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

[Jim Becia]

The 210 is certainly a good recommendation and like several have mentioned, they are extremely reasonable. I would opt for a Fuji 240A or Germinar 240. It gives you a slightly longer focal length and both lenses are very reasonable in size. Recently I have seen the Fuji 240A at some pretty decent prices. I use the Germinar now but had the Fuji at one time. Both are incredibly sharp and I find they both work well for closeups. Not being a portrait person, I will let others be the judge whether they are good for portraiture.

[Alan Gales]

Buy the 210mm Rodenstock Macro Sironar plus a 12" Kodak Commercial Ektar, monorail of your choice and add some new Toyo film holders and you will be all set.

Gee, it's fun spending other people's money!

[drew.saunders]

The Chamonix web site doesn't list the specifications for the F1, but the N1 shows a 395mm maximum bellows extension. Assuming the F1 is the same, with a 300mm lens that needs exactly 300mm extension at infinity (most are a little shorter, see this article for more information: http://www.ebonycamera.com/articles/lenses.html), you can focus to about 1.3m, or 50", which should be enough for portraiture unless you like a very tight head shot. With a 250mm lens, you'll be in the 750-800mm close focus range, and that's plenty close enough for most portrait work.

For portrait work, I use a 165mm f/3.5 Zeiss Tessar from c. 1950, a 180/4.5 Schneider Xenar (Tessar design) from c. 1960, and a 250/4.7 Fujinar (also a Tessar design) from I'm guessing the '70's or maybe early '80's. Yes, I like the look of single-coated Tessars for portraiture.

For used, of course the classifieds here should be your first stop, but also http://www.keh.com, and I've had good luck with http://www.cameraeccentric.com/sale.html as well. There are threads here about other sellers.

The 150 will do 1:1 macro with your camera, assuming 395mm of bellows extension. If you don't need 1:1, I do most of my close-up but not quite macro work with a 200/8 Nikkor-M, which is a very nice, very compact lens. At f/8, it's a little slow for portrait work, but for portability, it's hard to beat.

A 180mm lens might be a good choice for both macro and portrait work, as you'll have a little more distance from your subjects than your 150, but it will still do 1:1 on your 395mm bellows (you need 2x the focal length for 1:1). A lens designed for macro work will give you better results at close distances than a general purpose lens, but you may not personally find that you need, or want, the higher resolution. There are plenty of 180/5.6 and 210/5.6 Plasmat design lenses out there to choose from. 240/5.6 lenses require a #3 shutter, so are quite larger than the 180/5.6 or 210/5.6 lenses, but the Fuji 250/6.3 and 250/6.7 use a #1 shutter, if weight and portability are of concern to you.

[Pete Watkins]

Don't pay silly money!
Look for a Kodak Ektar 203, cheap, great quality (even wide open) and it covers 5x7 for when you upgrade. Good for portraits on 4x5. It's one of the last lenses that I'd get rid of.
Pete.

ps Dunno about 1:1 though.

[vinny]

Drew, you may want to read previous posts first. #9 to be more specific.

The Chamonix web site doesn't list the specifications for the F1, but the N1 shows a 395mm maximum bellows extension. Assuming the F1 is the same, with a 300mm lens that needs exactly 300mm extension at infinity (most are a little shorter, see this article for more information: http://www.ebonycamera.com/articles/lenses.html), you can focus to about 1.3m, or 50", which should be enough for portraiture unless you like a very tight head shot. With a 250mm lens, you'll be in the 750-800mm close focus range, and that's plenty close enough for most portrait work.

For portrait work, I use a 165mm f/3.5 Zeiss Tessar from c. 1950, a 180/4.5 Schneider Xenar (Tessar design) from c. 1960, and a 250/4.7 Fujinar (also a Tessar design) from I'm guessing the '70's or maybe early '80's. Yes, I like the look of single-coated Tessars for portraiture.

For used, of course the classifieds here should be your first stop, but also http://www.keh.com, and I've had good luck with http://www.cameraeccentric.com/sale.html as well. There are threads here about other sellers.

The 150 will do 1:1 macro with your camera, assuming 395mm of bellows extension. If you don't need 1:1, I do most of my close-up but not quite macro work with a 200/8 Nikkor-M, which is a very nice, very compact lens. At f/8, it's a little slow for portrait work, but for portability, it's hard to beat.

A 180mm lens might be a good choice for both macro and portrait work, as you'll have a little more distance from your subjects than your 150, but it will still do 1:1 on your 395mm bellows (you need 2x the focal length for 1:1). A lens designed for macro work will give you better results at close distances than a general purpose lens, but you may not personally find that you need, or want, the higher resolution. There are plenty of 180/5.6 and 210/5.6 Plasmat design lenses out there to choose from. 240/5.6 lenses require a #3 shutter, so are quite larger than the 180/5.6 or 210/5.6 lenses, but the Fuji 250/6.3 and 250/6.7 use a #1 shutter, if weight and portability are of concern to you.

[Steven Tribe]

This is not to be rude, but I have suggested this be moved to lens thread!

[Jim Jones]

Don't pay silly money!
Look for a Kodak Ektar 203, cheap, great quality (even wide open) and it covers 5x7 for when you upgrade. Good for portraits on 4x5. It's one of the last lenses that I'd get rid of.
Pete.

ps Dunno about 1:1 though.

Yes, indeed. One of these lenses was my primary LF lens for decades, and is still often used in preference to an accumulation of other lenses. It is well corrected for macro photography, and very light when backpacking. It is rather close to your 150mm lens, though.

[Ken Lee]

This is not to be rude, but I have suggested this be moved to lens thread!

Done

[John Kasaian]

I'd look at shorter lenses for close ups, longer lenses for distance, but that's just the way I roll with lenses.
Oh---the answer to your question? Keep the lens you already have until it becomes evident that you need to add another(it sounds like you're already at that point) Fortunately there are plenty of good used lens to choose from that shouldn't break you budget as Corran posted. As for deciding which focal length, consider what others have used that fits in with the perspective you want to achieve. Do your homework and you should have no problem with your "commitment."
OTOH if all you want is a suggestion for what to buy next, hang on to your hat, you'll likely get a ton of 'em!

[Imagowan]

Everyone thanks so much. All of this is very helpful. I wish chamonix provided a guide of done sort, at least a bit more information about the camera. I once rented a lens that according to fotocare in ny should have fit fine. It didn't. I could barley get it through the opening and it was so round it basically hung on down onto the bellows. I need to make sure I get something appropriate so all of this is great info. Thank you! What is the advantage of this 67 filter ken? What is it? Is it worth investing in extension bellows now or waiting? So many questions. Id be especially curious to start communications with anyone who has the chamonix f1.