Arca Swiss 6x9 for food photography

[chris_leong1]

Hello all

 

Just acquired a 6x9 A-S model C with a Copal/Compur 0 board and I'm going to be

rigging it for food photography and like tabletops.

 

I think that an 80-100 lens is what I'd be best to start with - any suggestions

as to which ones? Not too expensive to start with, please!

 

Since some of the dishes would be quite small (around 3/4" in diameter), I'd

maybe go to something like the Nikkor 120 SM as well, but that would be for

later on. Mostly, in the beginning, the shots would be of a dinner-plate-size to

three-place-dinner-size subjects.

 

What I'm looking for is something with a large coverage, that won't have the A-S

cranked all the way out to its limits. Maybe even sit back and up a little, and

shoot a little too wide, and crop later off a larger scan of the tranny.

 

Natural light / long time exposures for the post part, but I do have small

fresnels and/or strobes as well.

 

Thanks!

 

Cheers

Chris

[Jochen_S]

90mm f8 Super Angulon? - Covers nearly 5x7" and is a quite common 4x5" WA, so you'll get plenty of movement, but google for specs. I have a hard time putting my 120mm SA into a Technika 4x5".

 

I love something longer than normal for product shots so a 135-150mm would be my preferred choice. - You might like DOF, so any 4x5" standart lens should get you started, if you have a tripods and step ladder to back away. - A set of table legs shortened to 1ft might help if your studio space is limited.

[d_g]

the discontinued super symmar HM 120 is a good alternative, but hard to find !

[john_papandreou]

It would all depend on the sort of photo you are trying to take, a standard lens for 6x9 is about 100mm Slightly wide would be 65mm and 150 mm would be Long

 

Most 4x5 lenses around 135mm (standard lens) have heaps of coverage for 6x9 and are the best priced.

 

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/

 

Has a section which list the coverage for most common lenses, and what shutter they use.

 

Lense boards for a older Arca with a 6x9 front are easy and cheap to make, I use the alloy that they made computer cases out of in the 1980's:- Modem or router cases can be bought from most junk shops for a dollar or two. Cut out a lens board file the corners round and spray it black. I cut out the hole by drilling a pilot hole and cutting with a hole saw.

 

The aluminum alloy they made these from is quite Expensive to buy new in sheet form :- it is good to Recycle, helps the environment and the pocket.