Moderate wide angle for 5X7?

[Donald Miller]

I am going to be moving into 5X7 as my small format and am evaluating the lenses that I will want to supplant those I used most often with 4X5.

I used 210 most often and I think my 305 reproclaron will take that spot in 5X7. My next most used lens is the 120 Apo Symmar. Obviously that will not cover the larger film. My question is this, would I be better with a 180 or a 150 focal length lens? I have been looking to the 180 Nikkor W or the 180 Fujinon. Which is the sharper lens? or are they both good, or bad? I have no experience with Fujinon...all the rest of my glass is Schneider with the exception of my 450 Nikkor M (left over from my 12X20 days)

!50 mm coverage concerns me. I want the ability to use movements and not run out of coverage. Is there a reasonably priced modern 150 that will provide this?

[robc]

schneider lenses from my now old brochure 
manufacturers numbers at f22 
focussed at infinity which many say are conservative.

super symmar HM 150      33/26mm movement
super symmar 110 XL      55/45mm movement
super symmar 150 XL     143/131mm movement
apo symmar 150            8/6mm movement
super angulon 90         19/14mm movement
super angulon 90 XL      36/29mm movement
super angulon XL 72      13/10 movement

Rodenstock

apo sironar N 150          4/3mm
apo sironar S 150         17/13mm
grandagon N 155          111/96mm

[John Kasaian]

The 150mm G Claron would have plenty of coverage for 5x7 when stopped down. Not measurable in acreage, but probably more than enough for anything you'd encounter in landscape work.

[robc]

thats odd because my brochure doesn't quote a figure for the 150 G Claron

[Dan Fromm]

Old dog, you don't have the right brochure. This http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/gcn.pdf is the right one, but note that unlike many people here it does not recommend using the 150 G-Claron on 5x7.

Donald, your preferred wide angle on 4x5 is about .8x the normal focal length for 4x5. Normal for 5x7 is 210 mm, .8 of that is 168 mm. So what you want is a 160 Pro Raptar; failing that, a 180 is closer than a 150.

[Ole Tjugen]

I know I'm repeating myself here, but the aging Schneider Angulon 165/6.8 is a wonderful moderately wide lens for 5x7". The post-WWII ones are single coated, but with only four glass/air surfaces they don't need more. The "drawback" to some is that the come in Compur #2 shutters, so if the shutter breaks completely the best option is an expensive remount in a #3 shutter (or #3s). I my shutter should fail, I would have mine remounted even if it might cost more than a new lens. I use that lens on 4x5", 5x7" and 8x10", by the way.

They are not modern, but (can be) reasonably priced.

[Ron Marshall]

Most of the modern 150mm lenses that cover 5x7 with reasonable movements are heavy and expensive. Most of the 180s are light and less expensive and permit a reasonable amount of movement. 180 on 5x7 is equivalent to 130 on 4x5.

[sanking]

I am going to be moving into 5X7 as my small format and am evaluating the lenses that I will want to supplant those I used most often with 4X5.

I used 210 most often and I think my 305 reproclaron will take that spot in 5X7. My next most used lens is the 120 Apo Symmar. Obviously that will not cover the larger film. My question is this, would I be better with a 180 or a 150 focal length lens? I have been looking to the 180 Nikkor W or the 180 Fujinon. Which is the sharper lens? or are they both good, or bad? I have no experience with Fujinon...all the rest of my glass is Schneider with the exception of my 450 Nikkor M (left over from my 12X20 days)

!50 mm coverage concerns me. I want the ability to use movements and not run out of coverage. Is there a reasonably priced modern 150 that will provide this?

Donald,

I had a 180mm Fujinon-W and it was a superb lens. I replaced it with a 180mm Fujinon-A for weight savings. The A is better in the center but the W gave better coverage on the edges with movements.

Having used 5X7 for more than two decades I have assembled a fairly good array of lenses for the format. This includes a 90mm f/9 Nikkor, 105mm and 125mm Fujinon SWDs, a 180mm Fujinon-A, 210mm G-Claron, 305mm Nikkor-M, and a 450mm Fujinon-T. Am looking for a 600mm Fujinon-T in case anyone knows of one for sale. The teles are necessary for me since I am working with an old 5X7 Nagaoka with only 14" of bellows draw.

Sandy King

[Christopher Perez]

Sandy,

I know what you mean about image resolution falling off at the edges quickly in the Fuji A-series. Even with that, I notice you still use a Fuji 180 A. I assume it has enough room for the kinds of movements you use on 5x7.

Is this the case for you?

...Having used 5X7 for more than two decades I have assembled a fairly good array of lenses for the format. This includes a 90mm f/9 Nikkor, 105mm and 125mm Fujinon SWDs, a 180mm Fujinon-A, 210mm G-Claron, 305mm Nikkor-M, and a 450mm Fujinon-T...

[sanking]

Sandy,

I know what you mean about image resolution falling off at the edges quickly in the Fuji A-series. Even with that, I notice you still use a Fuji 180 A. I assume it has enough room for the kinds of movements you use on 5x7.

Is this the case for you?

Coverage of the 180mm Fujinon A is adequate, though limited, for my needs. If I get into a situation where good coverage is lost I move back a bit and use the 210 G-Claron, if possible. My priority on assembling an array of lenses for 5X7 has been on a small footprint and weight, since this is my main outfit when traveling abroad. There are many 180mm lenses that give a lot more coverage than the 180mm Fujinon A, but at the cost of space and weight. But within a radius of about 120mm the Fujinon A is outstanding.

Sandy King