Head and Shoulder Portrait Lens for 11x14 Camera

[diversey]

I always thought 360mm and 300mm lenses are for 8x10.

The thing about head & shoulders is that many shorter lenses with smaller image circles will now cover the film format at that magnification. If you want something with a large aperture, a 360mm or even 300mm f/4.5 tessar would do the trick nicely. I've also used a APO-Ronar 480mm f/9 that's worked well--nothing scanned though.

Of course the question then is: what kind of compression do you want in your subjects features?

[Pere Casals]

I always thought 360mm and 300mm lenses are for 8x10.

Yousuf Karsh made most of his 8x10 portraiture with a 360mm, the Commercial Ektar 14".

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A cheap and nice ULF choice found in shutter is a Symmar 360mm convertible to 620mm f/12, you would have two focals.

[MAubrey]

I always thought 360mm and 300mm lenses are for 8x10.

Yeah, that's because they don't work on larger formats at infinity. But you're not shooting at infinity. You're shooting at nearly 1:1 magnification, so the image circle is no longer the limiting factor.

[Jim Galli]

There's a 14X17 Versar on Ebay just now. I have no connection with the seller. That would be an 18" f6 Rapid Rectilinear. I would consider it a good choice. A Voigtlaender Euryscop Series IV #6 would be a fine choice also.

[Hugo Zhang]

Jim,

What lens did you use for your brother's 11x14 head shot? I still remember that picture.

[leondf]

Here's a self portrait using 11x14 x-ray film and a 480mm apo-ronar.

[Vaughn]

How about a Turner Reich for 11x14...a 12/21/28? One might not have enough bellows for a head and shoulders with the 28" element, but the 21" might just be the ticket. Known to be slightly soft when using only one element, that might be helpful with a portrait. I used the 28" element on a Kodak 2D to photograph a lunar eclipse. On my Zone VI 8x10, the 28" element has my standard on the last teeth of the rails to focus at infinity.

My Chamonix 11x14 might be able handle the 28" element for a head&shoulder, but I think it has only 33.5 inches (850mm) of bellows. I have a 24" Red Dot Artar that probably would work well...maybe a bit on the sharp side, though!

[Jim Galli]

Thanks Hugo, it was a 22" Voigtlaender Petzval. Still one of my favorites.

[diversey]

Nice shot!

Here's a self portrait using 11x14 x-ray film and a 480mm apo-ronar.

[diversey]

Does the Turner Reich lens have focus shift?

How about a Turner Reich for 11x14...a 12/21/28? One might not have enough bellows for a head and shoulders with the 28" element, but the 21" might just be the ticket. Known to be slightly soft when using only one element, that might be helpful with a portrait. I used the 28" element on a Kodak 2D to photograph a lunar eclipse. On my Zone VI 8x10, the 28" element has my standard on the last teeth of the rails to focus at infinity.

My Chamonix 11x14 might be able handle the 28" element for a head&shoulder, but I think it has only 33.5 inches (850mm) of bellows. I have a 24" Red Dot Artar that probably would work well...maybe a bit on the sharp side, though!