Low 90mm budget

[Tin Can]

I have a couple NEW issue Wolaston lens, from our guy

They are all soft, not a bad thing at all

But I was showing off my tiny sharp lens

LOW BUDGET????

DIY!!!

http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/softfocus.htm

[Havoc]

LOW BUDGET????

DIY!!!

http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/softfocus.htm

While I do love stuff like this, by the time you got a working shutter, a set of decent quality diopters and the needed rings you have spend as much as for a basic SA90. So great if you want to have fun and experiment of have most of the stuff around. Not so good idea if you just want a working lens.

[Ricardo Maydana]

An off-brand optic, such as congo or caltar, is an option. I have no idea if optics such as ilex are also an option for a reduced budget.

[Ricardo Maydana]

The Schneider Angulon 90mm is probably the cheapest you could find. From there, prices start to rise. The Fuji SW 90mm, or equivalent, would probably be the next step up in price. Then, you reach the higher priced optics from Schneider, Rodenstock, and Nikon. You might want to reach the "off brand" optics like the Congo and Caltar's (which, I believe, were actually made by Rodenstock.)

An off-brand optic, such as congo or caltar, is an option. I have no idea if optics such as ilex are also an option for a reduced budget.

[Ricardo Maydana]

The Schneider Angulon 90mm is probably the cheapest you could find. From there, prices start to rise. The Fuji SW 90mm, or equivalent, would probably be the next step up in price. Then, you reach the higher priced optics from Schneider, Rodenstock, and Nikon. You might want to reach the "off brand" optics like the Congo and Caltar's (which, I believe, were actually made by Rodenstock.)

The Ilex made Calumet Wide Field Caltar, 90 mm f/8, also found as the 90 mm F/8 Ilex Acugon has a good reputation and has been described as something of a sleeper. Design I think is like the 90 mm f/8 Super Angulon. Apt to be reasonably priced on ebay as one is not paying for the cachet of the Schneider Kreuznach label.

David

+1 on the 90mm f6.8 Wollensak Raptar.
Under-rated. Tiny, inexpensive, and light. Try to find one in an accurate shutter, or budget for a CLA.

Ricardo, if you have a 4x5 Speed Graphic, look for a 90/14 Berthiot Perigraphe VIa. They're all in barrel. Prices run around 100 Euros. They can be stuffed in an Ilex #3 (more expense, but common), but the shutter's rear tube may have to be truncated to prevent vignetting (much more expense and bother). Otherwise, as mentioned above, the 90/8 Ilex (not that common) or the 90/6.8 Wollensak (relatively common, there are now two in shutter on eBay.com for < $100). There's also a 90/6.8 Leitmeyr.

The 90/6.8 Raptar was also sold as Optar (one on eBay.com now for < $100).

Wollensak made a 90mm wideangle lens similar to the Schneider Angulon. I've seen a few; a friend had one long ago but he (being critical) said "that is not a sharp lens". I have one photo made with that lens from decades ago... not sure I agree with him. See alphax-betax.com for Wollensak knowledge.

You might look around on the front page of this site; it contains much information about older LF lenses. And in the "blogs" section of Photrio.com, someone has published archival data on Schneider's lenses; much to be learned there.

I will suggest that the older, chrome Schneider 90/8 Super-Angulon is a fine lens that is both common and (relatively) inexpensive these days.

Best of luck!

I am in the process of starting to use, and everything takes time, I am convinced that using a 90mm lens in 4x5 format takes time. the more economical, (price/quality) is suitable for my budget.

[Eric Woodbury]

Schneider Angulon 90/6.8 #8803507, Synchro-Compur, coating marks, CLA'd, Ex $100.

I bought one of these a couple years back and I like very much. A nice small lens. Mine is a late model. Not sure of date on this one, but you can check the serial number. I pulled this one from igorcamera. I have no association with Igor, but he does have items that others don't.

[JefW]

I like my Ilex 90mm f8 Acugon, bought for <$90. Worth noting is some of these lack filter threads, but a 67mm filter can be attached with tape.

[Mick Fagan]

Ricardo, with regard to how most people use a 90mm lens on a 4x5" camera, coverage is the usually the most important aspect.

