Budget wide angle lens for 8x10

[Andrew Plume]

Hi Peter

Yes Edward (from memory) made a lot of his images with what he described as being a cheap RR

regards

Andrew

[ic-racer]

Thank you very much! I found one on ebay for under $100 with a dysfunctional aperture I'm going to attempt to fix. Thanks everyone for their suggestions, I guess I'll know if I like it when it gets here.

I think you will enjoy the lens. I have had mine for about ten years and it is one of my favorite lenses on 8x10. It is the only lens in its class.

[Willie]

Good thing Edward Weston didn't agree.

I have a 159 WA Raptar. It was cheap, and it'll help me determine whether I like that focal length on 8x10. I've only used it a bit, but so far I have no complaints quality wise.

Or Sally Mann. "Mann is noted for using large-format cameras—sometimes with damaged lenses that admit light leaks and imperfections—to reveal the uncanny beauty in her subjects, be they decomposing corpses, Civil War battlefields, or her own family."

If a lens gives you what you want it doesn't matter what it cost.

[Kwatson]

If a lens gives you what you want it doesn't matter what it cost.

Thank you everyone for your support, I'm hoping this 180mm fuji will do it for me but if I'm unhappy with it I have lots of other options to look for now!

[DolphinDan]

Hi,

I would also look at the Kodak WIDE FIELD EKTAR 190mm (7 1/2") f6.3 lens. I had the Fuji FUJINON-W 180mm f5.6 lens and found it vignetted in either the upper 2 or lower 2 corners every time. Even when photographing a Sycamore tree about 9 feet from the camera at f64. The WIDE FIELD EKTAR did cover these scenes. And similarly priced to the Fuji.

Daniel

[Alan Gales]

IMO, if you're going to do all that is involved with producing 8x10 film images, they better be as best as they could given what is involved to create these 8x10 film images.

Yes, get the circular image thing.. then again this drive the choice of lens in a different direction.


Bernice

I get your point. I ended up settling on 250mm as my widest lens for 8x10. If I want wider or I want to shoot color film, I've got a 4x5 reduction back for my camera. Even then, 90mm is as wide as I go. Of course that's a personal choice.

[DG 3313]

+1
Apo Symmar 210 mm F-5.6 (closer than infinity doesn't have to be close up)

Break the rules

At close up magnifications more lenses fit

or Pinhole with X-Ray

[MAubrey]

I'm a little surprised nobody mentioned a 165mm f/6.8 Angulon. Great coverage. Slightly wider than the OP's 90mm.

[Chauncey Walden]

I tested a 165mm Angulon against my 159mm f/12.5 Wolly and as a result the 165 ended up in the whole plate kit and the 159 stayed with the 8x10. The 210 G-Claron works fine but my most used lens on the 8x10 is a late production 240 Xenar.

[Corran]

Fascinating - the 159mm Wolly I had was abysmal on 8x10 and seemed like it would be better on WP, what with the poor corner performance. I have not used a 165 Angulon.

Sample variation, I suppose.