150mm? What are my options?

[Ash]

I've decided that if I sell my Calumet 45N monorail that will raise some funds, and if the payment for the Contax-II comes through, then I have some cash there too. I may find myself halfway towards affording a Razzle camera.

Dean has mentioned that it would be cheaper for me to source a 150mm lens for it, and so here's my question.


What is the cheapest, but fairly "best value" type lens that won't cost a huge amount?


I saw a Schneider 150/5,6 symmar for about £110.. is that too much to spend? is it any good? Can I get a cheaper lens, or a better lens, for less?

[David A. Goldfarb]

The 150 Symmar or Sironar-N are both good values and modern lenses. You could get an earlier Symmar convertible for even less, but if you can get a multicoated version, that's a plus. There are also decent Nikkor and Fujinon lenses in this range. If the camera doesn't have any movements, you don't even need a plasmat type lens, like the Symmar or Sironar-N. Something like a Schneider 150/4.5 Xenar (Tessar type) would be fine.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Also--Caltar II-S lenses are Symmars and Caltar II-N lenses are Rodenstock Sironar-N's, and they usually sell for a little less than the Schneider and Rodenstock branded versions on the used market.

[Gene McCluney]

The razzle 4x5 adaptation of a older Polaroid camera does not offer movements, or shifts, so a Tessar formula lens, such as a Schneider Xenar would be ideal, and cheaper than a Symmar-S.

[Gene McCluney]

Not to put down the Razzle or other Polaroid conversions, if it were me, I would consider a Crown Graphic or Super Graphic press camera. Not quite as small, but offers all the same features of the Razzle (hand-holdable, rangefinder focusing, etc), and has additional positive features such as front movements and interchangeable lensboards so you can have multiple focal lengths on it.

Oh, and a good used Crown Graphic or Super Graphic are a fraction the cost of a Razzle conversion.

[Eric Leppanen]

This list contains a number of candidate 150mm lenses:

http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/kit.html

A Symmar-S just sold for $239 on the U.S. Ebay site, and a Symmar 150/265 convertible just sold for $200, so offhand £110 for a Symmar doesn't sound too unreasonable if it is coated. See this thread for some discussion regarding the various Symmar lens lines:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ersus+symmar-s

Assuming you'd like some room for camera movements, I'd suggest getting a lens with at least single coating and 200mm of image circle. Aside from that, look for the best deal, and if you can get multi-coating for little added expense then great.

[eric black]

The Nikkor W's also sell for the $200-$300 range- I havent tried the 150, but the 210 W is one of my favorite lenses in my case

[Colin Graham]

Another vote for a xenar. Bright (or fast if it's for a rangefinder) and sharp and decent bokeh.

[Vaughn]

I'll suggest a late Caltar II-N lens for performance/price.

[Wayne R. Scott]

Ash,

How about an Optar 162mm f4.5 in a Graphex shutter? It is a Tessar design and will allow some movements on 4x5. I got mine mounted on a lens board which was attached to a Crown Graphic. I got the whole kit for less than your target budget for a 150mm lens.

Here is the very first 4x5 negative I ever exposed and it was with the Crown Graphic and the 162mm optar:



Wayne