friedemann_pistorius

<p>Les,</p>

<p>might be of interest:</p>

<p>Fujinon-NW 5.6/105 (labeled Fujinon-W on the barrel), 6/6 construction, 76 degr. coverage, 162mm image circle at f22, Copal 0, 46mm filter, multicoated, discontinued.</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>Fujinon CMW 5.6/105, 6/5 construction, 78 degr. coverage, 174mm image circle at f22, Copal 0, 67mm filter, multicoated, current model.</p>

<p>I'd prefer the first lens: smaller, lighter, convenient filter size.<br /> I use several Fujinon lenses (some 30 year old, some bought new this year) and I'm nothing but happy with every lens I own.</p>

<p>Hope this helps</p>

<p>Friedemann</p>

<p>Hamish, I've been shooting landscapes and some architecture for years and have never felt a need for geared movements.<br>

Since you already own a 72 wide angle lens, I'd suggest to concentrate more on the wide angle capabilities of the camera, i.e. bellows flexibility, amounts of rise/fall etc.<br>

I use a folding Ebony camera with "universal" bellows (combined pleated/bag bellows), which allows me to use my wide angle lenses (90, 80, 65, 58) to their limits without movement restrictions from the bellows.<br>

Ebony makes some nice non-folding cameras too, especially designed for wide angle use.<br>

(Note: I'm not affiliated with Ebony Cameras in any way, just a satisfied user.)</p>

<p>Friedemann</p>

 

<p>I'm in search of a center filter with <em>both front and rear</em> 67mm threads, correction 1 or 1.5 f-stops (I'm familiar with filters and I'm aware of the purpose and advantages of larger front threads, no need to comment on that).<br>

To my (limited) knowledge only Hoya made such filters, but they seem to have stopped making these filters.<br>

My photo.net and google searches didn't add much wisdom to me, so any suggestions are welcome.</p>

<p>Thank you very much<br>

Friedemann</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Your Sinaron 90/6.8 is a fine lens, keep it. A second lens should be somewhere in the 135 - 180mm range.</p>

<p>I'm shooting landscapes almost exclusively. When I started LF years back I had 90 - 180 - 300mm lenses.<br /> Over the years my taste and my lenses have changed a bit. However, my first set was a great combination, and sometimes I wish I'd stayed with it...</p>

<p>In my honest opinion, go with any lenses from Schneider, Fuji, Rodenstock, Nikon. I have lenses from all four manufacturers, some made in the 70's (single coated Schneider and Fujinon lenses - great!), some bought brand new over the last years.<br>

From my personal experience I can tell you that there <em>are</em> differences in color rendition, contrast etc. but they're so small that in real life it really doesn't matter.</p>

<p>Friedemann</p>

<p>I second the advive to contact Carol at Flutots. She can and will help you.</p>

<p>Bill,</p>

<p>well, to be honest, I'm everything else but an expert in math's.</p>

<p>Obviously, the spaces on the scale between f22 - 32 - 45 etc are so small that one can only guess where 1/3 and 2/3 lies, in my opinion it is useless. Between 8 - 11 - 16 - 22 the 1/3 and 2/3 stops are logarithmic, too.<br>

But, please don't ask me how to calculate that :-)</p>

<p>I would just guess where to set the pointer for 1/3 and 2/3, trying to follow the logarithmic "rhythm" of the full numbers.<br>

Of course, a third of an f-stop can make a difference especially when shooting transparencies. But with the fact in mind that shutter speed tolerances up to 30% are normal (as far as I know, however), I've learned to trust my guessings over the years. Men's eyes accuracy is better than one would believe!</p>

<p>This is not a very scientific answer, I know...</p>

<p>Friedemann</p>

<p>Yes, those dots are f64/f90 marks. Unlike modern scales, where the numbers are evenly spaced, the numbers on your aperture scale are set in a logarithmic manner, which you can recognize by the spacings between the numbers - they're gettings closer and closer, as the numbers grow. The two dots follow exactly that pattern.</p>

 

<p>I've never heard of "Fujinar" LF lenses, but have some info on "Fujinon" LF lenses.<br /> To my knowledge, Fuji made at least 3 different Fujinon 135mm LF lenses (may be even more...)</p>

