Your favourite normal lens for 4x5?

[Adrian Pybus]

I have a Nikkor W 150 but on the GG this lens seems less sharp than my better 90mm and my better longer lenses.
So I'm thinking of locating a second second hand normal lens. I seems to have acquired several wider and longer lenses (yes, I suffer from GAS hamsteritis) but I only have the one normal lens.

What do you use?

Adrian

[Ed Richards]

First, you cannot judge sharpness on the GG. Do some test shots before you buy any new lenses.

That said, I have come to realize that there is no normal lens, just the lens that is right for the scene before you. For a long time, I tended to just shoot with the lens on the camera, usually a 90mm. I finally broke the habit by not leaving a lens on the camera, so that I had to pick a lens every time. For walking around, I carry an 80, 110, and 210. (In the past it was a 90, 120 SW, and 180). I also carry a 300, but find I use it infrequently. Today I ended up doing interiors with the 80 for most shots (no room to move around) and the 210 for details and an exterior.

[Adrian Pybus]

Yes, I agree. There is a right lens for the specific image you have in mind.
I don't have a lens around 150mm that I'm happy with.
I have several over 200mm that I really like and I like my two 90mm lenses but I don't have anything in between.
Taking test shot is a good idea but then it's good if the image looks at least a bit sharpish on the GG. It's kind of hard to focus if it never looks sharp
Funny about you not leaving a lens on the camera. I decided today before reading you post to not have lens already on my camera but for a slightly different reason. You normally know which lens you want to use and that lens is usually not the one you have on. So you first have to remove the lens you don't want and then put on the one you want ... it screws up the flow.

Adrian

[tgtaylor]

Rodenstock 150mm Apo Sirona-S.

[Doremus Scudder]

If you Nikkor W 150mm is not focusing sharply on the gg and your other lenses are, then check the mounting, etc. to see if somehow you have mounted the lens improperly on the lens board (element spacing not correct), or some other problem. The Nikkor should focus just fine; it is a fine lens. What makes you think your 90mm lens is "better"?

To answer your question: my most used lens on 4x5 is 135mm. But, as mentioned already, lens choice should be a direct function of what you want in your picture and camera distance; i.e., viewpoint and magnification. I tend to think of 135mm as a slightly wide lens. BTW, I have two Ektar WF 135mm lenses and a Nikkor W 135mm. This latter is supposedly not the sharpest, but I have a good one. It is in the 60 l/mm area in the center. And, my Nikkor 150mm is really sharp too (which makes me think there is something wrong with the way your lens is mounted...

Best,

Doremus

[Old-N-Feeble]

I'm just now reentering the LF arena so take what I have to write with a grain of salt...

I've always preferred longer ratio images... 2:3 or 1:2 rather than squarer ones like 4:5. So, for me, a "normal lens" for 4x5 cropped to 80x120mm (my actual usable image size) is 144mm. If you use the entire 95x120mm frame then 153mm is "normal". I agree with others regarding "normal" focal lengths and am using that term as only a reference. In either case 150mm is close enough.

IMHO, most any modern lens made during or after the 1970's should be more than adequate unless you get a lemon or just... under-spend.

FWIW, the lens I chose as my normal for cropped 4x5 (80x120mm) is a 135mm Apo Symmar. However, because I'll be using the same FL on other slightly larger images and I may want more wiggle room I'll probably replace it with a 135mm Fujinon-W.

If your Nikkor is "really" not sharp then something is definitely wrong either with the lens or the mounting. Maybe the rear element isn't fully seated into the shutter... hitting the jam nut or something. Even so... I'd think it should at least be sharp in the middle.

[pdmoylan]

I agree with the others. It seems that there is something wrong with the lens or it is not mounted properly. Check that the rear element section is not loose and is flush without it being overtightened. The Nikkor 150w is very sharp. My Aztec-scanned prints with this lens have been superb.

[Harley Goldman]

I know people rave about the 150mm Rodenstock APO Sironar S. Based on those rave reviews, I bought one and sold a Nikkor W 150mm. After, I compared chromes through a 4x and 8x loupe. I really could not see much (any really) of a sharpness difference so I sold the Sironar S and got another Nikkor W and pocketed the significant extra $$. That was about 4 years ago and I did not have a moment of regret about selling the Sironar S. The Nikkor is very sharp. I am sure others have had a different experience, but that was my take on the two lenses. Any of the modern 150's, be it a Rodenstock, Nikkor or Fuji are really good lenses and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

[Eric Rose]

My favorite "normal" lens depends on my mood. Sometimes it's a 300mm and other times it's a 65mm. I don't try and shoe horn my images into one lens choice.

[Leigh]

Rodenstock 150mm Apo Sirona-S.

Or the 135mm Apo Sirona-S. I have both, among the 14 lenses for 4x5, and use whichever seems most appropriate.

- Leigh