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

[Michael R]

Correct, see my post above. They are graduated neutral density filters (more dense toward the center).

Lots of people get away without them. Depends to some extent on what you are photographing, movements, personal preference and how much latitude your film has (think B&W negative film vs colour chromes, for example).

[Chauncey Walden]

Adam, you mentioned adding contrast. Are you scanning the transparencies? If so, you can do your filtering in Photoshop. Negatives, of course, you can take care of in the darkroom.

[Oren Grad]

Nikon made two 90mm models - f/4.5 and f/8, and if memory serves they had the same size image circle.

Not quite. The specs aren't directly comparable. The image circle numbers specified by Nikon seem at first glance to be the same for the two lenses - 154 mm for open aperture and 235 mm stopped down - but for the f/8 that means f/8 and f/22 while for the f/4.5 the image circles are specified for f/4.5 and f/16. This suggests that at a given aperture the f/4.5 lens has a slightly larger circle per whatever criterion Nikon uses to measure it, but doesn't tell us by how much.

FWIW, in the 75mm focal length, I have the f/6.8 Grandagon-N for view camera use and the f/5.6 Super-Angulon in helical-plus-cone mount for my Cambo Wide. The Grandagon is nicely compact and comfortably does double duty as a semiwide for roll film.

[Michael R]

Agreed, but realistically does anyone shoot at wider than f/22?

Not quite. The specs aren't directly comparable. The image circle numbers specified by Nikon seem at first glance to be the same for the two lenses - 154 mm for open aperture and 235 mm stopped down - but for the f/8 that means f/8 and f/22 while for the f/4.5 the image circles are specified for f/4.5 and f/16. This suggests that at a given aperture the f/4.5 lens has a slightly larger circle per whatever criterion Nikon uses to measure it, but doesn't tell us by how much.

[Doremus Scudder]

If you want to stick to the 67mm filter size, that rules out f/5.6 and f/4.5 90mm lenses and leaves the f/8s and the Rodenstock f/6.8 (that is assuming you don't want lenses that barely cover 4x5 like the 90mm Angulon).

Of these, the Nikkor SW f/8 has the largest image circle. It's the one I carry. I also have a Schneider SA 90mm f/8 that is really nice, but it gets left at home most of the time when I've got anything to do that will require lots of front rise (think cityscapes and architecture). Otherwise, results from the two are indistinguishable.

My Fujinon SW f/5.6 75mm takes 67mm filters. I haven't compared it to any others in this focal length. I use it rarely, but really like it when I need it. Coverage is minimal for 4x5; just a bit of rise/fall and forget front tilts/swings. Other 75s are likely similar.

Bottom line: go for the f/8 90mm Nikkor SW if you need the best coverage and that smaller lens that takes 67mm filters. If you need a larger maximum aperture for brighter focusing (I don't; I've never had problems with illumination from f/8 - f/9 lenses) then go for a larger f/5.6 or f/4.5 90mm. Coverage will be great with those, but the trade-off is size, weight and larger filters (i.e., not for me!).

Those are really the only considerations I can think of.

BTW, I shoot b&w only and get along just fine without center filters for my 90mm and 75mm lenses. I just expose fully enough to get the needed exposure in the corners and deal with the fall-off when enlarging by "center burning."

Best,

Doremus

[Bob Salomon]

If you want to stick to the 67mm filter size, that rules out f/5.6 and f/4.5 90mm lenses and leaves the f/8s and the Rodenstock f/6.8 (that is assuming you don't want lenses that barely cover 4x5 like the 90mm Angulon).

Of these, the Nikkor SW f/8 has the largest image circle. It's the one I carry. I also have a Schneider SA 90mm f/8 that is really nice, but it gets left at home most of the time when I've got anything to do that will require lots of front rise (think cityscapes and architecture). Otherwise, results from the two are indistinguishable.

My Fujinon SW f/5.6 75mm takes 67mm filters. I haven't compared it to any others in this focal length. I use it rarely, but really like it when I need it. Coverage is minimal for 4x5; just a bit of rise/fall and forget front tilts/swings. Other 75s are likely similar.

Bottom line: go for the f/8 90mm Nikkor SW if you need the best coverage and that smaller lens that takes 67mm filters. If you need a larger maximum aperture for brighter focusing (I don't; I've never had problems with illumination from f/8 - f/9 lenses) then go for a larger f/5.6 or f/4.5 90mm. Coverage will be great with those, but the trade-off is size, weight and larger filters (i.e., not for me!).

Those are really the only considerations I can think of.

BTW, I shoot b&w only and get along just fine without center filters for my 90mm and 75mm lenses. I just expose fully enough to get the needed exposure in the corners and deal with the fall-off when enlarging by "center burning."

Best,

Doremus

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.

[Oren Grad]

Agreed, but realistically does anyone shoot at wider than f/22?

In reality, some people unrealistically do it.

Seriously, there's a larger point to make here. Don't get carried away splitting hairs about small differences in coverage specs between manufacturers. AFAIK their criteria for determining coverage aren't published (though you can sort of get a sense of what Rodenstock and Schneider are up to by studying their published MTF curves closely), and they aren't necessarily consistent.

If you need larger coverage and/or brighter viewing, get one of the bigger/faster versions; if you need the largest possible coverage, get the Schneider SA-XL. If you don't have any particular requirements, just grab anything you can reasonably afford and are willing to carry, and go make pictures.

[Corran]

Just get a Nikon Nikkor-SW 90mm f/8 and be done with it, really.

And no, you don't need the CF, even for transparencies, unless you are an evenly-lit-single-colored-wall photographer.

[drew.saunders]

The Schneider 80/4.5 SSXL is a modern lens, takes 67mm filters, isn’t huge, and has a 211mm image circle @ f/22. I bought mine new many years ago, so I don’t know if the used ones are in your price range or not.


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[Bob Salomon]

The Schneider 80/4.5 SSXL is a modern lens, takes 67mm filters, isn’t huge, and has a 211mm image circle @ f/22. I bought mine new many years ago, so I don’t know if the used ones are in your price range or not.


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I believe that it also suffers fall off that would need the CF.