Two23
16-Sep-2011, 20:15
When I started out 15 years ago with 4x5, I immediately bought three lenses: 90mm f5.6 SA, 180mm Fuji MC, Rodenstock Geronar 300mm f9 MC. These served me well as I mainly shot E6 film. Now that I've come back to LF after going astray for 6 years, I've only been shooting b&w. I've discovered vintage lenses and love them! I've come to class lenses in four general categories: 1st generation (1840-1895), 2nd generation (1892-1950), 3rd generation (i.e. coated with sync, 1950-2000), and finally 4th generation expensive extreme state of art lenses. I'm thinking I want a competent set of three from generations one through three! Each has their own look, and I absolutely love the history behind them.
For generation 1 I have 6" Derogy Petzval, 5" Darlot Petzval, and 4 inch E&HT Anthony rapid rectilinear. I'm thinking of selling one of the Petzvals and replacing with an early Darlot pillbox lens. Then, I'd have one of each of the main lenses from the period: a Petzval, an RR, and a meniscus.
For gen. 2 I now have a 165mm Zeiss Tessar in Compound c.1914 that I just love! Here's where I'm undecided. I want a wide angle and a tele. I just love the look from Heliars so I'm strongly leaning towards a 300mm Heliar. I also like the look from the Dagor, and am thinking of a ~4 inch wide. But, I also like Protars and Velostigmats! What were the most desirable lenses to have between 1900 and 1920-ish? Wasn't the Dagor considered about the best for wide angle then? (on 4x5.)
For gen 3 I will just keep what I have. It's been working and I already have them.
What I shoot. I use a Chamonix 4x5 and like to shoot at night a lot, especially in winter. I am trying to use my 4x5 to shoot some moving trains at night, so will use the gen 3 lenses for that since I need sync. (I have nearly 10,000ws of flash power now.) I also shoot abandoned farm houses, old "industrial" looking stuff, abandoned farm machinery, landscapes, and tons of railroad images. I rarely shoot portraits, or indoors. Mostly I'm after a very soft, low contrast vintage look. Films I've been using are mostly HP5 and Efke 25. I also own a 250mm Imagon in Copal 3. It's a great lens, but I think it works best for portraits rather than what tend to shoot, so I plan on selling it to fund the Heliar. I just had an adapter made so I can use the 4 inch E&HT A. rapid rectilinear in Copal 1. So, any thoughts? I've narrowed down to a Heliar, Dagor, Protar (for convertible tele,) or possibly Velostigmat, and prefer lenses in shutter made ~1900 to ~1925. I'm trying to stay below $1,000 per lens, so no exotic Veritos etc. :eek:
Kent in SD
Shot with 165mm Carl Zeiss Tessar:
For generation 1 I have 6" Derogy Petzval, 5" Darlot Petzval, and 4 inch E&HT Anthony rapid rectilinear. I'm thinking of selling one of the Petzvals and replacing with an early Darlot pillbox lens. Then, I'd have one of each of the main lenses from the period: a Petzval, an RR, and a meniscus.
For gen. 2 I now have a 165mm Zeiss Tessar in Compound c.1914 that I just love! Here's where I'm undecided. I want a wide angle and a tele. I just love the look from Heliars so I'm strongly leaning towards a 300mm Heliar. I also like the look from the Dagor, and am thinking of a ~4 inch wide. But, I also like Protars and Velostigmats! What were the most desirable lenses to have between 1900 and 1920-ish? Wasn't the Dagor considered about the best for wide angle then? (on 4x5.)
For gen 3 I will just keep what I have. It's been working and I already have them.
What I shoot. I use a Chamonix 4x5 and like to shoot at night a lot, especially in winter. I am trying to use my 4x5 to shoot some moving trains at night, so will use the gen 3 lenses for that since I need sync. (I have nearly 10,000ws of flash power now.) I also shoot abandoned farm houses, old "industrial" looking stuff, abandoned farm machinery, landscapes, and tons of railroad images. I rarely shoot portraits, or indoors. Mostly I'm after a very soft, low contrast vintage look. Films I've been using are mostly HP5 and Efke 25. I also own a 250mm Imagon in Copal 3. It's a great lens, but I think it works best for portraits rather than what tend to shoot, so I plan on selling it to fund the Heliar. I just had an adapter made so I can use the 4 inch E&HT A. rapid rectilinear in Copal 1. So, any thoughts? I've narrowed down to a Heliar, Dagor, Protar (for convertible tele,) or possibly Velostigmat, and prefer lenses in shutter made ~1900 to ~1925. I'm trying to stay below $1,000 per lens, so no exotic Veritos etc. :eek:
Kent in SD
Shot with 165mm Carl Zeiss Tessar: