Decent 4x5 lens around 75mm with 52mm filters?

[Steve Goldstein]

Has anyone ever made a relatively modern coated lens around 75mm focal length that covers 4x5 with room for modest movements and takes, or can be adapted to take, 52mm filters? I'm aware of the 80mm WF Ektar, but my understanding is it has only marginal coverage of 4x5. The 75mm f/6.8 Grandagon is close, but takes 58mm filters, while the 80mm SSXL requires 67mm filters. I'm thinking more along the lines of landscape than architecture, so don't need a lot of movement. It sure would be nice to be able to use 52mm filters for everything from 75mm to 300mm...

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Steve,

The rear element of the 80mm SS XL is threaded to accept 40.5mm filters. When I had mine, I occasionally used 52mm filters on the rear element with a 40.5mm - 52mm step up ring. Just be sure to focus with the filter installed, or you will get a small focus shift equal to 1/3 the thickness of the filter.

Of course, this won't really work for things like a polarizer or GND, but I occasionally used it when I wanted to use a warming filter on the back and the center filter on the front.

The 75mm f8 Super Angulon is single coated and covers 4x5 with a little room to spare and takes 49mm filters. Later samples come in modern Copal shutters. This would probably be your best choice in a 75mm lens that can take 52mm filters (with a 49mm - 52mm step-up ring)

The 65mm f8 Super Angulon (and Caltar WII clone) is also single coated and takes 49mm filters, but barely hits the corners of 4x5.

The Horseman 65mm f7 Super ER is multicoated, barely hits the corners of 4x5 and takes 40.5mm filters. Again, with a 40.5mm - 52mm step-up ring, you could use 52mm filters with this lens. Older version of this lens are single coated.

Kerry

[D. Bryant]

Has anyone ever made a relatively modern coated lens around 75mm focal length that covers 4x5 with room for modest movements and takes, or can be adapted to take, 52mm filters? I'm aware of the 80mm WF Ektar, but my understanding is it has only marginal coverage of 4x5. The 75mm f/6.8 Grandagon is close, but takes 58mm filters, while the 80mm SSXL requires 67mm filters. I'm thinking more along the lines of landscape than architecture, so don't need a lot of movement. It sure would be nice to be able to use 52mm filters for everything from 75mm to 300mm...

Ain't gonna happen, Though some of the older WA Schneiders use small filters.

[Leigh]

Wow. 52mm is mighty small for an LF filter.

I tried to standardize on 67mm and found it was too small, so I also have 82mm and 95mm filters.

The only 'short' FL in my database* that uses 52mm filters is the 105/5.6 Nikkor-W. All of the shorter lenses in my list use 67mm.

- Leigh

*nb - My database only has modern lenses, and it's not inclusive by any means.

[Steve Goldstein]

Kerry,

Thanks for this, I hadn't thought about the Super-Angulon but that pretty much fits the bill. The SSXL is rather pricey for the (in)frequency of my use of wide lenses. Now to wait for a reasonably-priced example to appear in auction-space, or perhaps in the Forum...