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Thread: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

  1. #1
    Imagowan
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    Jul 2013
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    Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    Hi everyone!

    So I have been shooting with my Chamonix 45f1 and Nikkor-W 150 lens. I am interested in getting a lens that can do close up work, certainly something for portraiture, but also possibly macro. The 150 feels neither here nor there to me. I ultimately do not want to spend over $500.00. I am willing to buy used. I like taking pictures of people but don't feel comfortable getting up in their faces (which at times I want to do). As result I always feel I am too far back with the 150. Of course simply getting up the courage to take a few steps forward seems to be the solution, but, I find having the lens close to a person face makes them more aware and less interesting to photograph. I am assuming anything over 210 would be good. At 300 I might need extension bellows, but I may be wrong on this. How do you commit to make a lens purchase? I try to read as much as I can but still feel uncertain.... Any advice, suggestions, and wisdom is greatly appreciated! Ideally nothing too heavy either. Can't have it all though of course

  2. #2
    Imagowan
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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    side note: what brand make your favorite 4x5 film carriers?

  3. #3
    Corran's Avatar
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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    A 210mm or 240mm is pretty standard as a longer lens on 4x5. 210mm lenses are also a dime a dozen.
    Bryan | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | Portfolio
    All comments and thoughtful critique welcome

  4. #4

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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    buy Ari's 210m fujinon W in the classifieds. or a 250mm fujinon 6.7. both of those do well in closeup work and are cheap lately.

    They're all fine- fidelity, lisco, any with plastic pull tabs that haven't been through a studio camera thousands of times, they're all the same except for toyo's which are $$$ but really slick. I have 47 4x5 holders which all make fine negatives.

  5. #5

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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    you cannot go wrong with either Fidelity or Toyo holders

    btw, I thought that Toyo were no longer manufacturing them, I may be wrong..................................................

    andrew

  6. #6

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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    I stretched my Tachihara bellows out all 13" to see how close I could focus my Fujinon 250mm f6.7 lens. I could do head and shoulder shots, just barely. That's why I also own a Sinar P monorail.

    I don't know the bellows extension on your Chamonix.

    A monorail is much better than a field camera for portraits and macro anyway. You can pick up a real nice Cambo/Calumet late model monorail for less than $200.00. Add a Cambo to Technika lens board adaptor so you can easily swap lenses back and forth.

    Just another option for you.

  7. #7

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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    10" Tele-Raptar. Cheap and excellent.
    Wilhelm (Sarasota)

  8. #8
    adelorenzo's Avatar
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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    I happen to have a 250mm Fujinon for sale in the classifieds, good price and it's a terrific longer or portrait lens on 4x5.

    For macro work I would stick to the 150 as you will need a lot of extension.

  9. #9

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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by adelorenzo View Post
    I happen to have a 250mm Fujinon for sale in the classifieds, good price and it's a terrific longer or portrait lens on 4x5.

    For macro work I would stick to the 150 as you will need a lot of extension.
    I use my 250mm 6.7 at 1:1 on my chamonix 4x5 just fine. All chamonix 4x5's (45n, n-2, f1) will go to 395mm w/o an extension bracket and 500mm with my version of extension bracket. The 150mm nikkor isn't the best choice for macro work. A 150 sironar-s would be better but $$$ if you can find one.

  10. #10

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    Re: Looking to buy second lens at fair price... recommendations?

    For formulas which tell you how close you can get with a given lens and bellows extension, you might find this article helpful.

    That aside, I second the recommendation of a 210mm lens. It's a wonderful focal length for all purposes - not just portraits - and because they were/are so popular, they are available in great abundance. You might prefer one that takes smaller filters: Nikkor W, Fujinon W, Rodenstock Sironar N all take 67mm filters. Many of the others take larger filters.

    Not sure about the current price, but the 210mm Rodenstock Macro Sironar excels at close distance and takes 67mm filters.

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