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90mm on my Super Graphic
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petty1
Joined: 22 Sep 2002
Posts: 4
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 2:27 am

Quick question, what modern, sharp, coated 90mm's will fit on my Super G? I want to be able to close the body with the lens inside. Schnieder, Fujinon, whatever...

Also, would a slightly recessed lens board or any other mods facilitate mounting a modern 90mm.
Les
Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 2:47 am

I'm not up on the physical limitations of a Super but a quick search on B&H's site came up with a suprising number of 90mm lenses.

first there's the Linhof 45EL SuperAngulon aerial lens. I picked this one because I figured being an aerial lens it would be relatively small since you don't need movements-- special order only $9,363.00 I suggest you get two incase you drop one.

Probably the lenses that will work that have a hope of being in your price range are the rodenstock GrandagonN f6.8 at $1550.00 and the 90mm f8 Nikkor SW at $829

There was a nice f6.8 Angulon from the '50s that sold for $129.00 on ebay. Imagine how many more speed graphic cameras and accessories you could get with $700.
petty1
Joined: 22 Sep 2002
Posts: 4
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 3:31 am

Lemme be a bit more clear. By modern I was thinking about the last 25 or so years. By sharp I mean a lens able to step-up to professional standards; not necessarily "Leica" quality, more like "Nikon" level gear. Fit and previous experience, on a Super G, with 90mm lenses fitting this description is the information I am looking for.

I am aware that lenses range widely in price and you could buy a truckload of old lenses for the price of an exotic new one. That isn't what I am interested in learning about!

Thanks in advance.
Dan Fromm
Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 2165
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 4:38 pm

Quote:

On 2002-11-06 19:31, petty1 wrote:
Lemme be a bit more clear. By modern I was thinking about the last 25 or so years. By sharp I mean a lens able to step-up to professional standards; not necessarily "Leica" quality, more like "Nikon" level gear. Fit and previous experience, on a Super G, with 90mm lenses fitting this description is the information I am looking for.

I am aware that lenses range widely in price and you could buy a truckload of old lenses for the price of an exotic new one. That isn't what I am interested in learning about!

Thanks in advance.

Um, are you sure you want to start a squabble about Nikon vs. Leica? Why not about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

More seriously, take a look at http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/testing.html to get an idea of just how good many, not all, of the lenses that might suit you are. At f/16 and f/22 most of them are up to "professional standards," whatever they might be.

I'm a little surprised that you're thinking of buying a new lens when there are used ones on the market. It may be that my perspective on buying gear has been warped by permanent shortage of funds.

I'm also a little surprised that you have less respect for lenses designed before ~ 1970 than for ones designed after. Think about the 100 WF Ektar. And think about getting, say, a 75 Biogon. ~1952 design, covers 4x5 without movements, absolutely will not fit in a closed Super Graphic or anything else. Sharper @ /4.5 than anything remotely as wide, gives more even illumination than anything remotely as wide; both true regardless of when designed. Hefted one set up for an aerial camera about a month ago, when not in use and in its case it makes an excellent doorstop.

Cheers,

Dan
petty1
Joined: 22 Sep 2002
Posts: 4
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 5:58 pm

hmm...
I don't want to buy one new. I don't have any predjudice regarding age. I do however want to take advantage of more modern coatings as I plan on shooting transparencies. I was hoping for a more broad response, but to narrow it down, does anyone know if a 90mm f8 SA would stow inside the body?

I'm sure I will spark someone to go off on my opinion of ancient coatings or whatever tangent I have plotted. Thanks in advance!
Dan Fromm
Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 2165
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 8:52 pm

Quote:

On 2002-11-07 09:58, petty1 wrote:
hmm...
I don't want to buy one new. I don't have any predjudice regarding age. I do however want to take advantage of more modern coatings as I plan on shooting transparencies. I was hoping for a more broad response, but to narrow it down, does anyone know if a 90mm f8 SA would stow inside the body?

I'm sure I will spark someone to go off on my opinion of ancient coatings or whatever tangent I have plotted. Thanks in advance!
Not to quarrel or anything, but in my limited experience EPP transparencies shot with an uncoated 101/4.5 Ektar and with a variety of single-coated lenses, including a 38/4.5 Biogon (not as huge as you'd think), are quite satisfactory.

I'm sure multicoating is a good thing for zoom lenses, because it improves light transmission, but for LF lenses with not too many elements the advantages aren't obvious. Thinking of narsty zooms what gobbles up light, the f/1.8 7-70 Cine Nikkor on the R-10 t/stops at around t/3.3. Arrgh!

Sorry I can't address y'r question about closing a Super Graphic with a 90 SA. Don't have either. Have you gone to Schneider's site to see if they give lens dimensions?

Cheers,

Dan
Les
Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 9:20 pm

I know it won't on my Crown, that's why I bought one of those cheap and nasty 90mm Angulons.
does a great job.
petty1
Joined: 22 Sep 2002
Posts: 4
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 11:35 pm

Hey guys,
As to dimensions, the Schneider site lists: focal length, front focal length and rear focal length. I'm not sure if that is the physical distance from the lens plane out to the front of the glass or the lens plane out to some optically determined point. Thanks for the help.
Les
Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2002 3:52 am

Not that I'm an expert in the history of the large format lens, but it seems to me that by the 70s the effort was on making faster lenses with greater coverage. The era of the press camera was over, so why update the 90mm f6.8 when people are wanting f5.6 and coverage to 5x7?

I say this only because I can't think of 70s lenses that would have succeded the 90 optar/angulon or the 88 B&L.
You can find 120 Angulons and 121 SAs and 90 5.6s but nothing that I can think of would fit a press camera.
Les
Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2002 4:28 am

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1396012676

How about this? For an MC lens the price is reasonable (certainly more reasonable that what I posted before!)

The GeroGON I hear is better and I may be mistaken but I think both are optimized for close range, but are still very good an inf when stopped down. No clue as to the image circle
Jonathan Bundick
Joined: 06 Apr 2002
Posts: 20
PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2002 9:00 pm

Although my 90mm WA Raptar is not within your time frame of 25 years, and it is not multi-coated, it is inexpensive, under $150, light, and will fold up inside my Super Graphic. Not much in the way of movements, but I have found this not to be to much of a problem, as I will compose and crop by about 10-15mm on all sides if I need to use movements beyond what is required to cover 4x5. A more modern lens may have higher lpp/mm toward the edge of the frame, but I would still suguest you give it a try. All in all a good single coated lens.
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