<p>1. Fujinon-W 135/5.6, Seiko B shutter, 46mm filter, single coated, lettering inside the front, 228mm coverage (earliest version).</p>

<p>2. Fujinon-NW 135/5.6 (for some unknown reason also labeled "W" on the lens), Copal 0 shutter with silver speed dial, 52mm filter, multicoated, lettering outside, 206mm coverage.</p>

<p>3. CM-Fujinon-W 135/5.6, all black copal 0 shutter, 67mm filter, multicoated, lettering outside, 214mm coverage (latest version).</p>

<p>For 5x7 you need at least 210mm image circle.<br /> I own the earliest version and can recommend it without any hesitations.</p>

<p>Randy,</p>

<p>so you have an Ebony with back focus? Years ago I asked Ebony several times if they could custom build a folding 4x5 with back focus for me, but was constantly told that Hiromi doesn't make such cameras, although he had such a feature in mind.</p>

<p>Can you tell me what specific camera you have, or do you have some pics you could e-mail for better illustration? That would be really nice :-)</p>

<p>Friedemann</p>

<p>You can recognize interchangeable bellows by the small knobs above the back rise. They lock the rear frame of the bellows. The front frame of the bellows is locked by a sliding bar at the upper rear side of the front standard.</p>

<p>I think there are some typos on the foto-arte site.</p>

<p>Go to Robert White, where you can compare the TZ45II-<strong>A</strong> with the TZ45II<strong>-B</strong> with all specs, which seem to be correct.</p>

<p>http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/products.asp?PT_ID=437</p>

<p>As far as I know, Canon does not make LF lenses.</p>

<p>For portraits, lenses between 180 and 240 are commonly used.<br>

With a little patience, you can find used lenses from all major manufacturers (Schneider, Nikon, Rodenstock, Fuji) in very good condition. I started with new (expensive) lenses years ago. Recently I added 3 used lenses (Schneider and Fuji) which were manufactured back in the 70' and 80's, to see that they are every bit as good as my other lenses. They are all single coated, I shoot transparencies exclusively and can see NO difference.</p>

<p>Schneider made some very nice, extraordinary sharp lenses (called G-Claron) in different focal lenghts, 210, 240 and 270 would be ok for portraits. They're single coated and were designed as enlarging lenses, but they're widely respected as fantastic all-around lenses if you stop down to f22 or more. I wouldn't agonize over the brand too much. All four manufacturers mentioned above made (and make) state-of-the-art lenses in many focal lenghts. You really can't go wrong with any of them.<br>

Some wiser men than me might mention even older lenses, Ektar, Goertz etc.<br>

Listen to them. They know what they're talking about.</p>

<p>Just enter the auction site and do a search. I usually type the name of the manufacturer and the desired focal lenght to find what I'm looking for. For example, first class used lenses in 210mm focal length can regularly be found in the $200 - $250 range.</p>

<p>For your purpose, any 4x5 camera will do the job. If you don't travel much, a monorail camera will do, there a many inexpensive used ones around. A folding (field) camera, wood or metal, would also be a good choice. These cameras usually take lenses up to 300mm (some have more extension) and can be purchased new around $700, used ones even cheaper (Shen-Hao, Tachihara, Wista, Toyo, Horseman, Chamonix, to mention a few.)<br>

Don't forget to take a sturdy tripod, a loupe (4x - 7x magnification) for fine focusing, dark cloth, cable release into your financial considerations.<br>

If you shop around a bit, and if you don't insist in new equipment, a complete LF set incl 1 lens should fit well into your budget.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

 

<p>While I tend to agree with Bruce that you should consider 4x5 sheet film and that Ebony cameras are well made (I own one myself), there are many more choices: Shen-Hao, Tachihara, Wista, Chamonix, just to mention a few wooden flatbed field cameras.</p>

<p>A new Ebony RW45 will eat ca. 70% of your budget. Tachihara, Shen-Hao or Chamonix cameras go for $650 - $800, which leaves you lots of money for film, lenses and accessories (which you'll need, like dark cloth, loupe, film holders etc).</p>

