favorite LF and ULF lens if you had only one lens

[Doremus Scudder]

I'll say an f/6.3 Kodak Wide Field Ektar with the appropriate focal length for the format.

+1

My favorite and most-used lens for 4x5 is my 135mm WF Ektar. Sharp, small, and coverage that you can't get in a Plasmat. I'm surprised this design disappeared so early. It's a real winner in my estimation.

Doremus

[Randy]

When using my Graflex Series D 4X5 I can't seem to get away from using Reinhold's 190mm Wollanston Meniscus.

When shooting 8X10 I often mount my B&L 11X14 1C Tessar (400mm).

[John Layton]

4x5: 135mm Sironar-N (still lusting after an Apo-S)
5x7: 210mm Sironar-N (see above!)
8x10: 305 G-Claron (might be 240mm if I made greater use of this format)
11x14: 14" Goerz-Kern (Swiss) Blue-Dot Trigor (why, oh why, did I sell this lens? but the 305GC covers fine)

[premortho]

Back when I was a student at RIT in the 1970s, I wanted to learn the Zone System. Found a used 8x10 B&J wooden view, a 12" f/4.5 Wollensak Velostigmat in a Betax shutter, some used 8x10 holders, a B&J wooden tripod with simple wooden head, and one very primitive spot meter. For probably the next 10 years, this was my LF outfit.

In the 1980s found an 11x14 Improved Empire State view camera, 2 holders, and a 508mm f/7 Caltar. For the next 20 or so years that was my ULF outfit.

Would love to know which is your favorite one lens for your LF and ULF camera.

For me:
4x5: 178mm 7 inch f/3.1 Darlot Portrait (Petzval)
Whole Plate: 210mm Nikkor
8x10: 12" f/4.5 Wollensak Velostigmat... my first 8x10 lens
11x14: 508mm f/7 Caltar. again my first 11x14 lens

On 8X10, a Gundlak triple convertable 12,21 28 inch
on 5x7, a Wallensak Velostigmat 8 inch
on 4X5, a Kodak Anastigmat f6.3 7 inch