What's a good portrait lens for 5x7?

[David Aimone]

Sliding down the slippery slope from 4x5 to 5x7 and looking for lenses to use. My 10" Velostigmat Series II works on it for portraits, but what might you recommend for portraits and soft nudes?

[Mark Sawyer]

If your Velostigmat has the soft focus adjustment, I think you've already got what you need! But if you want something different, maybe stay with Wollensak and get a Verito, Varium, or Vitax?

[David Aimone]

Mark, it does have the soft focus adjustment, so I will experiment more with it. I'd love a Verito, 300mm or more to go with the 240mm Velostigmat. I guess I'll have to save my pennies!

[Jim Noel]

That Velostigmat would be extremely difficult to top.

[David Aimone]

I had it wide open and I think maybe a bit too much diffusion dialed in...

That Velostigmat would be extremely difficult to top.

[jp]

A modern shuttered lens would be a veritar. I've used one. Pretty similar to verito.
The Kodak 305 portrait was made for 5x7, but I only use it for 8x10.
It's a very subjective matter what is good.
I'd say keep what you've got and figure out how to get every last bit of goodness out of the Velostigmat. Go from experimenting with it to mastering it.

[Bill_1856]

It seems to me that you've already got the perfect lens.

[cdholden]

If your Velostigmat has the soft focus adjustment, I think you've already got what you need! But if you want something different, maybe stay with Wollensak and get a Verito, Varium, or Vitax?

You forgot Vesta!

[Mark Sawyer]

You forgot Vesta!

And Versar, Voltas, and Veritar, just staying with the V's...