What lens to buy for first timer??

[rossomck]

I have ordered a chamonix 45N2 and need to buy a lens. I would probably prefer a 90mm wide lens for landscape and architecture (church interior) photography. I see lenses on ebay described as angulon and angulon 'XL.' What is the difference if it is XL? Also, they seem to come in very different shapes and sizes. And very different apertures - from 5.6 to f8 and smaller.
What does anyone recommend as a good 90mm lens for a beginner to LF, and how much should I be prepared to spend?

Thanks.

[cyrus]

I have ordered a chamonix 45N2 and need to buy a lens. I would probably prefer a 90mm wide lens for landscape and architecture (church interior) photography. I see lenses on ebay described as angulon and angulon 'XL.' What is the difference if it is XL? Also, they seem to come in very different shapes and sizes. And very different apertures - from 5.6 to f8 and smaller.
What does anyone recommend as a good 90mm lens for a beginner to LF, and how much should I be prepared to spend?

Thanks.


If you really want to go 90mm I'd recommend the Calumet Caltar II f/6.8
Designed like an Angulon, usually comes single coated but may be available multicoated, probably around $400 but I'm guessing re price. Because they're branded by Calumet rather than Rodenstock, they're generally cheaper - or that was the case 5 years ago. There is a 5.6 but it gets more expensive and heavier to carry.

[Sevo]

Do NOT start out with 90mm. That is quite wide by 4x5 standards and as movements on wides are restricted both by the image circle and the artificial perspectives they create, it is a less than ideal lens to learn LF on. Start with any modern Plasmat type (Symmar-S, Nikkor-W or the like), 135-150mm if you are wide inclined or 180-210mm if you feel more familiar with normal to long lenses.

[eddie]

90mm is a great lens. i use it more than half of my shots. sevo is right that it interferes with the bellows a bit on some 45 cameras.

you will eventually buy more lenses.

a 90mm super angilon f8 or teh other manufacturere offerings of the f8 version are great and usually can be had for less than $250.

consider a 150-180mm lens as well. also many can be had for under 250.

get copal shutters.

those two will suit you very very well for your learning curve.

eddie

[Leigh]

There are two critical issues regarding lens coverage that are somewhat related: image circle and light fall-off.

Image circle (IC) is the diameter of the image thrown by the lens. This is not related to the size of the film behind the lens, but it will determine how far you can move the lens off-center to properly frame your subject.

The larger the IC, the farther you can move the lens up/down and/or left/right. However, in doing so you approach the edge of the IC where the light may be less intense than in the middle, particularly when using short focal-length (wide-angle) lenses. This is the reason for a "center filter".

A center filter is a graduated neutral-density filter that's darker in the middle, decreasing in density out to the edges where it's completely clear. The CF cancels the effect of light fall-off near the edges of the IC, permitting uniform exposure over the entire circle.

Image circle diameters are published in the manufacturers' data sheets for all modern lenses. Many lens catalogs include a diagram showing the various lens ICs and the different film formats so it's easy to see how a lens will perform on your camera.

- Leigh

[sully75]

What kind of photography do you want to do? If you want to do pictures of people, please start with a longer lens...I wish I had. It took me a long time to figure out why the people in my pictures were all distorted. Too wide...

[Frank Petronio]

Get a 150mm to start with, add a 90mm once you get the hang of it. Anything "normal" and made in the last 30 years from one of the main manufacturers in good condition will do fine.

[cyrus]

The OP says he wants a wide angle for landscapr and archetecture but even then i would start with a normal lens first.

[kuander]

I start the LF with tachihara 4x5 and my first lens is Nikkor sw 90 f4.5.

LF lens are totally different concept with 135 or 120.

So no need to follow standard lens first or longer lens in begin, short lens always have big image circle will help who use that to learn operating LF camera.

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

I disagree with the urgings to buy a normal lens. If you enjoy wide angle photography and that is the style you wish to pursue, it makes sense to start with a 90mm lens. I would buy the 90mm f/6.8 Calter-IIn which can be had for about $400.

Edward

[jb7]

Ross, I was quite sure I told you everything about large format photography on that morning in Dublin a couple of weeks ago- obviously, you weren't taking notes...

Schneider Super Angulon XL's are modern, large coverage lenses. Schneider Angulons are older lenses with much more modest coverage. There are non-XL Super Angulons, with slightly less coverage, (than XL) of varying vintages, and coatings. For your purposes, I think a version of a Super Angulon, or any of the Biogon derived lenses from Nikon, Fuji, or Rodenstock is what you're looking for, or any of the rebadged versions of the Schneider and Rodenstock lenses.

150mm is probably my least used length; combined in a set with a 90mm, I think a 135mm would be far more useful. I only recently got one, and even though it's a slow, vintage Tessar, of moderate coverage, it points to the fact that I should have had one of those instead of the 150mm a long time ago.

Since LF zooms are quite rare, you might start thinking about spacings between focal lengths- there are quite a few conversations here about 'lens sets'. Unfortunately, the only way to really know, would be by experience- but a 90, 135, (or 150) and 210 might give a factor of around 1.5x, for a basic three lens set. Though any or all of those lengths are open to disagreement and replacement.

It's usual for a newcomer to be advised to stay away from wide angles as a first lens, however, for your purposes, a wide coverage 90mm would be fine.

Well done on your camera, you must give me a look at it sometime- I'm not sure I've ever handled a folding wooden camera before... though on second thoughts, maybe I don't need the added temptation...

[rossomck]

Thank you to everyone for your helpful responses.
@jb - lol. It all goes in one ear and out the other, until you have to do these things yourself! Be prepared for some torturous questions after the camera arrives. I have ordered some 5x4 film; 2 x double fidelity dark slides; a cheap loupe; ....still need a lens and a changing bag!
Ross