135mm 4x5 Lens Recommendations

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pere Casals

Chester, there is no doubt that the Sironar S is the finest lens that Rodenstock has ever manufactured for general LF photography in the focal range of the series, and one of the finest you can find from any manufacturer.

Yup Pere you'll get no argument from me here on that APO Sironar S, or Rodenstock Apo-Sironar S 135mm 5.6 to use precise nomenclature, being a stellar lens, I've had two from that series, a 210 and a 300 and without doing any scientific tests considered them the best plate camera lenses I've ever owned.

I was just adding my two cents to the pot for the OP's original query, the going rate for the Schneider I mentioned is less than half that of the Rodenstock S, and I don't think I ever made a picture with my Schneider that would have been any better if it had been made with a lens with a red circle decoration around the front element.

But undoubtedly it's got more coverage and probably sharper for people who take the time to measure such things.

Sally Mann's not my favorite, but I get what you're saying. I'd use Eugene Atget as an example, his lens certainly wasn't an S design.
Maybe more like a Caltar 2 125, if that ever existed.

I wonder what modern lens that does exist would have been closest to what he used.

135mm 4x5 Lens Recommendations - Moderate Budget