240mm or 270mm for 10x8

[brucep]

I'm looking at getting a lens that roughly equates to my 135mm 5x4 lens which I find that I use a lot for landscape photography, but I won't be using the 10x8 that often as I prefer 5x4 (and 5x7 in the next few weeks) when I walk far from the car, so don't really want to spend a fortune on a lens and i'm quite happy to use one of the older models such as a symmar etc.

From what I can tell, the older lenses in this focal length seem to be quite tight on 10x8, so can anyone recomendend something that would give me an inch or two of movement without having to stop down beyond f22 to be acceptable coverage and be fairly readily available?

Thanks
Bruce

[Michael Graves]

A 250mm 6.7 Fujinon will give you ample coverage on 8x10. The 6.3 version just barely covers, but it does cover. If you can find on (which defeats the purpose of your post) the 10" Wide-Field Ektar is a beautiful lens with decent coverage for the format.

[brucep]

A 250mm 6.7 Fujinon will give you ample coverage on 8x10. The 6.3 version just barely covers, but it does cover. If you can find on (which defeats the purpose of your post) the 10" Wide-Field Ektar is a beautiful lens with decent coverage for the format.

Either of them sound perfect (assuming the price is right!)

Does anyone know of anywhere with them for sale at the moment?

Bruce

[Roger Thoms]

Either of them sound perfect (assuming the price is right!)

Does anyone know of anywhere with them for sale at the moment?

Bruce

Here you go.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...66#post1036766

Another lens to consider is the 240mm G-Claron which has decent coverage and are fairly inexpensive. I was patient and got mine on ebay for under $200.

Roger

[DrTang]

240 f4.5 Ilex Paragon


super, super, super under-rated lens

[John Kasaian]

The 250mm 10" WF Ektar takes the prize when it comes to coverage. They are also very fine lenses.

[ic-racer]

From what I can tell, the older lenses in this focal length seem to be quite tight on 10x8

How much movement do you need? I'd think most 240s available should work fine for landscape on an 8x10 field camera:


Calumet Caltar II 6/4 240 5.6 350 image circle, etc.
Calumet Caltar S 240 5.6 336
Calumet Caltar SII 240 5.6 336
Nikkor W 6/4 240 5.6 336
Nikkor W 6/4 240 5.6 336
Fujinon AS 6/4 240 9.0 336
Rodenstock Sironar N 6/4 240 5.6 337
Rodenstock Sironar N 6/4 240 5.6 350
Schneider Apo Symmar 6/4 240 5.6 352
Schneider Symmar 240 5.6 336
Schneider Symmar S MC 6/4 240 5.6 337
Sinar Sinaron S 240 5.6 350
Goertz Gold Dot Dagor 240 6.8 336
Goertz Golden Dagor 240 6.8 340
Computar F9 6/4 240 9.0 372

[Sal Santamaura]

I'm looking at getting a lens that roughly equates to my 135mm 5x4 lens which I find that I use a lot for landscape photography...can anyone recomendend something that would give me an inch or two of movement without having to stop down beyond f22 to be acceptable coverage and be fairly readily available?...

First, you have indeed identified the ideal, in my opinion, "main lens" focal lengths, namely 135 on 4x5 and 270 on 8x10. Unfortunately, the one to recommend is neither readily available nor does it offer your desired coverage at f/22. However, I don't consider the second "shortfall" to be a problem.

Schneider specifies 14/17mm of movement on 8x10 for a 270mm G-Claron at f/22. I very infrequently expose 8x10 at such a 'wide' aperture; f/32 down to f/64 are much more common. Even at f/32, G-Clarons expand their coverage markedly, with no discernable falloff in image quality at the edges. I regularly use my 270mm at f/45, in vertical image orientation, with 28mm of rise. Results are very sharp all the way to the corners.

Finding a 270mm G-Claron may be difficult. I was lucky to purchase the last one Schnieder US had in stock some years ago. While not common on the used market, patience will reward you eventually. Good luck!

[desertrat]

I'm guessing you're probably looking for a modern lens, but if you're on a limited budget, sometimes a 6-1/2" X 8-1/2" (whole plate) Turner-Reich triple turns up on Ebay. I bought one last year to experiment on the 8X10 Seneca for about $80. The EFL is about 10-1/2" or very roughly about 270mm. To my surprise, it covers 8X10 with a little wiggle room. I haven't made any negatives with it yet, but the image looks good on the GG with a loupe all the way into the corners at f22, and I think it will be entirely satisfactory for the contact prints I make.

Occasionally Dagors turn up in the 240 - 270mm range, and their coverage should be even better.

[John Kasaian]

The 10" Wide Field Ektar IC is 422. There are probably ag subsidies available for less turf than that