For 4x5 & 8x10 is there a longer lens than 300mm that does not cost a mint?

[ataim]

I’m going to Yosemite in July and would like to take along a longer lens. For my 4x5 I have a 90, 150 and a 300. Only the 300 is used on my 8x10. I’d like a longer lens for the 8x10 that could also be used on the 4x5. Any suggestions?

[Jim Galli]

Check out the Fuji 450C. Incredible lens!

[Bob McCarthy]

Hi Paul,

New/modern = $$

Maybe something like a 19 inch (just under 500mm) Artar. Likely half the $$'s of a modern.

Glass is fantastic, old shutters work fine given a proper CLA.

That was my solution. In the moderns, I'm fond of the 450 Nikon, wish I never sold mine.

bob

[cdholden]

Longer glass is even cheaper if you don't need a shutter. If you can use just the caps as a shutter, or maybe a front mount Packard, the barrel lenses are much more affordable.

[Kevin Crisp]

Single element protar.

[Ken Lee]

Consider a Sinar Copal Shutter (http://www.kenleegallery.com/html/tech/index.php#Shutter), which is a one-time expense. After that, all manner of barrel-mounted lenses can be used: modern and vintage, short and long. They are generally cheaper than their shutter-mounted equivalents.

For example, my 360mm APO Nikkor is deadly sharp, as good or better than my 300mm Fujinon A for example. My 210mm Macro Sinaron is the sharpest lens I've tested, even at infinity. Neither are mounted in a shutter. The 610mm APO Nikkor (http://www.kenleegallery.com/html/tech/Nikkor610Nov2011.html) is also impressive, and I got mine - new in box - for around $250 if my memory is correct.

There are plenty of APO Ronars, Nikkors, and other barrel-mounted lenses longer than 300mm.

[Peter Yeti]

The APO-Ronars are long and often quite affordable. Though designed for 1:1 repro work, they perform fine at infinity as well.

I think one can also remove the rear element of a Symmar to double focal length (and roughly f-stop). I never tested this myself but read about this several times.

Peter

[rdenney]

I think one can also remove the rear element of a Symmar to double focal length (and roughly f-stop). I never tested this myself but read about this several times.

The Symmar previous to the Symmar-S is commonly known as the Symmar Convertible. Removing the front cell turns the rear cell into a much longer lens (about 1.75 times as long). I guess the longest I've seen that is commonly available is the 210/370, but the 300/500 comes up from time to time. The shutters that came with these had two aperture scales (the rear cell alone is an f/12 lens), and there is a bit of a focus shift so you have to check the focus stopped down. But it is a cheap way to get a long lens.

Rick "who has a 180/315 Symmar Convertible" Denney

[Peter Yeti]

Rick,

Thanks a lot for the correction. I love to learn and unfortunately don't have an old symmar to try it myself. Can you still do it with the later symmar-S?

Peter

[rdenney]

Thanks a lot for the correction. I love to learn and unfortunately don't have an old symmar to try it myself. Can you still do it with the later symmar-S?

Theoretically not. They optimized that lens for better infinity performance and gave up some of its symmetry. But that doesn't mean it isn't worth trying.

Rick "noting that f/32 solves a lot of problems except diffraction" Denney

[E. von Hoegh]

The APO-Ronars are long and often quite affordable. Though designed for 1:1 repro work, they perform fine at infinity as well.

I think one can also remove the rear element of a Symmar to double focal length (and roughly f-stop). I never tested this myself but read about this several times.

Peter

On the Symmar, you remove the front element. Focus at working aperture, there is focus shift when using the half-corrected rear element alone. Stop down to 22-32 as well, wide open it's a nice portrait lens. Using a green or yellow filter will improve the sharpness a bit.

[ataim]

Theoretically not. They optimized that lens for better infinity performance and gave up some of its symmetry. But that doesn't mean it isn't worth trying.

Rick "noting that f/32 solves a lot of problems except diffraction" Denney

Yeh Rick, are you the same Rick "that sometimes visits the Klipsch Forums" Denney?

[Lynn Jones]

All right ataim, be nice to the "green monster" if you mean the Calumet 8x10, I'm partly responsible for it's creation.

Lynn
Austin Comm. College

[rdenney]

Yeh Rick, are you the same Rick "that sometimes visits the Klipsch Forums" Denney?

No. Is there another Rick Denney out there? That's a frightening concept!

Rick "Rick "Rick "Rick "Rick ... ... Denney" Denney" Denney" Denney" Denney

[ataim]

All right ataim, be nice to the "green monster" if you mean the Calumet 8x10, I'm partly responsible for it's creation.

Lynn
Austin Comm. College

It is green and it is kind of big, down right scary if you need to carry it very far:eek: BTW I really do like it. Very smooth operating and strong camera heck with my old Chicago Tripod you could take pictures in gail force winds and it would not move:rolleyes: .

But I understand you feelings, its was your baby and you don't like people to call it names, but this time its a good thing.

[ataim]

No. Is there another Rick Denney out there? That's a frightening concept!

Rick "Rick "Rick "Rick "Rick ... ... Denney" Denney" Denney" Denney" Denney

Its been many years ago, but someone over there signed off with a very similar style.

[Doremus Scudder]

I'd get a Fujinon C 450 f/12,5 if I could find one affordably. Even used they are in the $1000 neighborhood. The advantage is that they are really small compared to about everything else.

In the meantime, I picked up a used Nikkor M 450 f/9 for just over $400. It is bigger in its Copal 3 shutter, but a great performer.

Keep in mind, that to use a "regular" 450mm lens on the 4x5, you need a lot of bellows extension (I'm sure you know this, but...). If you don't have 550mm or so (21 inches approx.) you'll have trouble. 500mm lets you focus at infinity with no movements to speak of, but with the shallow DoF with longer lenses, you're going to want to focus closer and use tilts.

The Nikkor T lenses in several of their manifestations are really attractive if you don't have a lot of bellows... except for the price!

Best,

Doremus