Which 90mm Lens?

[Lightchaser]

Hi Folks,
Im just starting out in large format photography and I have purchased an Intrepid body. Im looking around for a 90mm lens and have seen two that I would like some advice on. They are both F8 which I realise is less ideal for focusing than the F5.6 but still manageable. One is clearly multicoated but not sure about the other. They do have different types of shutters, I think one is copal and the other may be a syncro? which I believe are not the most reliable. Any advice would be really helpful. They are being sold by a company that does have an excellent reputation and both items are marked as USED, EXCELLENT ++


Thanks

[rfesk]

I would purchase the one that is multicoated with the Copal shutter with out a doubt - provided all else is the same between the two.

[BrianShaw]

I concur with the above.

Your current belief about “syncro” (I believe you intended to write ‘Synchro Compur’) is erroneous. They are excellent shutters that are finely engineered, and both accurate and precise when properly maintained. Too many people have claimed lack of reliability because they fail to properly maintain their equipment.

Are you sure that you want to start with a wide angle lens, though? Something in the normal FL range might be a better start as they are more versatile and sometimes less fussy to use.

[xkaes]

They are both Schneider lenses, but it would help if we had more info -- or more complete pictures.

And FYI, there are a LOT of other 90mm f8 lenses out there that are just as good -- and might be better suited for your particular needs and situation.

[djdister]

I would not buy any lens where the pictures only show it with lens caps on. What does the GLASS look like?

[ic-racer]

Im just starting out in large format photography I have purchased an Intrepid body.

90 is pretty wide. I know it is very popular, but they are not that easy to use for a beginner. Not as easy to see the effects of tilts, which will be in fractions of degrees, and shifts may be limited by coverage unless you get an expensive lens. The image will be dim also. To be in focus at all the camera would need calibrated detents on the center axes.

[xkaes]

One is clearly multicoated but not sure about the other. Thanks

In other words, you don't know. A lens can look multi-coated and not be, and a lens can multi-coated but not look like it is.

And in many cases, multi-coating doesn't make much or any difference.

Get the facts first. Look before you leap!

[rfesk]

Comparing lens field of view, horizontally speaking,- a 90mm lens on 4x5 is roughly equivalent to a 28mm lens on 35mm camera.
For my first lens I would prefer a 135mm or 150mm lens - unless my principal subject was architecture. Then a 90mm lens would have merit.

[Alan Klein]

The lenses you selected look very large physically. They probably won't fit the bellows for a 4x5 Intrepid. Also, the filter size looks very large. Also, 90mm often need a center filter which will make the BW filter size even bigger. I think you should get smaller physical wide angle lenses. It's also a good idea to start with a more "normal" lens like a 150mm. I'd also buy only multi coated. Check the reference pages in the forum on types of lenses to select.
https://www.largeformatphotography.info/

[Alan Klein]

PS the second picture says Multicoated on the lens.