4x5 lenses: telephoto and portraiture

[mhayashi]

Alan, I would consider somewhere 240mm focal length esp. for portrait considering the maximum extension of 350mm.

As of the math of the bellows extension, check the site below. Nice explanation from Ken too.
https://ilovetheoutdoors.zenfolio.co...up-photography

I would consider from the followings.

modern lenses:
Fuji Fujinon A 240mm f9
Fuji Fujinon CM-W 250mm f6.3
Nikon Nikkor W 240mm f5.6
Rodenstock Apo sironar S 240mm f5.6
Rodenstock Apo ronar 240mm f9
Schneider Apo symmar 240mm f5.6

Old lenses with shutters or in barrels and with round apertures:
kodak Commercial ektar 10” or Ilex Caltar/Paragon/Acutar/Acu-tessar 10”
schneider Xenar 240mm f3.5/4.5

old barrel lenses for portrait with fast and round apertures:
dallmeyer 2B 220mm f3
taylor hobson cooke IId f3.5/ IIe f4.5 270mm or 10 1/2”
zeiss jena tessar f3.5/4.5 250mm
voigtlander heliar 240mm f3.5/4.5
hugo meyer trioplan 260mm f3.5/4.5
and so on...

[Alan Klein]

Alan, I would consider somewhere 240mm focal length esp. for portrait considering the maximum extension of 350mm.

As of the math of the bellows extension, check the site below. Nice explanation from Ken too.
https://ilovetheoutdoors.zenfolio.co...up-photography

I would consider from the followings.

modern lenses:
Fuji Fujinon A 240mm f9
Fuji Fujinon CM-W 250mm f6.3
Nikon Nikkor W 240mm f5.6
Rodenstock Apo sironar S 240mm f5.6
Rodenstock Apo ronar 240mm f9
Schneider Apo symmar 240mm f5.6

Old lenses with shutters or in barrels and with round apertures:
kodak Commercial ektar 10” or Ilex Caltar/Paragon/Acutar/Acu-tessar 10”
schneider Xenar 240mm f3.5/4.5

old barrel lenses for portrait with fast and round apertures:
dallmeyer 2B 220mm f3
taylor hobson cooke IId f3.5/ IIe f4.5 270mm or 10 1/2”
zeiss jena tessar f3.5/4.5 250mm
voigtlander heliar 240mm f3.5/4.5
hugo meyer trioplan 260mm f3.5/4.5
and so on...

Thanks for the list. Just to clarify my needs, my main purpose for this lens is to bring things in closer with landscape shots, not portraits. Portraits are a minor secondary concern. So would the aforementioned Nikon Nikkor M 300mm F9 Copal 1 be better or one of the Modern 240mm lenses you mentioned?

[Bernice Loui]

Example of why print image goals should be the primary consideration, followed by what optics are needed to achieve these print image goals with the camera being at highest third position of the decision tree. Chamonix is a lightweight folder with all the limitations of any field folder. Given this is a light weight folder, any longer than normal focal length lens should be light weight like the Nikor M, in this case Nikor 300mm f6 M. There is not a lot wrong with this lens choice for longer than normal focal length images that would be made using a field folder camera. The f9 full aperture has about zero disadvantages for images made sunny_ish outdoors in the field which is the primary reason to own-use a field folder camera. Lenses with a full aperture of f9 with longer than normal focal lengths is what should be used on lightweight field folder cameras for a long list of reasons.

Portrait speciality lenses like a f4.5, 300mm tessar or BIG soft focus lens will not be the easiest thing to use on a lightweight field folder. This is due to physical size and weight of the lens, there is shutter size, bellows limitations and overall balance of a lightweight camera with a lens that can often equal or exceed the weight of the camera. In cases like this, better to use a different camera.

Ultimately, it IS up to the image maker to decide which lens, film, post process, print making process and all works best for them. There are no absolutes. This process also demands trying stuff out until the items, materials, process and all is figured out as to what works best for their print image goals. Suggestions are OK, but there is no substitute for using the stuff over time to figure it out.


Bernice

Thanks for the list. Just to clarify my needs, my main purpose for this lens is to bring things in closer with landscape shots, not portraits. Portraits are a minor secondary concern. So would the aforementioned Nikon Nikkor M 300mm F9 Copal 1 be better or one of the Modern 240mm lenses you mentioned?

[Hugo Zhang]

Just a note: I set up my 45H1 camera a few minutes ago and put on a 300mm f/9 lens. I was able to focus at something about 5 feet away from the lens with the bellows fully extended. So that is how close you can go without using a top-hat board.

[mhayashi]

Thanks for the list. Just to clarify my needs, my main purpose for this lens is to bring things in closer with landscape shots, not portraits. Portraits are a minor secondary concern. So would the aforementioned Nikon Nikkor M 300mm F9 Copal 1 be better or one of the Modern 240mm lenses you mentioned?

Alan, I think it depends on how close you intend to use the lens to an object.
Do you intend to shoot nearly focused at infinity?

Lightweight with close distance options:
apo ronar 240mm
fujinon a 240mm

The other modern lenses are heavier than the above but tend to have more ICs and faster apertures.
If you don’t plan to move up to 8x10, you wouldn’t need them.

https://www.largeformatphotography.i...s/LF4x5in.html

nikkor m 300mm is also lightweight too as mentioned.
Also you may consider fujinon c 300mm and apo ronar 300mm as a lightweight option if you choose 300mm.

[Alan Klein]

Alan, I think it depends on how close you intend to use the lens to an object.
Do you intend to shoot nearly focused at infinity?

What do you mean nearly focused at infinity?

[Kiwi7475]

What do you mean nearly focused at infinity?

He probably means “close” to infinity. Not focusing near/close subjects.

[Alan Klein]

He probably means “close” to infinity. Not focusing near/close subjects.

What does that mean?

[Bob Salomon]

What does that mean?

It means the camera is focused on an object closer then infinity but less then life size or near life size or ½ life size. Infinity is defined in the dictionary.

[mhayashi]

Kiwi7475 and Bob, thanks for your correction.