Lens help needed (8x10 wet plate)

[jpheneger]

Hi all,

I just acquired an ANSCO American Optic 8x10 Studio camera and I need help in identifying what lens choice would be good for doing wet plate portraits. I would imagine something in the range of a 300mm f//5.6 would be perfect, but as this is my first 8x10 (and first wet plate camera) I am not sure where to start.

[Bob Salomon]

300mm is too short for flattering head and shoulder portraits on 810 because of foreshortening. You need something longer then a normal lens.

[Corran]

300mm or 12" lens is perfectly fine for many types of portraits. Longer lenses will get progressively harder to deal with for a multitude of reasons.

There are plenty of 300mm f/4.5 Tessar-type lenses out there - you want speed for wet plate. One I suggest to look for is a Gundlach Radar 12" f/4.5.

[Bob Salomon]

300mm or 12" lens is perfectly fine for many types of portraits. Longer lenses will get progressively harder to deal with for a multitude of reasons.

There are plenty of 300mm f/4.5 Tessar-type lenses out there - you want speed for wet plate. One I suggest to look for is a Gundlach Radar 12" f/4.5.

Since he didn’t specify what type of portraits he wants to do I did. I stated too short for head and shoulders. Also, it’s a bit short for ¾ length as well.

Why let him discover, after buying the camera, lens, holders, plates, etc + his time to discover big noses, protruding foreheads, etc. because he has too short a lens?

You should be offering guidance.

[Corran]

Textbook definition of a proper "portrait" lens is a bit outdated, especially when getting into bigger plates and longer lenses where magnification becomes more significant and focal length is less relevant due to focusing closer. I have shot head-and-shoulders portraits with a 300mm on 8x10 and find no issues wrt foreshortening. One of my friends made some beautiful WP portraits on 4x5 with a 90mm focused very closely!

My advice is to look at photos here in the monthly portrait threads and get an idea for what focal lengths and types of portraits you plan to do. Longer fast lenses will get expensive quick. If you discover you can make do with f/9 or perhaps even less options expand.

[Mark Sawyer]

First, what size plates will you be making, full 8x10, whole plate, or 6x8? Many wet plate photographers use converted 8x10 film holders, which are cut for a smaller size. (I like 6x8, because you get 6 from a 12x24 aluminum sheet, as opposed to 3 whole plates or 8x10s.)

A 300mm would be fine as a portrait lens for 6x8 or whole plate.

[jpheneger]

I plan to make full 8x10 portraits using glass plates. My goal is to be able to shoot anything from a 3/4 portrait to a head & shoulders shot.

[Mark Sawyer]

I plan to make full 8x10 portraits using glass plates. My goal is to be able to shoot anything from a 3/4 portrait to a head & shoulders shot.

Then a 14 to 16 inch lens. As fast as you can afford. An f/4.5 Tessar would probably be the most cost efficient, although you might consider some of the projection lenses (Beseler, Buhl...)

[jpheneger]

Then a 14 to 16 inch lens. As fast as you can afford. An f/4.5 Tessar would probably be the most cost efficient, although you might consider some of the projection lenses (Beseler, Buhl...)

Thank you for the suggestion.

[dfort]

A few weeks ago I bought an overhead projector at a swap meet for $10. All I wanted was the fresnel lens but I also saved the lens. Seems like something you might want to experiment with.



As you can see quite a manageable size though without a shutter or iris. Maybe you could cut a slot in the housing and use waterhouse stops or perhaps wet plates are so slow that you'll need to use it wide open. I don't know.

In any case, I've got plenty of lenses for now so if you want this send me a PM and we'll figure out how to get it to you.