Should I add a 210mm lens?

[walbergb]

I have 90mm, 150mm, and 300mm lenses for my Shen-Hao PTB 45 camera. Is there any added value to having a 210mm lens, too?

[IanG]

It's personal choice a 210mm lens is a nice additional focal length and there's occasions when they are a useful. I use mine far more than my 300mm which gets little use with my Wista 45DX.

Another option would be a 240mm instead of a 210mm.

Ian

[jesse]

Agree with Ian.

[neil poulsen]

I would add that and a 120mm SW. It's a matter of being able to place the camera at a good vantage point and also obtain the advantage of the entire sheet of film for the image.

[Doremus Scudder]

I have 90mm, 150mm, and 300mm lenses for my Shen-Hao PTB 45 camera. Is there any added value to having a 210mm lens, too?

I used your combination for quite a while. Then I added a 203mm (almost 210mm) and a 135mm. Since then, the 150mm stays at home mostly. I find the 135mm to be my most-used focal length with the 203mm a close second, then the 90mm.

The combination 90, 135, 200/210, 300 gives you a nice progression in +50% intervals and is my "standard" hiking set. That said, I'll often leave the 300mm at home and carry the 240mm instead.

I like more, but smaller and lighter lenses when working in the city and camera positions are limited. Therefore, I'll often carry a 90mm SA f/8, a 135mm WF Ektar, a 180mm Fuji A, a small 200/210 lens (I've got a few...), and a 240mm Fuji A. All those close focal lengths let me frame well without getting in the way of traffic.

Neil probably likes the 120 SW for its great coverage. I like 135mm lenses for the size, but the coverage is often disappointing for regular plasmats... I've compromised with the Wide-Field Ektar there.

Hope this helps,

Doremus

[Doremus Scudder]

It's personal choice a 210mm lens is a nice additional focal length and there's occasions when they are a useful. I use mine far more than my 300mm which gets little use with my Wista 45DX.

Another option would be a 240mm instead of a 210mm.

Ian

Ian,

I built a top-hat board for my 300mm Nikkor M and use it regularly on my Wista DX. Do you have that option?

Best,

Doremus

[StoneNYC]

I never used or needed a 210 when I shot 4x5 and only picked one up for my 8x10 work (as its equivalent to 90mm for 4x5).

It's really individual but 75mm, 90mm, 150mm, and 300mm was my lens lineup.

Of those my most used lenses were 90mm and 300mm, next was the 150mm and last was the 75mm.

I always wanted more than the 300mm but the 450mm wouldn't work on my Toyo45a

I hear the rare 350mm is excellent if you can find one.

But really you have to choose the right lens for YOU.

[John Kasaian]

Do you really need a 210mm? Have you missed having a 210mm? If so, yes. If not, no.
My 2-cents

[Robert Langham]

They are so cheap and available, why not? I've got a 190mm Ektar Wide Field which I love, but it doesn't have enough contrast if you are photographing a canyon wall in the shade. My 210 Schneider is much better for that. I'd get on ebay and try to get any lens I was remotely interested in.


190 on an overcast day at the Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, Arizona.


120 in the shade at Spider Rock Overlook at Canyon de Chelly.

[Ari]

210 is a great portrait FL on 4x5; it and the 115 were my most used lenses.
I'd even go so far as to say that, for general purpose 4x5 photography, those two FLs will cover 95% of situations.