New to Large Format Photography - Acquiring range of Lenses for 4x5 Field Camera

[Otto Seaman]

All the 90mm in the price/size range of the Nikon 90/8 will be good, whether they are Rodenstocks, Schneiders, or Fujis. Buy the one in the best condition for the price.

Selling the Heliar might pay for a lot of film and travel ;-p It could be a great portrait lens but it might be too clumsy to use on the Zone VI even if you managed to adapt the lenboard with some creative woodworking. It would be better on a monorail that uses the Toyo lensboard it is already mounted to. You could buy an entire Toyo G for only a few hundred $.

You can make excellent portraits with the Symmars too, many people have.

[Ari]

For shooting portraits you might find the f9 G-Claron a bit dim.
You can easily get the classic 90-150-210 line-up by selling the Graflex and G-Claron; keep the Heliar.

[Ian Greenhalgh]

That Heliar will be worth a pretty packet so if you don't like it or find it too useful, selling it would finance some other purchases.

[Primo I.]

All the 90mm in the price/size range of the Nikon 90/8 will be good, whether they are Rodenstocks, Schneiders, or Fujis. Buy the one in the best condition for the price.

Selling the Heliar might pay for a lot of film and travel ;-p It could be a great portrait lens but it might be too clumsy to use on the Zone VI even if you managed to adapt the lenboard with some creative woodworking. It would be better on a monorail that uses the Toyo lensboard it is already mounted to. You could buy an entire Toyo G for only a few hundred $.

You can make excellent portraits with the Symmars too, many people have.

Thank you. That might not be a bad idea, I wouldn't mind buying another camera for portrait's only, more so if I can pick it up for $200.00 or less. I think that would be the most cost effective way to go since I really love the look of the Heliar and after more on it, I really think I am going to keep it. I've read this is a great portrait lens, not only from my research, but it seems to be the consensus in the forum so far. I'll start looking.

[Primo I.]

Thanks. Yes, my initial gut, after reading some of the comments here, told me if I had to sell any of the lenses, these two would be the first to go which would allow me some extra cash to spend on other things and will allow me to test the other lenses and see how they fit with my photography.

[Primo I.]

Thanks. Yes, I keep reading that its an expensive lens, but to be honest there doesn't seem to be a consistent price range, it seems that the value of this lens is pretty wacky. I've read some value it between 350-500 and then i read other value the lens north of $750.00. I can't see the lens going for that much? If that's the case, then I really did well on buying all of these, more so than I had originally thought. If this is true, I feel compelled to give the individual I purchased them from more money than what I paid for them. It would only be fair and just.

[Otto Seaman]

Just note that the market is soft for the other lenses, especially something like the Optar that'd be lucky to fetch $75 in spite of it being a fine lens for its purpose.

A Toyo G 4x5 monorail might be in the $200-300 range if you are patient. Most sellers hope to get more but in terms of actually selling the completed sale prices are ridiculously low. Note that you will also possibly need a more robust tripod to go with the heavier camera. Luckily people don't value heavy tripods either and you can pick up a bear of a Majestic or other classic beast for not too much money.

[Greg Y]

Just to throw in another point of view... I love the G Claron 150. I shoot 5x7 and that 150 along the Dagor 8 1/4" are my two most used lenses. It's small & sharp. If I were keen on portraiture, I sure would not part with the Heliar.

[Primo I.]

Just note that the market is soft for the other lenses, especially something like the Optar that'd be lucky to fetch $75 in spite of it being a fine lens for its purpose.

A Toyo G 4x5 monorail might be in the $200-300 range if you are patient. Most sellers hope to get more but in terms of actually selling the completed sale prices are ridiculously low. Note that you will also possibly need a more robust tripod to go with the heavier camera. Luckily people don't value heavy tripods either and you can pick up a bear of a Majestic or other classic beast for not too much money.

I started looking after your first reply on the Toyo G and found this one on Craigslist in Bklyn. I've already communicated with the seller and he is asking $250.00 for the camera. I am going to try and go look at it today and see if I can work something out with him and get the camera for $200.00 It's a 4x5 Toyo G based on is listing. We will see if I am lucky enough to buy it for that price and hopefully I will be one step closer to using this Heliar.

[Primo I.]

Otto,
Would a Toyo CX work as well also. I will have to do research on the different types of Toyo 4x5 I am seeing in the marketplace. The seller for the Toyo G I found is MIA all of a sudden. I just saw a Toyo CX for a reasonable price of $150.00, so I thought I would ask you. Thank you