What would be the best focal length lens for my next purchase and what should I expect to pay?
I currently have a 4x5 crown graphic with a 135mm.

Well, Campy, that depends on you. Perhaps you ought to decide what it is you want to photograph, that you can't right now with your 135mm lens, then go from there. Unless you just want to collect lenses, that's the way these decisions are usually made.

If you go wider, then a 90mm Angulon, Optar or Weitwinkel is the next choice. The Angulon is running about $150-$185 i think. the optar is below that. A sleeper is an 88mm B&L they go for aobut $50 and are very good.


If you want to go longer then... you have to decide. Why you want longer. For Architectural/landscape stuff I'd might want a 180 Symmar S or an earlier Symmar convertable. Cheaper on the list is the 203mm Ektar. If I wanted a portrait lens I'd look for an 8" tele-optar (kinda hard to find in shutter) The 8" tele won't be as sharp and contrasty as the 203mm lens, the bellows will be shorter, making it more stable on a tripod.

A 10" tele-optar is out there too, and fairly common, but you'll need plenty of space to use it as a portrait lens.

The longest is a 15" Tele (385mm) but a brute of a lens.

Quote:

On 2002-10-31 18:50, Les wrote: If you go wider, then a 90mm Angulon, Optar or Weitwinkel is the next choice. The Angulon is running about $150-$185 i think. the optar is below that. A sleeper is an 88mm B&L they go for aobut $50 and are very good. If you want to go longer then... you have to decide. Why you want longer. For Architectural/landscape stuff I'd might want a 180 Symmar S or an earlier Symmar convertable. Cheaper on the list is the 203mm Ektar. If I wanted a portrait lens I'd look for an 8" tele-optar (kinda hard to find in shutter) The 8" tele won't be as sharp and contrasty as the 203mm lens, the bellows will be shorter, making it more stable on a tripod. A 10" tele-optar is out there too, and fairly common, but you'll need plenty of space to use it as a portrait lens. The longest is a 15" Tele (385mm) but a brute of a lens.

Um, Les, the 8" Tele-Optar won't cover 4x5. Image circle is 136 mm.

Cheers,

Dan

Macro portraits??

I would like to do some closeups but I guess it's not easy with this camera. I will probably do landscapes mostly.
Thanks to everyone for responding.

Quote:

On 2002-11-01 14:12, campy wrote: I would like to do some closeups but I guess it's not easy with this camera. I will probably do landscapes mostly. Thanks to everyone for responding.

Closeups aren't that hard, and lenses needed to do them reasonably well aren't too expensive.

The longest tele lens your camera will take, if you want to get larger images of distant subjects, is the 385/5.6 Tele-Raptar. It has a good reputation and isn't impossibly expensive.

If you want to do largish, say 1/2 lifesize, images of objects that are close to your camera, the lens you have will do. It will go to slightly more than 1:1 with the front standard at the front of the focusing track and the track all the way forwards. I understand that the 135/4.5 Tominon as sold for the Polaroid MP-4 system does well at this magnification. I have one, don't like it for out-and-about but that's not closeup. Anyway, it goes in front of a #1 shutter, the lens and Copal #1 press shutters that accept it are quite inexpensive. There are shorter Tominons for the MP-4 that can be used to get higher magnifications, and there are other, probably better but more expensive macro lenses that will work on your camera.

Don't be discouraged. Educate yourself. Get a copy of Graphic Graflex Photography, ideally the 10th edition or later. Have fun.

Cheers,

Dan

Quote:

On 2002-10-31 18:50, Les wrote: Weitwinkel

Can I ask. What's this-) Who is/was Weitwinkel? Better/worse then the other choices listed?

Wideangle, you dumbkoff!!!!

Quote:

On 2002-11-03 20:28, alecj wrote: Wideangle, you dumbkoff!!!!

If I recall correctly, it is spelled dummkopf!

Most of the lenses badged Weitwinkel were made by Leitmeyr (spelling?). I've never found any comments on how good the 65 and 90 Weitwinkels are, that they are usually in Pronto or Prontor shutters with low top speeds may be an indication of lack of faith on the manufacturers' part.

Cheers,

Dan

You're both half-right. It's dumbkopf.

There is a 105mm Leitmeyr on Ebay I was thinking of bidding on but the seller never answered my emails. Sounds like no great loss then.

Quote:

On 2002-11-04 05:35, clnfrd wrote: You're both half-right. It's dumbkopf.

Let's be correct,fellows:DUMMKOPF!
Always ready to translate Teutonic injuries-
Wolfgang

I stand corrected...but I'm not the only dummkopf on the planet: http://www.bemuddlement.com/Wirklich/Komedy/Komedy_index.htm