Re: Your favorite 4x5 90mm lens?
This information is certainly helping! It seems that there are no bad choices amoung the big 4. So to help narrow it down a bit what if I said, I have a large selection of 67mm filters. I want to be able to carry the lens out in the fields without a Sherpa???
It seems that an f/8 lens is what many of you have suggested. My only concern is the ability to focus in dimmer light? Since I do not have the experience with any of these lenses, how much of a "real world" concern is the focus issue?
Re: Your favorite 4x5 90mm lens?
I've got a nikkor 4.5, and it makes nice sharp images. However, the hugeness of it (at the rear especially) make it difficult to get much for movements on my speed graphic. I'm limited by the fit of the lens, not the pacemaker front standard/bellows setup as is usually complained about! A slightly less compact camera would be ideal for this lens.
Re: Your favorite 4x5 90mm lens?
I have a tiny 90mm f6.8 that I carry with my Crown Graphic, and a 90mm Caltar (Schneider) f8 that I kept with my monorail for times when I needed more coverage. When I print the negatives I can see little or no difference in the negatives (save for a couple where I stressed the coverage of the 6.8 a bit too much and got the Atget Effect. Both are excellent lenses.
Re: Your favorite 4x5 90mm lens?
Since you need to limit your choice to lenses take 67mm screw-in filters, you will need to compromise and choose a lens that has an f8 maximum aperture.
I've never experienced difficulty focusing my Nikon/Nikkor f8 90SW wide open in dim light using a good loupe. That lens has a large enough image circle to make it brighter in the middle.
If you still have doubts, look for a Rodenstock f6.8 Grandagon N 90SW or a f6.8 Caltar II-N 90SW. They are slightly brighter at maximum aperture, and both take 67mm screw-in filters.
Re: Your favorite 4x5 90mm lens?
With your 67mm filter requirement, the f/8 lenses are the only choice, but that would not hinder me. I use a 121mm f/8 Super Angulon and have no trouble focusing it even on a standard ground glass, with a good dark cloth. It's especially no problem with my Maxwell focus screen.
As to which 90 is best, I doubt that many have tried them all to perform a comparison. I have two: A Graflex Optar W.A. f/6.8 and a Schneider Super Angulon multicoated f/5.6 from the early 80's. I know which one of those is better!
Rick "who would prefer a choice in a larger shutter than a #00" Denney
Re: Your favorite 4x5 90mm lens?
The Rodent-stock 90/4.5 Grandagon is not really that large unless you are backpacking. It is quite luxurious to have plenty of room for movement and sharpness at all apertures.
The 90/6.8 Grandagon is a fine lens, 67mm filter, not much larger than the ever popular 90/8s from the other guys so I don't understand why someone wants to be half a stop slower for the same size and price point?
But the tiny 90/6.8 Schneider Angulon -- a later >6million model or a Linhof-select -- will be just as sharp as anything at f/22. You just have to stop them down.
Re: Your favorite 4x5 90mm lens?
I use a 90mm Grandagon f/4.5 and it's an amazing lens. It's actually the only 90 I've ever had so you can take that for what its worth. I do prefer it to the 80 SSXL I used previously.
However, I don't think you'll have problems with a slower lens. Judging from the view on the groundglass when I stop down to f/8, it's still relatively easy to view and focus, especially outdoors. I do prefer the brighter view, but each photographer needs to decide about their own priorities--bright aperture, filter size, lens size and weight, etc.
If you plan to shoot a lot of interior or low-light work, then the added aperture would help. I don't backpack long distances and don't use filters, so I like the Grandagon.
It seems like the very well-regarded Nikkor 90SW would be perfect for you, and it's unique in that it is a more compact, slower lens but still has as much coverage as many fast 90mm lenses.
Re: Your favorite 4x5 90mm lens?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Frank Petronio
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The 90/6.8 Grandagon is a fine lens, 67mm filter, not much larger than the ever popular 90/8s from the other guys so I don't understand why someone wants to be half a stop slower for the same size and price point?
<some more snippage>
One possible reason might be weight - the 90/6.8 Grandagon weighs about 100gm more than the 90/8 Nikkor. Sure, it's not a lot, but if you're carrying it a long way you might care about the difference.
Thanks for pointing out that this Grandagon also takes 67mm filters, I hadn't realized that.