8x10 Close-Up Lens

[howard s]

are there any suggestions for a close-up lens for an 8x10 format. i am primarily interested in still life close-up.

[Bob Salomon]

Both the 120mm and 150mm Apo Macro Sironars are corrected for 3 dimensional images from 1/3 to 3+x life size and amply cover 8 x 10 at near 1:1 and greater. Are you shooting things that will be effected by foreshortening? If no these lenses will work very well. If yes you will need longer lenses and they may be restricted by the camera's extension.

One of the advantages of the Apo Macro Sironars is that very long extensions are not required. Conversly they are not ideal when foreshortening is a factor.

[e]

Whats foreshortning?

[Walter Glover]

Emile,

In portraiture fore-shorening is a big nose and itty-bitty ears from using a lens that's too short. Unless, of course, you are gagging in which fore-shortening is a basin of butter used to catch wayward golf balls.

Howard,

Everything Bob says is true ... but. Rodenstock also used to make a 300mm Macro which was an absolute cracker. If you can find a second-hand one, jump at it.

Seasons Greetings ... Walter

[Dave Schneidr]

Mr. Solomon, you have mentioned before in this forum that the Macro- Sironars are ideal for 3 dimensional objects whereas a process lens would do well on flat copy but not on 3 dimensional objects. I have reviewed the limited information I have on lens designs and how lenses are corrected for various applications. I can find no reference as to what corrections or design compromises arise when 3 dimensional objects are considered verses flat objects at the same magnification ratio. Could you offer some explanation or point me to a resource that will help me understand this?

[Hector Pena]

I can find no reference as to what corrections or design compromises arise when 3 dimensional objects are considered verses flat objects at the same magnification ratio.

I think foreshortening has to do with getting too close to the objects with short focal length lenses. 120 and 180 mm for the apo-macro sironar in 8X10 format. Maybe doesn't have anything to do with lens design, but with the relationship of the objects that are closer to the lens and the objects farer away from the lens. And maybe also with distorsion toaward the edges of the frame.

[Donald Brewster]

On the more inexpensive(?) side, there are also old process lenses, such as the Goerz Artar that were designed for 1:1. Usually in barrel of course, but a possibility if cost a factor. Earlier comments about sufficient bellows draw still apply of course.