Best 90 mm

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I am considering buying a 90 mm lens for 4x5 format. I doubt between the SW Nikon f8 and the Rodenstock Grandagon f6.8. My main concern is the resolving power. Has anyone performed any test of them ?

-- javier echeverria (javier_echeverria_garcia@atkearney.com), September 17, 1998

Answers

The weak link will be your film plane accuracy.

-- Ron Shaw (shaw9@llnl.gov), September 17, 1998.

Javier, Check the archives under lens tests. Both are excellent lenses, the Nikkor allegedly has a bigger image circle.

-- Ellis (evphoto@insync.net), September 17, 1998.

Modern lenses from the major manufacturers,Rodenstock, Fuji, Nikon and Schneider, are all capable of resolution beyond the limiting factors of the photographer (focusing)and the equipment (film plane and film). While actual physical coating processes and manufacturing techniques among the makers remain proprietary, they mostly affect contrast. The fondness people have for a specific brand IMHO are predicated by contrast and sometimes size or other times by what they are selling.

If you are only considering modern plasmats, the manufacturer is not that critical. I like the Nikon lenses because they are a little less expensive, but I know folks who use Fuji, Schneider and Rodenstock simultaneously simply because they purchased them used and they got a good deal on each of them. They make marvelous images with all of them to the point where I cannot tell one lens from the other.

-- Michael Kadillak (kadillak@rmi.net), September 17, 1998.


The Nikon 90 F/8 has 8 elements whereas the Grandagon 90 F/6.8 has only 6 elements. Nikon makes the only 90 F/8 with the 8 elements and has an image circle equal to the faster 5.6 Nikons, Grandagons, and Schneider Super Angulons.

The advantage for the Nikon 90 R/8 is smaller size and weight but with an image circle equal to the faster lenses (except the XL Angulons.)

-- Bob Eskridge (besk@shtc.net), September 17, 1998.


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