90mm lens on 8x10

[Ari]

I'm looking for an inexpensive 90mm lens to shoot on 8x10.
What I'm most interested in is how a lens falls off at the corners, i.e., is the transition to dark corners smooth and gradual or is it a well-defined circle?
I would like to find a lens with a soft, gradual falloff, not one that produces a circular image on 8x10.

With that in mind, I've compiled a shortlist of possible candidates:
Schneider Angulon f6.8
Topcor f5.6
Graflex Optar f6.8 (Wollensak)

Does anyone know the falloff characteristics of any of these lenses?
It would really help me nail down a suitable candidate.

Thanks in advance.

[Mark Sampson]

I believe Emmett Gowin used a 90/6.8 Schneider Angulon for his well-known early work, with the round image on 8x10. Is that the kind of thing you're thinking of?

[jbenedict]

Here's a for sale thread which contains a few photos taken with a 90 Angulon with an 8x10 Hobo. This should give you an idea of what that lens is like and maybe the seller has some more photos he can show you.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ight=8x10+hobo

[Ari]

I believe Emmett Gowin used a 90/6.8 Schneider Angulon for his well-known early work, with the round image on 8x10. Is that the kind of thing you're thinking of?

Thanks, Mark; I was thinking of that, pretty much; I wonder if there's a way to get an even less defined dark circle. I'm thinking something that gently fades to black, like a very soft vignette.

[Ari]

Here's a for sale thread which contains a few photos taken with a 90 Angulon with an 8x10 Hobo. This should give you an idea of what that lens is like and maybe the seller has some more photos he can show you.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ight=8x10+hobo

Thanks, that's what I had envisioned. I'll send him an email.

[Louis Pacilla]

I wonder if there's a way to get an even less defined dark circle. I'm thinking something that gently fades to black, like a very soft vignette.

Hey Ari
Maybe trying a lens design that does not have a stretched IC like a Tessar IC or a faster triplet like a Series II in a FL meant for say 4x5- 3 1/4 x4 1/4 plate maybe a 6", 5" or even 4" FL that would get way less sharp as it falls off and you may want to paly /w those two perimeters design & FL and see what works best to meet your vision. Or try a Vignetter

[Ari]

Thanks, Louis, I'll look into that; it sounds quite interesting.

[Old-N-Feeble]

What about a 90mm SAXL... not 8x10 but can barely squeeze 6.5x10 out of it.

[Ari]

Thanks, Mike, but...

I'm looking for an inexpensive 90mm lens to shoot on 8x10.

[mdarnton]

It's an interesting question whether it needs to be a wide wide? Inspired by your question, I put my 90/5.6 Super Angulon on today and was surprised that it just about fully covers 8x10, but for the corners, so that's out. I have several of the American 90s, but I think those are all going to throw sharp edges like an Angulon, being not that much different. Louis' idea to use a more normal lens was good, and I have a Paragon (f4.5 Tessar type) around 165mm or so that I can put on Monday and see how it looks. 165 would still be pretty wide on 8x10, and I think he's right that they just fade out at the edges. I guess the question would be whether the image is gone before 8" width is reached, right?