65mm lens comparison

[Bernice Loui]

Wide angle lenses are great FUN...



Bernice

[Daniel Unkefer]

Norma Handy Stuff 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I found another use for the 65mm F8 Super Angulon. I built this Norma Handy 4x5 camera from original Norma parts (65mm F8 SA lens cone/board and attached SA 65/8 helical are Norma products) and some cobbled together others. I need to get out and use this BTW 65mm F8 SA Center Filter is attached to the neckstrap. Strap lugs from Pentax 6x7. Optical finder is 43mm Mamiya 7 and works great. Actually Sinar did not start Handy production until after the Norma era. This is the camera that they should have produced. For XMAS I bought myself a couple more 4x5 Graphmatics, this is the way to use this Baby. It DOES attract a lot of attention............

I have three 65mm SA F8s and once you understand their limitations they are quite usuable and not expensive.


First test 4x5 Sinar Norma Handy 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is some very old 4x5 HP5 (not +) processed for a very long time in straight Acufine. No center filter.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Norma Handy Stuff 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Hyeprfocal chart attached to back of the Graflex XL Handgrip, also favored by Sinar for the Normas at the time.

[rdenney]

I wonder if for most applications the differences between well-executed photos made using the various 8-element (f/4 or f/5.6) 65mm wides would be particularly noticeable. I have a 65mm f/5.6 Super Angulon, and the only advantage it has over the f/8 is coverage (and for 4x5, that advantage is important). But the 65/8, within its coverage, is very sharp indeed. It's only flaws, besides dark focusing, are marginal 4x5 coverage and the unserviceable Compur 00 shutter. I ended up mounting it on a fixed-focus Travelwide--f/16 or 22 and be there. But the 5.6 works fine with 4x5, and with the Maxwell focus screen I use on my Sinar, is only moderately challenging to focus in the corners. A tilting loupe and a really good focus hood will be most valuable with lenses that short.

As to why people gravitate to longer lenses for large format, it may simply be that with a hand-held camera, we can easily fiddle with the highly-critical aiming to get it right, while futzing with a view camera and being able to see the ground glass well enough to really control aim is somewhat of a pain in the rear.

Rick "whose time required to adjust movements and position seem to be inversely proportional to focal length" Denney

[JimboWalker]

Even though I started all this conversation, I actually prefer longer lenses! My favorite lens on my 4x5 is a 180mm. I many times go to my 360mm. I also find that I shoot in vertical format most. Odd for a 65mm I'm sure. I have a Nikon 65mm f4 coming soon and am looking forward to seeing in a new way! After I have the 65mm, I will have 12 lenses spanning from 65mm to 360mm. I think all these lenses may be a hobby replacement for my model car kits?

[Jody_S]

If you have an itch to try it, scratch it. You never know how you're going to like something until you do. Some people love ultra-wides and use practically nothing else. I've shot wildlife with a small format fisheye. I'm keeping my SA 65/5.6 because like several people on this thread, I hope to build a hand-held ultra-wide camera some day.

[JimboWalker]

Just received my Nikkor 65mm f4 today!!! Wonderful condition. Works well the Pacemaker . Can't wait to shoot it and see what happens. I will be getting rid of my Super-Angulon 65mm f8 to help pay for the Nikon. I'll try local Craigslist first and see what happens.

[JimboWalker]

Wonderful set up!!