5x7 lenses

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Just a question on what are some favorite 5x7 lenses of forum members, both mode rn and older. I may buy a 5x7 real soon and just wondered what peoples opinions might be. Any info will be greatly appreaciated. Thank you.

[David Haynes]

Emile,

I just recently acquired a 5x7 back for my Deardorff 8x10 and I'm really enjoying the format.

I was shooting both 4x5 and 8x10 before, and had a pretty good compliment of lenses for each format, but nothing really wide or really long (72mm for 4x5 and 19-inch for 8x10),

With 5x7 my 72 (which I can just focus at infinity on the Deardorff) still has coverage for some movement using the vertical sliding lensboard since the smushed-up bellows precludes much tilt or swing. But the really nice thing is the angle of view approximates a 17mm on 35mm format?really wide.

Also, I have a 90 (equivalent to a 21 in 35 format) and 120 (about 28 in 35 format) that will cover the 5x7 and these do allow for more camera movements.

My 19" gives me a little more reach than on the 8x10 and I've been toying with an old 11.5-inch Verito portrait lens that was just too short for 8x10 but too big to hang on my 4x5 field.

Another favorite portrait lens is my old 12" Ektar, which is just about perfect for a H&S portrait from 5 feet away.

Anyway, with this one reducing back I've "filled in" most of the holes in my lens coverage arsenal for large format.

[Jim Galli]

All time favorite is 150mm G-Claron. I just had a new-to-me 120 Super Angulon with me in Death Valley last weekend and it shows great promise, but it's big. The 240 Fujinon A is fabulous for getting right up next to things, and I seem to use the 180 Fujinon a lot with 5X7 too. A mildly wide normal. The 150 Claron has a much wider circle than Schneider claims for it.

[Alexander Selzer]

Hi!

I use quite often a Rodenstock Sironar 5.6/150. But for normal work I use a 210m m lens and if I need something longer, then a Sironar 5.6/300. A Grandagon 5.6/5 8mm is -- in some cases -- quite funny, cause it creates a nearly round picture on my 13x18cm films. :-)

Alex

[janez pelko]

I like SA 8/121, which is similair to 24mm at 35mm format. And this lense also allows you a lot of movements. Sironar N 5.6/180 is moderate wide angle with some movements, but incredibly sharp, for my taste it is too sharp for photographing people. For still life and portraits I use Nikkor M 9/300. Regards, www.janez-pelko.com

[Joe Lipka]

I moved to 5x7 by purchasing an "increasing back" which hangs on the back of my Wista Field 45 in place of the ground glass. I purchased no specific lenses for this format. I am able to use a Fuji 90 mm (yes, it covers the 5x7, but with no movement), a Fuji 150 mm and a Caltar 210 mm. I like the Fuji 150 the most for 5x7 because it has a fairly wide field of view. The 90 is a fun lens, but kind of a chore to set up, because it is possible to include the front bed of the camera in the foreground.

[QT Luong]

I use mostly the Schneider 110 XL.

[Kevin Crisp]

Emile: Most used lens is the Schneider 180/315. Good value ($220 or so) and very, very sharp. The newer ones have Copal shutters. Next most used lens Schneider 110 HM. (very expensive but very useful and great quality) Next G-Claron 240 mm. Good value used. Lots of room for movements with 5X7. (None of us have any idea what you want to take pictures of, so I'm not sure this is of any use to you.) 4th lens is a G-Claron 300mm, which can cover 8X10 and is useful for 4X5 too.

[Chauncey Walden]

The old Kodak 135mm Wide Field Ektar is one of my favorites and the one that stays on the folded camera.

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Thanks for the responses! Regards, Emile

[Joel Pickford]

I shoot 5x7 extensively and highly reccomend the following Rodenstock lenses (Nikkor equivilants are also good):

90mm f/4.5 Grandgon-N (super-wide with some movement at infinity, lots of movement closer up)

115mm f/6.8 Grandagon-N (fabulous wideangle with tons of movement)

210mm f/5.6 Apo-Sironar-S (the S series lenses only cost a little more than Rodenstock's N series and are substantially better in terms of coverage, edge sharpness and eveness of illumination- really fantastic).

300mm f/9 Apo-Ronar (An older, process-type lens design, it is very small, light and fantastically sharp at close distances up to about 15- 20 feet. I use it a lot as a portrait lens. But it is poor at infinity, due to being specially designed for closer distances. For distant landscapes or archictural shots with movement, choose a Nikkor- M 300 f/9, which is small and light, or any of the large, heavy standard 300 lenses made for 8x10.

You can see my 5x7 images at the Weston Gallery in Carmel, California or on the web at www.westongallery.com. Follow a link for my name: Joel Pickford

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Thanks for the lens info Joel...It is a real trip to figure out the lens package I want on this 5x7 Anba Ikeda just bought on ebay.Esp lens coverage in terms of what I need on 5x7...but figuring it all out is part of the journey !Thanks for your reply!I'm looking forward to seeing your work ......web site style.... Regards, Emile.

[Mani Sitaraman]

Q.-Tuan Luong is modest and does not mention his survey which can be found at

http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/lf/lenses5x7.html