<p>Since you want to use wide angle lenses, I'd lean towards Shen-Hao or Chamonix cameras. Both can be equipped with bag or universal (Chamonix) bellows, which make life much easier wiht wide lenses. Tachihara make fine cameras, but the bellows are not interchangeable.</p>

<p>www.shen-hao.com<br /> www.chamonixviewcamera.com</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The most significant difference between $300 and $800 lenses is the price :-)</p>

<p>To be serious, what makes the only important difference is what you see on your image, not on the price tag.<br /> Chose a focal length you find helpful for your needs, don't forget to take the desired image circle into consideration, then look for a lens with clean glass and a well functioning shutter.</p>

<p>When I started building up a LF lens line back in 2002, I bought expensive new lenses. A few months ago, I paid ca. $250 each for the 2 Fujinon 135 lenses mentioned in my previous answer. Also, last year I catched a like-new single coated Schneider G-Claron 270mm for $320. All these lenses were manufactured back in the 70's and 80's, but they're every bit as good as my other/newer lenses.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I own two Fujinon-W 135/5.6 lenses. The (older) single coated version has a significantly larger image circle than the (newer) multicoated version (228 vs. 206 mm). I made several side by side shots (color slides) with both lenses and couldn't see any difference.</p>

<p>If I'd mix some of my images on a light tabele, shot with lenses from Schneider, Rodenstock, Nikon and Fuji, nobody (but me:-)) could tell which manufacturer's lenses were used.</p>

<p>Another vote for the already mentioned Fujinon-W 135, which has indeed 228mm image circle and is an outstanding performer. It has a 46mm filter thread and is very small and light.<br>

If you're interested, look at keh.com, they have some nice samples from time to time. If you like to learn more details, contact me via e-mail. I own and use one.</p>

<p>Friedemann</p>

<p>You've made your film choice, but just another thought: a high saturated high contrast film like Velvia, for example, will probably give you what you want without too many manipulations before or after the shot. If you properly expose your main subject (color), then probably the shadows will fall automatically into deep darkness. The "rest" can be done with PS easily, if necessary at all.</p>

<p>But even with a high contrast film, in low contrast situations you'll have some detail in the shadows, of course.</p>

<p>Antonio,</p>

<p>buying a Shen Hao from robertwhite.co.uk in England (for example) is not a big deal, should you think about this specific camera. I make my home in Europe, too, and have bought my LF items from all over the world (i.e. US, UK and Japan). In many cases I found it to be LESS expensive to pay US prices, shipping fees and import taxes than to pay European prices.</p>

<p>Regarding the camera: most landscape photographers use a tripod and a camera WITH movements. Besides the larger image, movements are what LF photography is all about. Do NOT buy a camera without movements!<br>

Chamonix seem to make good cameras, other field cameras to consider include Shen Hao, Tachihara, Wista, Toyo and others, some made from wood, some all metal. Prices and specifications vary, of course. And don't worry, if you discover that the camera you bought is not the one and only for the rest of your life. Many of us change their equipment over the years. The more you'll learn, the more you'll know what's working for YOU.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>I use color transparencies exclusively.<br /> I have a Nikkor 90mm/f8 lens (big 236mm image circle) and get nothing but stellar results. Excellent contrast, color rendition and wonderful sharpness. I can't compare it to other 90mm lenses, though.</p>

<p>Two years ago, I owned two top-of-the-line 150mm lenses, Schneider Apo-Symmar-L and Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-S. Both lenses delivered perfect sharpness and natural color rendition. (In fact, I wouldn't care too much about color rendition with any of the modern lenses. Changes of natural light have much more influence on the color of your images than those very slight differences between glasses or coating techniques used by the manufacturers.)</p>

<p>After using both lenses for a couple of months on a regular basis, I sold the Rodenstock, kept the Schneider and never looked back. For my (very personal) taste the images taken with the Rodenstock were simply too contrasty, the same scenes taken with the Schneider came out more pleasing to my eyes. The difference is marginal, however, and can probably only be seen when you have the slides resting side by side on your light table.</p>

