Graphic. I've never tried it but it may cover the 4X5 field of view but there would be little room for movements. Consider it a medium format lens as it was designed to be.

The resolving qualities are quite nice for a telephoto design. It is single-coated. I hope this is helpful.


Mark

[Bob Salomon]

This is a Linhof Technika board, and all 4x5 Technikas are the same.

For lens options, see this page:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses/LF5x7in.html
Pay attention to columns 7 & 8.

All Linhof 45 boards for the Technika IV and later are the same. The Technika III board was not.

But there are also smaller Technika boards then this for the Linhof 6x9 cameras and larger ones for the Technika 57 cameras so all Technika boards are definetely not the same.

[Jim Noel]

This is a Linhof Technika board, and all 4x5 Technikas are the same.

For lens options, see this page:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses/LF5x7in.html
Pay attention to columns 7 & 8.

All Technika boards are not the same.
Models I, II and III used a slightly larger board and did not have the cut-off on the bottom corners,

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

The 240mm f5.5 Tele-Xenar has an image circle of 152mm at f22 focused at infinity. So, it will just barely hit the corners of 4x5 straight on with no movements. Definitely not for 5x7.

If you are looking for an inexpensive, reasonably fast 240mm lens for 5x7, look for a 240mm f5.6 Symmar (also called a Convertible Symmar). This is a single coated lens that was made from the mid 1950s until the early 1970s. For most of that time, it came in the long since discontinued Compur 2 shutter. Very late samples and all newer 240mm Symmar-S, 240mm APO Symmar and 240mm APO Symmar-L models came in the much larger, heavier Copal No. 3 or Compur 3 shutters. The image circle of the 240mm f5.6 Symmar is 336mm at f22 focused at infinity. That should be plenty for most 5x7 applications.

If you don't mind the added weight and bulk of a No. 3 shutter, and prefer a multicoated lens, the newer 240mm f5.6 Symmar-S MC and 240mm f5.6 APO Symmar seem to be real bargains these days. They'll cost more than a single coated Symmar or Symmar-S, but still a small fraction of what they sold for new.

Kerry

[John Schneider]

If you want to go the late-model 240 Symmar route, there is a nice one in a Prontor Pro 3 on *that* auction site now.

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Or a new one from our demo stock with the full warranty in the USA here

link deleted

I don't see a single 240mm Symmar-S MC or APO Symmar at the link provided. All I saw was a ridiculously overpriced demo 240mm APO Sironar-N for $1500.00. I didn't think for sale links were allowed in the general format discussion areas.

Kerry

[Bob Salomon]

I don't see a single 240mm Symmar-S MC or APO Symmar at the link provided. All I saw was a ridiculously overpriced demo 240mm APO Sironar-N for $1500.00. I didn't think for sale links were allowed in the general format discussion areas.

Kerry

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I should have said a Rodenstock demo lens.

[Hugo Zhang]

Terry,

If you want a fast lens, why don't you take a look at Heliar 21cm f/4.5? A classic old lens with buttery smoothness, a perfect match for your new camera during their virgin trip to that dreamland of Cuba.

Hugo

[Terry Hull]

I have decided on a Fuji 250MM F6.7 which I purchased yesterday. After getting more familiar with the 5X7 format and the new camera I expect to add a lens in the 180MM focal length which I can also use at full bellows extension on the Ebony SW45. I was in Manhattan yesterday and decided the older lenses are too much $ and perhaps at risk of malfunction, although they seem tempting after see some of the lovely portraits and landscapes by contributors to this post, and a related post on image circle. Thanks again!