Two Lens Set for 4x5 Field Camera - Choices

[Maris Rusis]

I carry a two lens kit with my Tachihara 45GF camera when walking about and "looking for snaps".
The wide lens is a Schneider Super Angulon 75mm. I can crop a 90mm or 135mm view out of this as the image sharpness holds up well for the moderate enlargements I do.
The long lens is a Nikkor-W 210mm. I can crop a 300mm or even a 400mm view out of this.
I make up the diffence between focal lengths and cropping ratios by "foot-zoom". If I carry more lenses the extra weight tires me out and overall productivity per effort expended goes down.

[angusparker]

My two cents on lens sets can be found here: http://www.angusparkerphoto.com/blog...x5-view-camera

I like the idea of the Fujinon 125/5.6 (52mm filter thread version) with the Nikkor 200/8 (also 52mm) or if you can go that long perhaps the Fujinon 240/9. I'd go with newer coated lenses in copal shutters rather than Ektars/Dagors etc the price of a good Fujinon lens isn't too rich.

[Kevin Crisp]

I'm a big fan of repro clarons in longer focal lengths, but from what I've heard the 135 will barely cover 4X5 if at all. I think I asked Jim Galli that question some years back, and he was not positive about it.

[Two23]

I do a lot of my shooting in small towns on the Northern Plains. My preferred lenses are Nikon 90mm f4.5 and Rodenstock 135mm f5.6. When shooting my antique lenses, it's Dagor 3 5/8 in. (90mm) and Tessar 165mm. I tend to use a lens that's ~90mm the most in towns.


Kent in SD

[Randy]

I enjoy my 115mm Caltar II-N f/6.8 along with my Fuji 180mm f/5.6. I purchased both for use on 5X7 but having gotten rid if the 5X7 I now carry them with my 4X5. The 115mm is a tad heavier then a 90mm f/8 but it is easier to focus.

[Tim Meisburger]

On the wide side you might consider the 125mm and 135mm "inside lettering" Fujinon W lenses. These are from the first, single-coated series. The 125mm covers 211mm at f/22, the 135mm a bit more. Both are smaller and a few ounces lighter than the 135mm WF Ektar, albeit with less coverage, live in standard #0-size shutters, and take standard filters as opposed to the Ektar's Series filters. I have all three, but the 125mm Fujinon is usually the one in my backpack.

For me its the 135mm. My most used field lens.

[John Kasaian]

Color or B&W?

[Mark Sampson]

A Repro-Claron is essentially Schneider's version of the Goerz Artar. I'd be surprised if it covers 4x5 at infinity.
My years at Kodak have made me appreciate their lenses, although they were out of production 20 years before I showed up. Of the lenses you mention, I'd use the 135/6.3 Wide Field Ektar and the 203/7.7 Ektar. The 135/6.3 is a long-time favorite of mine and I've used the 203/7.7, although I don't own one now.
More modern lenses will, of course, provide higher contrast, but in b/w the Kodaks are hard to beat. The 8-1/2"/6.3 Commercial Ektar is also a classic but if you have the 203 there's no need to look further.

[Lightbender]

You are likely to get many different answers. Probably more confusing than when you started.

Truth is just about any post WWII lens is fantastic at f8-f16.
So what you should really look at is a clean lens in a good shutter. Your choice really comes down to focal length and size.
My kit I have two extremes.. 65mm and 300mm, and a tiny 135mm for everything in between.

But also good is a150mm plasmat (Nikkor) with a90mm angulon.

Or a 210mm g-claron and a135mm Fujinon.

Or whatever.

[David Karp]

Funny how many responses are similar to the choice I would make if I could only pick two lenses.

I would pick my 125mm f/5.6 Fujinon NW and my 210mm f/5.6 Fujinon L (or a 210mm f/6.1 Schneider Xenar or Caltar Pro). The latter are smaller and simpler designs that allow them to be smaller than the typical 210mm Plasmat lens design. They are the same construction as the 200mm Nikkor M.

My photos are mostly landscape in black and white. These are my most used lenses.