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Thread: Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

  1. #1

    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    Thanks in advance for being so gracious with seemingly remidial questions. I ha ve found so many, and I do mean many, different charts and articles and recommen dations as to which focal lengths in Large Format correspond to which focal leng ths in 35mm, but they ALL differ. I am currently making the jump into 4x5 from 35mm and am days away from purchasing my first lens. I am leaning towards the S ironar-S 150 (like the good movement idea). I have heard that 150 is equiv to 3 8, 40, 45, some even say 50. I'm not interested in a standard 50 size (in 35mm) , I like slightly to moderately wide. Since the Sironar-S 135 has less room for movements, if the 150 is TOO normal size, my next choice, despite the great cos t difference, is the 110XL. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Again the main question is, IN REALITY, WHAT DOES A 150 COMPARE TO IN 35 FORMAT. Than ks all.

  2. #2

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    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    A 150mm converts to about 44mm in 35 terms. Happy shooting. Pat.

  3. #3

    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    The 150mm is considered normal focal length in 4x5, as the 50 mm is in 35mm. If the 110mm too costly, you may find a good lens in the 120mm area. One of the problems figuring focal length to focal length is the odd size of 35mm film. You have to figure for the wasted film at the ends of the 35mm size. If you like the wider lenses, 90 to 135 is a good choice. The 210mm gives good perspective with 4x5 and is used by many as a long normal lens. It the lens of choice for many LF shooters. If I can offer an opinion, I would get familiar with the different focal lengths used with 4x5 before investing heavily in lenses. The 110mm you mention is an excellent lens, but you may want to make sure it fits your shooting preferences. Regardless of your choice, welcome to the world of LF.

    Regards,

  4. #4

    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    Cedric:

    The reason the charts differ is twofold. First, the aspect ratio of 35mm and 4x5 is quite different, so it matters whether you compare the short side of each frame, the long side, or the diagonal. Another difference is, for lack of a better word, slop. In 4x5, you often can't use the edges of the image due to processing clip marks or irregularities around the edge of the film holder. Since the image is so large, it pays to leave a bit of buffer zone around the edge of the image.

    All that said, I think you will find a 150 pretty "normal", particularly if you allow some slop. To me, a 120 matches the feel of a 35mm lens on 35mm film. The 110XL feels pretty wide, wider than a 35mm on 35mm film.

    If you are not shooting architecture or product, I suspect the image circle of the 135mm Apo Sironar-S will be fine. The 110mmXL is spectacular, but significantly larger, heavier, wider and of course, more expensive. Another excellent options is the 120mm SymmarHM which can be found used. It is neither as wide, heavy, or expensive as the 110mmXL, but doesn't perform quite as well at close distances, although that may not matter if landscape is your target.

  5. #5

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    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    Arguments rage and blood has been shed (from a paper cut) over this aspect of LF photography. The debate is over which you find more important: The angle of coverage over the diagonal of the format or the angle of coverage over the long side of the format. As a professional who does a lot ofarchitectural work, generally speaking the angle covered down the long side of the format is generally more important to me and so I use the 3x ratio (i.e. a 90mm on a 4x5 piece of film is extremely close to what I see with a 28mm lens mounted on a standard 35mm SLR, a 65mm or 58mm on 4x5 are both very close to what I see when I use a 20mm, a 300mm on 4x5 is very close to what I see when using a 105mm on my Nikon F5) to compare coverage.

    I'd look at a 120mm non macro design as the alternative to the 110mm. These lenses generally have much larger image circles than modern 135mm lenses.

  6. #6

    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    Cedric,

    Before you make a move, you might want to read Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz new book " Medium and Large format Photography: moving beyond 35 mm for better pictures". You will find some interesting and useful discussions on what you asked for. Cheers and happy moving.

  7. #7

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    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    Another vote for the long side of the format as a reference. A 150mm is like a 45mm when you compare it this way. If you take the sort side of the format,it's like a 40mm.

    In 35mm, I'm not too fond of the 50mm either; in many situations,it's either too long or too short for me. With the 150mm on 4x5", I don't have this problem; it definitely feels wider than a 50mm in the small format.

  8. #8

    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    I have always felt that the diagonal provides the relevant comparison for my vision: the ratio is then 3.6, and a 180 mm lens equals 50 mm in 35. However, the movements vastly broaded the scope of application for a lens in LF, and you can do much more with any one lens then with an equivalent in 35 mm. If you preference is on the wide angle side, I also would suggest you look at 120 mm wide angle lenses: modern lenses have huge image circles, and rather than getting a 150 mm, your next choice could be a slightly longer lens (a 180 or 210 mm).

    Lukas

  9. #9

    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    Cedric, it depends on the subject, what kind of photography you want to do:

    In the studio, I would rather take a longer one, (210 - 240, for small objects - 300), in architecture, where you 're often hanging on the neightbourhouse wal ls, you're forced to take a wider one, if you like or dislike it. (120 - 150) I'll add to that the different typs (not brands) of lenses do offer different an gles, which basically means, that you have different shift possibilities. (imag es circles size) To me, this could be a starting point for a evaluation , montespluga

  10. #10
    Whatever David A. Goldfarb's Avatar
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    Large Format Focal Length 35 mm Equivalent

    I'll take another position and suggest that the common wisdom about starting with the lens that corresponds to the one you use most in the format you are familiar with may not apply. I've found, to my own surprise at first, that I tend to prefer wider lenses for most things in 8x10" than I would use for 6x6cm or 35mm, because DOF is so short with the longer lenses, and you can get so much more information on a large piece of film, making it possible really to get the most out of a wider perspective.

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