I am humbled by the remark that anything between digital and 8x0 is a "compromise." I shoot nude portraits in 4x5 and 5x7, and am embarrassed to learn that I've been compromising in my work for all these years.

I add to this discussion because I've just been given the gift of a Hermagis Portrait lens, which I believe is a Petzval-design lens made in Paris in the 1860s. (If anyone knows more about the Hermagis lenses, by all means speak up.) I have tried any number of old lenses. My experience is that even Rapid Rectilinear lenses give remarkably good resolution and bite across the image field. the Hermagis is the first lens I've shot that does what I want it to do -- lay focus on the eyes and allow it to wander in and out of focus elsewhere.

Here are two examples. Both are shot 1/15 second at f/10. The first is shot in 5x7:

http://www.mcnew.net/new/slides/0020Mary109adj.html

And here is another, in 4x5:

http://www.mcnew.net/new/slides/0021Kathleen12.html

The Hermagis is the end of my searches for portrait lenses -- it is just delicious. I have more of my work up at www.mcnew.net if anyone is interested in seeing more of this series.