first lens purchase advice needed

[SolsticePhoto]

newbie here

looking to buy first two lenses to get my 4x5 LF addiction started

scrounging the used market -- key decision point is resolution and coverage. I found a couple of 90's and a 135 at KEH that look interesting. I would appreciate thoughts / comments on whether I am on the right track. If you have alternate suggestions or places to look for purchases I am also interested in those as well.

For the 90mm FL I am looking at either a
90mm F4.5 NIKKOR-SW, or
90mm F5.6 Super Angulon

for 135 I am looking at the 135, F5.6 APO-SYMMAR MC

[Gem Singer]

Look for previously owned lenses on this forum.

KEH is okay. Reasonably priced. Look for Ex, or EX+ rating. They have a liberal return policy if you aren't satisfied with your purchase.

Also, look at Mideast Photo Exchange (www.mpex.com). Slightly higher prices, but excellent quality and service.

Choose a 135 or a 150 as a first lens, from any of the top four lens manufactures. Nikon and Fuji are excellent LF lenses.

Hold off getting the 90 until later.

[jp]

The 90mm F4.5 NIKKOR-SW will fit your speed graphic and provide nice images, but it will be a tight fit and won't have much room for adjustment such as front standard rise. The back half of the lens is huge and won't have much room between it and the bellows. Something physically smaller would be more practical. I don't know much about the other lenses.

KEH is a good place to purchase, as is here, and sometimes ebay.

[Kirk Fry]

What is it that you are interested in photographing? kfry

[Gary Tarbert]

newbie here

looking to buy first two lenses to get my 4x5 LF addiction started

scrounging the used market -- key decision point is resolution and coverage. I found a couple of 90's and a 135 at KEH that look interesting. I would appreciate thoughts / comments on whether I am on the right track. If you have alternate suggestions or places to look for purchases I am also interested in those as well.

For the 90mm FL I am looking at either a
90mm F4.5 NIKKOR-SW, or
90mm F5.6 Super Angulon

for 135 I am looking at the 135, F5.6 APO-SYMMAR MC

What type of work will you be shooting , that will have a bearing on what would be better for your first kit. Cheers Gary

[SolsticePhoto]

Thanks for the input. I do landscape and architectural photography so the 90 looks to be my primary lens. Much of my architectural work is at night thus I am looking for a fast 90. I plan to use both lenses on a Shen Hao tz45-iib. My speed graph is a borrowed starter camera

[engl]

I'd take a look at the 90mm F8 lenses. The premium one is the Nikkor 90mm F8 with the huge image circle (and one of the sharpest lenses Thalmann/Perez ever tested), but the Super Angulon 90/8 and Fuji 90/8 will probably be just as good in use, since you won't reach the edge of a 235mm image circle anyway.

The Speed Graphic has only a very limited set of movements, and with a wide angle lens, they are even more constrained. The F5.6 Super Angulon and F4.5 SW Nikkor are bigger lenses built for massive image circles allowing extensive movements with cameras that can handle it. They also require much larger filters.

Edit: I saw your message now that you are getting a Shen Hao, so my message is kind of useless

[Gary Tarbert]

Hi , I would go the Nikkor 90 mm f8 on the Shen hao , the extra stop you may find usefull on your architectural work , But curse it on your landscape work if you have to trek some distance.
i had the same dilema when i first started out went the f8 so glad i did , but i'm mainly lanscape . Cheers Gary

[Preston]

Here's another vote for the Nikkor 90-f8. Sweet lens that I use mainly for lanscapes.

I also have a 135mm-f5.6 Fujinon. It's a wonderful little lens. A 150mm would also be a good choice.

Since you plan on doing landscape, look to a longer lens down the road. I find that I use my 210-Symmar-S and Nikkor M-300-f9 a lot.

--P

[IanG]

Also the 90mm f6,8 Grandagon, superb lenses, the f4.5 version is you have the budget, also re-branded as Caltar's.

Ian