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

[Peter De Smidt]

Ari, I look forward to hearing how this lens works out for you.

[Ari]

Thanks, Peter.
My usual test is shooting in open shade first, then a second test with flash.
After scanning, I look to see how much post work needs to be done to get the values I like.

By the sounds of it, the Fuji should be well-balanced in terms of contrast and hopefully have that sharp/smooth look common to older Tessar lenses.

[Peter De Smidt]

I used mine the other day, but I haven't gotten around to scanning the film.

[Bernice Loui]

12" f4.5 Ektar has become the default 5x7 portrait lens, it is good in many ways. Full aperture of f4.5 is a nice option to have for Portrait work.
Not a small.


12" f4.5 Portrait Ektar, the other choice.


These two are the most often used for 5x7 portrait work.

300mm f4.5 Xenar is the third choice.


Having the full aperture of f4.5 is a nice option if that is the image quality desired. Most of the Portrait images are made between f4.5 to not often f11. Most often used is f8.


Bernice

I have the 12” f4.5 Ektar and I love it. It can be exquisitely soft if I want it to be, or sharp as a knife (but never harsh contrast).

[Mark Sawyer]

Bernice, do you find any discernable difference between the f/4.5 Ektar and the f/4.5 Xenar?

[Chauncey Walden]

I'm surprised that no one mentioned the Goerz Celor. If it was good enough for Hurrell.....

[Daniel Unkefer]

I also have the 300mm f6.3 barrel Commercial Ektar and a barrel 300mm f4.5 Xenar. Good on 5x7 but a bit short for my taste for closer 8x10 portraiture. Back when I was doing some of this I preferred the barrel 480mm Rodenstock Apo Ronar, my idea at the time was to combine acutely sharp lens, with very soft very large box lighting. Later I acquired a 59cm barrel Zeiss Apo Planar and alternated between the two lenses. I was doing fairly tight face shots

8x10 Norma 480 Apo Ronar by Nokton48, on Flickr

[Two23]

For 300mm on 8x10 I've been using the uncoated Velostigmat. Considering you want a lens in shutter I'm thinking your best and most reasonable option is a Raptar, which is a mono coated Velostigmat, in Betax shutter. They are a great value and relatively plentiful.

Below photo is a tin type I took with the 300mm Velostigmat, f4.5.


Kent in SD

[Mark Sawyer]

I also have the 300mm f4.5 barrel Commercial Ektar...

Just nit-picking here, but the f/4.5 is a plain old Ektar. The f/6.3 is the Commercial Ektar. Personally, I'd rather have the f/4.5...

[Daniel Unkefer]

Just nit-picking here, but the f/4.5 is a plain old Ektar. The f/6.3 is the Commercial Ektar. Personally, I'd rather have the f/4.5...

Thanks Mark, I went and looked. I have the 300mm f6.3 Commercial Ektar in barrel.