Portrait lenses rec. Perspective in 4x5

[wayne_crider4]

I am wondering if my 203 Ektar is a little too sharp for family sittings. I'm thinking that maybe there's another (older style please) lens that would be better. Price is a consideration. How would a 135 Optar fair?

 

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Secondly, I have read discussions of perspective in 4x5 portraits where shots are head and shoulders. The opinion is that 300mm lenses are better than something 203mm. Whats the solution when there's not enough bellows draw (mine is 300mm) and you don't have enough room to back up? Cropping?

[james_conrad]

Personally, and I am sure this will draw some fire, I believe there

is no such thing as a "portrait" lens. There is no reason why you

can't use your Ektar, Optar or other lens of choice. The limiting

factor would be your studio setting and belows draw on longer

lenses. Use whichever lens the results of and application are able

to give you what you and your subjects desire. Older lenses would be

Protars, B&L's, artars, dagors..

 

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A message, an acquaintance of mine passed on, which came from Arnold

Newman during a Q&A session about his portraits was "...I have read

the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, even the Gilgamesh Epos, and nowhere

did it say that one must use a specific lens for portraits..."

 

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Probably not the answer you were looking for but hope it helps non

the less.

 

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Good luck,

James

 

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I

[renee_galang1]

I don't use 4x5 for portraiture!!!!I use my old canon 7 and 50mm F

0.95 wide open and enlarge it to 20x24 inches print instead. Grains

can be ignored (even forgotten) when you start seeing (and

appreciating) how the focus disappears rather quickly into the realm

of bokeh. Sorry if this answer is not what you have expected or

useless because is not a 4x5 related, but it is related to

portraiture non-the-less.

[ken_burns1]

Wayne:

 

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I use a Tachihara 4x5 field camera (305 max bellows draw). For close

portriat work I picked up old 10" and 15" Tele-Optars. Being teles,

they don't require much bellows draw. The 10" lens's shutter will

fit a #1 hole with a little sanding. The 15" lens's shutter is too

big, so I had to rig up an extension spacer between the shutter and

the board with some ABS plumbing pipe. These aren't the sharpest

lenses in the world, but they weren't very expensive and they are

plenty sharp for portraits.

[ellis_vener_photography]

Try a Tiffen blacknet32 filter. This will smooth tones but not

diffuse the image. <P>Crop!

[c._w._dean]

For family portraits, shallow depth of field will give you more

headaches than an especially sharp lens. I've used the 203 Ektar for

family groups but only outdoors where there is plenty of room to back

up. Indoors, depending on the size of the group, you may be happier

with a shorter lens where floor space is tight. Clients never

complain about a family portrait being too sharp as long as it is well

composed, nicely lighted, and everyone has a pleasant expression.

[bruce_e._rathbun]

I have been using a 4"x5" back on my wisner 5"x7" for portrait

work for a year now. I have found my Ektar 250mm to be an ideal

lens in the studio for 4"x5" portraits. I find that 210mm to 250mm

is a good range for both head and shoulders and waist up. My

lens is sharp and I have had no problem with the results. The

lighting that I choose has more to do with the overall feeling then

my lens choice. I would think that a 203mm would work just fine

as long as you can keep the perspective in mind. The shoulders

can tend to look rather large if not careful. A 300mm can have

depth of field problems that may or may not be an issue. When I

shoot portraits on 5"x7" my lens choice is 300mm. In the end it

all comes down to taste. I would rather have a sharp lens and

work with lighting and diffusion techniques then a softer lens.

This is just a matter of taste. The only way to find out is to shoot

film and get a comfort level with the tools that you choose. Dood

luck and happy shooting.

[edward_burlew]

If you think the lense is to sharp then add a diffuser like a softar

or some of the B&W diffusers that have the dimples like the softar.

If you are doing black and white and doing your own enlarging then

this is a very secret tip!!!! Take the pic with a very sharp lense

then do a "perfect print. THEN redo the print BUT during about one

third of the exposure use a softar to diffuse the image. THis will

give a softness to the image and the tones will be terrific. If you

can talk you r lab into this try it!!!!. I began by doing model head

shots with a 3000 nikkor and plus X . This reall flattened out noses,

OPticall I mean!

 

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The specific lense and perspective will vary tremendously in

portraits. Some of the best portrait phoitogs use a wide angle. Like

a SWC for executives. of course they use a black net filter. So don't

get too hung up on the lense length, Just adapt the sitting to the

lense you have.

[andre_noble4]

Is the "Tiffen blacknet32 filter" Ellis refers to the same idea as

the black bridal tulle, ie fine net-like material some portraitists

get from fabric stores and then place over taking lens for

softening? I've tried this particular method, softens the image

nicely, but I wonder if it's widely used option for softening? It's

alot chaeper than a Softar. Andre

[ron_shaw]

Use the 203 Ektar. Nice lens, and long enough to reduce perspective

distortion, too. If you have an old skylight filter laying around, a

few drops of clear nail polish on the surface (or even a bit of

vasilene) can also make an effective soft filter. Personally, I prefer

sharp portraits. If you want a softer look, why even use LF? Look

through Kodaks excellent book 'The Portrait' for great

portrait examples, all sharp as a tack.

[jim_galli4]

Won't cost you a thing to unscrew the front element and focus with

just the rear on your 203. Just a guess but that would give you

somewhere around 360mm f14.5, and might solve the sharpness problem

about right. Let us know if it works.

[wayne_crider4]

Thanks to all for their insights and great ideas. I'm going to try

Ed's, Jim's and Ellis's and see what happens. Please add anything

you've tried, that might make a difference for the rest of us.