Lens Shopping-Portrait, Part II

[dazedgonebye]

I thought I'd start another thread so that those who'd already contributed might look again and comment on this stage of the decision process.

Just a reminder of what I'm looking for. I'd like a lens to use for portrait work primarily with a secondary role as a landscape lens.

I've narrowed my search down to 3 lenses.

210mm f5.6 Nikkor, offered to me at what looks to be a very generous price of $195.
250mm f6.3 Fujinon, (KEH EX) for $265.
250mm f5.6 Tele-Raptar in working Alphax shutter for $158.

My thoughts:
210mm--Not as long as I'd like. I'm concerned that I might want more compression both for portraits and landscape. Great price for a modern lens/shutter with lots of coverage.
250mm Fujnon--Half a stop slower than the other lenses. Most expensive of the bunch (but still doable). Lots of coverage.
250mm Tele-Raptar--Cheapest of the 3. Will surely allow me shots as tight as I could want. I'm not sure of the coverage. The only reference I find online is an individual claiming it covers 5x7 (no authoritative source that I can find). Alphax shutter only goes to 1/100th (probably not a big issue). Fits my pattern of buying camera stuff older than myself. :-)

I'd be grateful for any and all input.

[BarryS]

FWIW, I'd stretch the budget for the Fujinon because of the focal length, normal design, and coverage. The 210 seems a little short for a portrait lens and the tele design of the Raptar makes lens tilt more difficult to control. These aren't major quibbles--any of the lenses would work fine and I'm a big fan of Alphax shutters--they're built really well.

[dazedgonebye]

Thanks Barry,
Can you tell me a bit about tilts and telephoto lenses?

[BarryS]

The nodal point is in front of the lens in a tele design, so it complicates tilt and shift adjustments a bit because the tilt occurs behind the nodal point. I think it just requires some extra time refocusing when adjusting, but it's a bit of extra work. If your camera has base tilt, you have a similar but lesser problem anyway. If you have axis tilt, the tele will negate that advantage.

[dazedgonebye]

As an update, equinox (seller of the tele-rapter) tells me there is ample coverage for movements (by all reports).

[jnantz]

i'd get the raptar.
it's cheap and works well.

use it for a while, and if you don't like it, you can
always sell it for what you got it for, and buy something
that suits your needs better.

[BradS]

daysgoneby: you don't mention here what camera you'll be using this with. I kinda assume the Crown (or Speed?) Graphic that you mention buying recently in another thread....if that is the case, I think you'd find the 250mm Fuji to be unsuitable. I don't think that the Crown/Speed Graphic has enough bellows to focus a 250mm lens of normal design at head and shoulders portrait distances. If you stretch the Crown Graphic bellows all the way to its limit, you may be able to get a subject-to-lens distance around 1.5meter - which might be ok...but, you'd really be taxing the poor old bellows.

For what it is worth, I have done quite abit of people work with a crown and a 210mm lens. I prefer the Geronar for people as, wide open it is not as clincally sharp and just has a very nice feel to it. The smaller size makes it capable of folding up in the Crown Graphic box too - which is a requirement for me.

Most times however, I simply use the stock 135mm Optar...it really is a lovely lens for people and the coupled RF makes using it easy. I think quite a few folks more skilled and knowlegeable than I have made many, many successful people pics with nothing more than this.

[BarryS]

If you're limited by bellows length, the Tele-Raptar has the advantage of requiring a shorter lens to film distance compared to a conventional lens. The Tele-Raptar only requires a little over 6" of bellows draw to focus at infinity, so it would be fine if you're going to use it on a Crown Graphic (with about 12" of bellows).

[dazedgonebye]

It is for a crown graphic....

You know, I don't even know if I'll shoot head and shoulders (or be able to handle the camera that well...seems tough), but I think I'd like to be able to try for those shots.

I'm thinking I'll try the tele-raptar. I'm pretty sure if it doesn't turn out, I can sell it without too much of a loss.

Still interested in additional opinions. I'll buy something tomorrow in all likelyhood.

[jb7]

The Nikkor-
at portrait length it'll seem (be) longer than 210mm-

certainly good enough for upper body shots, and depending on the subject, could work very well closer-

The 250 Fujinon, as has been mentioned, will probably struggle for bellows and be limiting up close-

The tele- I don't have any experience of tele's on lf-
but if you want to use it at infinity, I'm sure it wont leave much room for movements-

j