<p>The Tachihara is a good and lightweight camera and will handle 90mm lenses with ease. Other options include Shen Hao (heavier) and Ebony RW45 (better, more expensive) cameras, to mention a few.</p>

<p>You'll need a STURDY tripod, a long and flexible cable release, a light meter, a loupe (!), film holders (I use Quickload, very convenient!), and a dark cloth. A 30 year old black T-shirt from Tokyo still serves me well for this purpose (yeah, it has been washed several times since then...)<br /> Well, and some film.</p>

<p>My first lens was 180mm, years later I added 90 and 300. After more years of buying, trying and selling I settled on two different camera/lens sets, one for long distance/overnight hiking/kayaking etc, the other one for "regular" use. The light kit has 80, 150, 270mm lenses, the regular kit has 58, 90, 135, 200, 300 and 450mm lenses.</p>

<p>My lenses with "normal" focal lenghts get by far the most use (135/200 and 150), followed by medium tele lenses (270/300), followed by wide angle lenses (80/90). Extreme w/a (58) and long tele (450) lenses are seldom used, but I carry them for some rare occasions.</p>

<p>The lenses I'd never ever give away for whatever reason are 90, 150 and 300.<br /> I'd rather sell my wife...</p>

<p>Some wooden folders should be considered, too. Some of them have backs that can be moved forward for better use of w/a lenses, i.e. Shen Hao and Tachihara 4x5 cameras.</p>

<p>If money is no concern, Ebony makes very nice field cameras, some of them being non-folders, which are especially designed for use with w/a lenses.</p>

<p>Since you like nature photography I suspect you're going to hike a bit, so weight is also a concern. Since I love wooden cameras, I'd suggest to get a 4x5 Shen-Hao, Tachihara or Chamonix camera (the first being the heaviest, the last being the lightest, the middle being my suggestion) to start with. Think carefully what you want your camera to do, but don't agonize over the choice. Many of us change their equipment over the years. Only when using it for a while you'll find out what's working for you.</p>

<p>The cameras mentioned above (and similar others) are sufficient for most applications when you're in the field. With a bellows draw of ca. 300mm (or more with the Chamonix) you can use 120 or 150mm lenses for up to 1:1 close-ups.<br /> As for camera movements: don't worry too much about it; in most cases you'll run out of lens coverage, not movements.</p>

<p>Some people say that wooden cameras are not as precise as metal cameras. They're right. But, as I have experienced, a good wooden folder is absolutely sufficient for field work. You compose the image on the ground glass, and when everything is perfect, you lock the controls and fire. A good image will not tell you which camera was used.</p>

<p>Regarding lenses: I'd start with one or two lenses. For a single lens, 150mm or 180mm would be an excellent choice, for a two lens set I'd prefer a slightly wider and a slightly longer than normal lens, 135 and 210mm, for example. I'd avoid a wide angle lens as a first choice: learning how to operate a LF camera and how movements alter the image on the ground glass is much easier with longer lenses. My first and only lens was 180mm, which I used for years, before I got 90 and 300mm lenses. I bought and sold lenses several times since then, all in all it took me more than a dozen years to find MY focal lengths.</p>

<p>Don't forget a STURDY tripod. This is the most important piece of any LF quipment.</p>

<p>This obviously doesn't answer your question exactly, but I thought I'd share my thoughts, though.<br>

Welcome to LF, you won't regret your choice. Be patient, and - do it!</p>

<p>Always follow your heart.</p>

<p>1. The bigger the better, so 4x5 in your case.</p>

<p>2. Film cost: the more you learn (to see...), the less you'll shoot (because you'll more "pre-select").<br>

I buy large amounts of film every 3 or 4 years or so, and everytime I think "f...ing expensive" but compared to my roll film years I pay less for LF film now.</p>

<p>Both Shen-Hao and Chamonix make 8x10 cameras of similar design, although I can't say anything about the quality.<br>

Check www.shen-hao.com, www.chamonixviewcamera.com for details.<br>

At www.badgergraphic.com (US) and www.robertwhite.co.uk (UK) you can also find informations, pictures and prices.</p>