4x5 Lens Kit for Interiors

[Shawn Dougherty]

I've put together a landscape lens kit for my Toyo 45AII. It consists of:
90mm MC Super Angulon f8
150mm g-claron f9
210mm g-claron f9
305mm g-claron f9

I have a nice 4 lens Gnass Gear case they fit into perfectly. I couldn't be happier and never feel like I'm missing a thing. My Toyo has a Fresnel and I can see the ground glass just fine, even in the dawn / twilight hours.

However, I'm doing more and more work indoors and want to get away from my RB setup and use my 4x5. My "outdoor / hiking" lens kit is just too slow for shooting inside. I would like to put together a second, 3 lens kit. I'm funding this by selling off my seldom used 8x10, RB67 and 35mm equipment. This will leave me with my Rolleiflex T for a take everywhere and 4x5 for everything else. I don't think I'll need much of a telephoto.... So far I already have:
Nikkor 90mm SW f4.5.

So, what should lenses 2 and 3 be? I'm fairly certain I don't want anything wider than the 90mm. A f5.6 aperture is key and I'd like to have reasonable movements, enough to cover 5x7 (I see this format in my future at some point). The Fuji 125mm f5.6, Fuji & Nikon 135mm f5.6, Fuji & Nikkor 150mm f5.6 and Fuji & Nikkor 180mm f5.6 all sound interesting.... I have no problem doubling up focal lengths with my other kit.

A 90mm, 135mm and 180mm seems to make mathematical sense.... Again this will be mostly intimate indoor work - no paid, big boy, architectural gigs. =) I think MC glass is important since these are wide-ish lenses in often times high contrast / available light scenes. I'd also like to keep the glass around $300 each or less.

Any thoughts and personal experience is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Shawn

P.S. Here is one example of the images I'll be making. I used my 150mm g-claron and a flashlight so that I could see everything....
Framer's Saw

[Shawn Dougherty]

Sorry, I meant to put this in the "Lenses & Lens Accessories " forum...

[David Karp]

You might consider throwing the 120mm f/8 Nikkor into the mix. I know it has an f/8 max aperture, which you are not very excited about, but it has much, much more coverage than the 125mm f/5.6 Fujinon or the 135mm lenses you mentioned. The 125mm Fuji is really nice. I have an older version. It would be great if you don't need the coverage of the Nikkor, which will cover 8x10.

[Ari]

If you want to shoot all kinds of interiors, I'd suggest trying out a shorter-than-90mm lens, like a 75, or better still, a 72XL with its large image circle.
Once inside, there are only so many steps backward you can take.

[John Powers]

Shawn,

I had an f8 90mm Super Angulon. It was just too dark in there for me. I upgraded to a 90mm f4.5 Rodenstock Grandagon-N MC and a Boss Screen. At that wide an angle you need more light to make sure your verticals and horizontals are straight.

Unfortunately I sold both last week. Look at the f4.5s of the better brands and a brighter gg. However my f4.5 went for $595 with a recent CLA. KEH wanted more than that without the CLA. Wish we had spoken earlier.

John

[Shawn Dougherty]

Thanks fellows!

David, I've looked through a 120mm Nikkor f8. It's just too dark for me indoors.

Ari, there's just something about the wider than 90mm look that doesn't jive with me. Maybe I need to seek out more images made with those lenses? Your point is well taken though, space is what it is indoors. Maybe I should look at the Nikkor 75mm f4.5 as well?

John, you're right on. I already have a Nikkor 90mm f4.5 (bought it at the Richfield show this March from Igor.) It's super bright on my GG (Toyo with a nice Fresnel). Just trying to decide what other lenses to get.

[Joshua Dunn]

I have a 90mm Sinaron W 102 degree f/4.5 which is great for interiors (they also made a 105 degree version), you’ll be impressed how much the additional 2 stops make over your 90mm Super Angulon f/8. But unless you are in a very large interior you might want to listen to Ari and get a 75mm as well. You will be surprised how quickly you run out of room with a 90mm on 4x5 indoors.

You mentioned maybe investing in a 5x7 format in the future. That would be another option to get more coverage. Instead of getting a wider lens get a larger film plane. A 90mm on 5x7 is very wide.

[Frank Petronio]

I'd just get a $300 German 1990s-era 210/5.6 and shoot away. Once you shoot more then you'll know if you even need anything else. 210s were the most popular focal length for studio shooters and they are still the best bang for the buck, plus they make a great slightly wide-normal lens for 5x7.

Really a 90/4.5 and a 210/5.6 can do 98% of all the 4x5 shots ever done ;-p

You could always get a fancy 135/5.6 like a Sironar-S, state-of-the-art and only a little larger than your 150 G-Claron so you could take it camping too.

OR... use the f/9 lenses you have and learn how to make your darkcloth really dark, let your eyes adjust, etc. because especially with the longer lenses, 1.5 stops slower isn't really much of a difference with focusing if you truly can get it dark. Penlights in the scene or brighter modeling lamps really help too.

[Shawn Dougherty]

Thanks fellows!

Joshua, I agree. I already have a 90mm Nikkor SW f4.5. It is nice and bright on my ground glass indoors. That's an interesting point about the 90mm being wider on 5x7.... hmmmm.

Really a 90/4.5 and a 210/5.6 can do 98% of all the 4x5 shots ever done ;-p

Frank, that's funny because it's so true. Actually, combine that with your other points and that might be my best answer.

Like you say, my 210mm and 305mm f9 seem much brighter than the 150mm and 90mm f9 and f8 lenses.

Maybe I should just pick up a nice 180mm f5.6, then Id have a bright 90mm and a bright 180mm which should handle 98% of everything. If I need something longer I could just use the lenses I have and I'll figure out through experience if I need anything wider.

Thanks again, fellows.
Shawn

[David Karp]

The 180 would work. When you set two cameras up side-by-side, one with a 180 and one with a 210 and look at the GG, there is very little difference between the two. Since you are doing interiors, the slightly wider 180 might be just the ticket.