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Thread: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

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  1. #1
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    Rather than bore you with another "210mm lens for 8x10" thread, I'll bore you with a "300mm lens for 8x10" thread.
    Looking for some suggestions on an affordable 300mm lens to use for 8x10 portraits.
    What's affordable? Nothing, really, but let's try under $800 for starters.

    Here are the rules I'm playing by:
    • Not looking for 14" or longer, not my style.
    • not the very latest modern glass (no APO-Sironars, etc)
    • needs to be in a shutter
    • single/multi-coated
    • smooth and sharp look, medium contrast
    • not pictorialist/soft looking lenses
    • f/4.5 preferred

    Been there: Radar, Commercial Ektar, Wolly Series II, Heliar

    Considering a 300mm Xenar, one is f/4.5, other is f/5.6 and of more recent vintage
    Also considering some older coated Fujis - 300 S or 300 L (both in Copal 3, both f/5.6).

    I know there's a lot I don't know, so any suggestions would help, if they tick off one or more boxes.

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Eric Woodbury
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    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    Hi Ari

    Kodak 12" f/4.8 Portrait. I had one, didn't really know what I had, and sold it. Big mistake.

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    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Woodbury View Post
    Hi Ari

    Kodak 12" f/4.8 Portrait. I had one, didn't really know what I had, and sold it. Big mistake.
    I wish I had bought it. Hard to find good one at affordable price.
    Jim

  4. #4

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    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    This is soft focus lens.

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    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Woodbury View Post
    Hi Ari

    Kodak 12" f/4.8 Portrait. I had one, didn't really know what I had, and sold it. Big mistake.
    This is a soft lens. Ari wants a sharp one.

  6. #6
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    Quote Originally Posted by fuegocito View Post
    I tend to favor a narrower view, and a bit more space between me and my subject, hence I went with the 420mm version of the L, and I like it a lot. Really gentle rendering at wide open and sharp till it hurts when close down to about 22/32.
    Good Covid focal length, I guess. And portrait FL preferences vary quite a lot. I couldn't go longer than 360, but some people like 420, 500 and longer.

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrzej View Post
    This is a soft lens. Ari wants a sharp one.
    I had that lens, Andrzej, and liked it, but not my style. Thanks

  7. #7

    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ari View Post
    Good Covid focal length, I guess. And portrait FL preferences vary quite a lot. I couldn't go longer than 360, but some people like 420, 500 and longer.
    Yeah, for a while I was working with the 14" CE and for a head and shoulder(ish) shot I think I was less than 2 meter from the person. With the size of an 810 I felt it was a bit crowding in on the person(not close friend or family). I think that attests to the difference in everyone's personal bubble size.

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    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    Goes back to that comment about using a 480mm f4.5 Xenar for head-shoulder portraits. Using a 480mm on 8x10 gives enough space between sitter to camera and allows for more lighting options. The look is also different using this focal length for head-shoulder portraits.

    16" or 420mm_ish would be the shortest comfy head-shoulder 8x10 portrait focal length. Experience says, 12" or 300mm is too close for comfort with some portrait sitters. Add to this possible lighting limitations and the look of a 12" or 300mm is just different.

    None of which figures into curiosity of how Ari likes this Fujinion L..



    Bernice



    Quote Originally Posted by fuegocito View Post
    Yeah, for a while I was working with the 14" CE and for a head and shoulder(ish) shot I think I was less than 2 meter from the person. With the size of an 810 I felt it was a bit crowding in on the person(not close friend or family). I think that attests to the difference in everyone's personal bubble size.

  9. #9
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bernice Loui View Post
    Goes back to that comment about using a 480mm f4.5 Xenar for head-shoulder portraits. Using a 480mm on 8x10 gives enough space between sitter to camera and allows for more lighting options. The look is also different using this focal length for head-shoulder portraits.

    16" or 420mm_ish would be the shortest comfy head-shoulder 8x10 portrait focal length. Experience says, 12" or 300mm is too close for comfort with some portrait sitters. Add to this possible lighting limitations and the look of a 12" or 300mm is just different.

    None of which figures into curiosity of how Ari likes this Fujinion L..



    Bernice
    Indeed. To each his/her own.
    And I'll post example shots of the Fuji L 300 asap.

  10. #10
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Re: Suggest a 12" (300mm) lens for portrait work on 8x10?

    I have a 300 Fuji L. I like it, but it's not like I've done a bunch of comparisons.

    Looking at your comments, I'd also check out an Ilex Paragon. I haven't had a 300, but I've had a couple 254mm versions, and they are great performers.
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

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