I have two 90mm lenses, one is the Schneider Kreuznach Angulon f/6.8. This is the first 90mm lens I had, it just covers 4x5" film with very little room for movement. It is an excellent lens and the serial number places it as being manufactured between 1952/3. I used this lens for around 10 years on various cameras with the only issues being a lack of movements. The image circle is 152mm which is basically just covering the format with a little bit to spare. If stopped down to f/16 or f/22 it is excellent. It has a 40.5mm diameter filter thread, a step-up ring to allow other filters is handy.

Eventually I picked up a Fujinon SW f/8 90mm lens, this was definitely the cheapest of the bigger manufacturers 90mm lens offerings and somewhat cheaper than not so well known recognised manufacturers. This lens has great coverage for 4x5", the image circle is 216mm so any movements for architectural photography are usually restricted by the camera, not the lens. This lens uses the common 67mm diameter filter thread.

I would suggest for general 90mm usage, any lens that covers the film format is alright, but if you wish to do almost anything architecturally, having good coverage to spare is very handy. The most times I need good coverage with the 90mm lens is where I use rise or fall, and if I'm using the portrait format for an external building photograph, then any rise (or fall) is going to require that lens to have good coverage of the film format.

[Drew Bedo]

Schneider 90mm f/6.8 Angulon?

[Ricardo Maydana]

The Schneider Angulon 90mm is probably the cheapest you could find. From there, prices start to rise. The Fuji SW 90mm, or equivalent, would probably be the next step up in price. Then, you reach the higher priced optics from Schneider, Rodenstock, and Nikon. You might want to reach the "off brand" optics like the Congo and Caltar's (which, I believe, were actually made by Rodenstock.)

The Ilex made Calumet Wide Field Caltar, 90 mm f/8, also found as the 90 mm F/8 Ilex Acugon has a good reputation and has been described as something of a sleeper. Design I think is like the 90 mm f/8 Super Angulon. Apt to be reasonably priced on ebay as one is not paying for the cachet of the Schneider Kreuznach label.

David

+1 on the 90mm f6.8 Wollensak Raptar.
Under-rated. Tiny, inexpensive, and light. Try to find one in an accurate shutter, or budget for a CLA.

Ricardo, if you have a 4x5 Speed Graphic, look for a 90/14 Berthiot Perigraphe VIa. They're all in barrel. Prices run around 100 Euros. They can be stuffed in an Ilex #3 (more expense, but common), but the shutter's rear tube may have to be truncated to prevent vignetting (much more expense and bother). Otherwise, as mentioned above, the 90/8 Ilex (not that common) or the 90/6.8 Wollensak (relatively common, there are now two in shutter on eBay.com for < $100). There's also a 90/6.8 Leitmeyr.

The 90/6.8 Raptar was also sold as Optar (one on eBay.com now for < $100).

Ricardo, with regard to how most people use a 90mm lens on a 4x5" camera, coverage is the usually the most important aspect.

I have two 90mm lenses, one is the Schneider Kreuznach Angulon f/6.8. This is the first 90mm lens I had, it just covers 4x5" film with very little room for movement. It is an excellent lens and the serial number places it as being manufactured between 1952/3. I used this lens for around 10 years on various cameras with the only issues being a lack of movements. The image circle is 152mm which is basically just covering the format with a little bit to spare. If stopped down to f/16 or f/22 it is excellent. It has a 40.5mm diameter filter thread, a step-up ring to allow other filters is handy.

Eventually I picked up a Fujinon SW f/8 90mm lens, this was definitely the cheapest of the bigger manufacturers 90mm lens offerings and somewhat cheaper than not so well known recognised manufacturers. This lens has great coverage for 4x5", the image circle is 216mm so any movements for architectural photography are usually restricted by the camera, not the lens. This lens uses the common 67mm diameter filter thread.

I would suggest for general 90mm usage, any lens that covers the film format is alright, but if you wish to do almost anything architecturally, having good coverage to spare is very handy. The most times I need good coverage with the 90mm lens is where I use rise or fall, and if I'm using the portrait format for an external building photograph, then any rise (or fall) is going to require that lens to have good coverage of the film format.

Schneider 90mm f/6.8 Angulon?

I like my Ilex 90mm f8 Acugon, bought for <$90. Worth noting is some of these lack filter threads, but a 67mm filter can be attached with tape.

very good information, everything leads to the fact that for a budget of 100 you can get, you don't have to go into whether the best, if it covers 4x5, gloss Etc. considering gloss, coverage, Multicoat treatment, better to wait, to get to 200, a couple of months of savings.