Best 75mm / 90mm lens?......totally kidding, but not really...read on pls

[Michael R]

Technically Corran is right. DOF decreases as swings/tilts are applied.

[Corran]

Well Sal, you know what I meant.

[Alan Klein]

I just started 4x5 this year. I have a Nikkor 90mm f4.5 with Schneider IV center filter. The lens is huge. The CF even bigger.


I also have a Fujinon 75mm f5.6 which I tend to pick to use before the 90mm even though I don't have a center filter for it. I haven't noticed too much falloff without a center filter and it's very sharp.
Fujinon 75mm: https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=...N05&view_all=1

The 90mm with the center filter requires 105mm filters to fit the center filter. I haven't bought those yet. The rest of my three lenses including 300mm and 150mm as well as the 75mm only need my existing 77mm filters that I have from my medium format camera system. I use step-up converters to 77mm

I think I made a mistake getting the 90mm because now I have to go out and buy all these 105mm filters. Also, graduated filters really become a problem at that size. Don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful lens. And I have the CF. But I'm not sure I really need it.

So my recommendation is whatever you do, consider filter sizes. You want to get a system where one filter size can be used for all your lenses. Keep it simple.

[Daniel Unkefer]

First 5x7 Norma Test 75f8 SA CF E3 150F9 Aristo2 Perfection 3.5min by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is a test image taken with my Sinar Norma 75mm F8 chrome Super Angulon, mounted on my 5x7 Sinar Norma. The apple tree in my back yard.

As you can see it doesn't cover the field. I have the 75mm correct vintage Schneider Center Filter, but I wanted to see the falloff at the edges in this case.

This is a 4x5 lens and that is fine with me. I have no need for humungeous expensive glass.

[AdamD]

I just started 4x5 this year. I have a Nikkor 90mm f4.5 with Schneider IV center filter. The lens is huge. The CF even bigger.


I also have a Fujinon 75mm f5.6 which I tend to pick to use before the 90mm even though I don't have a center filter for it. I haven't noticed too much falloff without a center filter and it's very sharp.
Fujinon 75mm: https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=...N05&view_all=1

The 90mm with the center filter requires 105mm filters to fit the center filter. I haven't bought those yet. The rest of my three lenses including 300mm and 150mm as well as the 75mm only need my existing 77mm filters that I have from my medium format camera system. I use step-up converters to 77mm

I think I made a mistake getting the 90mm because now I have to go out and buy all these 105mm filters. Also, graduated filters really become a problem at that size. Don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful lens. And I have the CF. But I'm not sure I really need it.

So my recommendation is whatever you do, consider filter sizes. You want to get a system where one filter size can be used for all your lenses. Keep it simple.

YES! Exactly....this is why I mentioned wanting to stick to 67mm threads.

I actually got a set of filters BEFORE I got more lenses. I have a 150mm (I think it has 52mm threads), but I got a step up ring to 67mm. It just lives on the lens. I even got a len cap that fits the step up ring!

Anyway, you guys go me straight. The 75mm lens is easy...there are a few options with 67mm threads. So I'm good there.

I think that's where I'll start. If I feel like I need something a little less wide, I can get the 90mm otherwise I might shoot for something in the middle (75 and 150).

Thank you all!

[Bernice Loui]

Possible 4x5 focal length set of four:

~75mm

~115mm to 135mm

~150mm to 210mm

~300mm to 360mm

The very common set of three (IMO most useful focal lengths for 4x5):

~90mm

~150mm to 210mm

~300mm



Bernice

I think that's where I'll start. If I feel like I need something a little less wide, I can get the 90mm otherwise I might shoot for something in the middle (75 and 150).

Thank you all!

[Len Middleton]

The 75mm lens is easy...there are a few options with 67mm threads. So I'm good there.

I think that's where I'll start. If I feel like I need something a little less wide, I can get the 90mm otherwise I might shoot for something in the middle (75 and 150).

Thank you all!

And of course, if you want the 90mm look, you can always crop either in the darkroom or on the computer...

[Doremus Scudder]

It’s a lot faster and convenient to correct fall off when you take the shot then correcting while printing. It’s also far more consistent then making multiple identical prints which is pretty difficult when burning and dodging.

I don't know Bob, I'm gettin' pretty good at it after all these years

Certainly, if I were shooting chromes as much as I used to when I was doing commercial work back in the 80s, I'd have a slew of center filters. But with b&w and all the manipulations I do anyway, added to the PITA of using center filters in the field with a lightweight kit (carrying oversize filter to fit the center filter, etc.) I just don't think it's necessary.

Best,

Doremus

[Doremus Scudder]

As with many of you, when Doremus speaks, I listen....

But something has me concerned...

Wait....are you saying that typically any 75mm will lack the ability to tilt???? I use at least a little front tilt on just about every image I've taken. I can think of only a couple where I was parallel on standards.

This sounds like a pretty significant limitation to the shorter focal length. Am I understanding this right?

Don't misunderstand me. It's not that you can't use a little tilt or swing by itself with a 75mm lens (although I don't really consider the 196mm of image circle "generous" or "plenty of room for tilts" as Corran does ) And, you don't usually need much to do the job with a short lens.

However, when shooting cityscapes, I'm often in the situation where I need front rise and then a bit of "point-and-swing-the-standards-parallel" to get a façade parallel, since camera positions are not always available to do this without swing. Or I need rise and some tilt. This was the situation I was referring to; using tilts/swings together with rise, which the 75mm (nor a regular 135mm Plasmat) can't really do well. Just a bit of front rise gets the 75mm to the edge of the image circle. Adding a bit of tilt or swing at that point vignettes a corner. That was in contrast to the generous coverage of the Nikkor SW 90mm. Maybe I was unclear about that; sorry for any confusion.

At any rate, I always seem to come up against the limits of my 75mm when I'm using it, ending up having to compromise one thing or the other, especially when working in close quarters in the city. For landscapes I still fight with dark corners with it when tilting or using a bit of fall (for overlook type shots). It's not that I don't like the focal length, though, and I use the lens when I need to, just with the awareness that I can't do much in the way of movements. Not a "significant" limitation, but a limitation nonetheless.

Oh, and I just thought of something else when answering Bob's post: Adding a filter to the 75mm, especially a polarizing filter, which is kind of thick, will cut down the effective coverage of the lens as well due to the mechanical vignetting, making available movements even more sparse.

Others here seem to find the coverage adequate, and it really is for small, basic, movements, so maybe the OP would as well. FWIW, I have the same trouble with a 135mm Plasmat, which is why I carry my WF Ektar in cities and when I'm in close quarters in canyons, etc.

Glad you're listening and calling me out when things don't make sense so I can clarify.

Doremus

[Bob Salomon]

I don't know Bob, I'm gettin' pretty good at it after all these years

Certainly, if I were shooting chromes as much as I used to when I was doing commercial work back in the 80s, I'd have a slew of center filters. But with b&w and all the manipulations I do anyway, added to the PITA of using center filters in the field with a lightweight kit (carrying oversize filter to fit the center filter, etc.) I just don't think it's necessary.

Best,

Doremus

What PITA? You mount the cf before leaving for the job. You stop the lens down at least 2 stops from wide open and dial in a 1.5 filter factor on your meter. That way the only extra step is the filter factor, which you would have anyway if you use most filters.