I'm thinking about this Rodenstock 90mm f/4.5 Grandagon-N with a 236mm image circle. It'll have plenty of room for camera movements, unlike my Schneider 90mm lens.

Anyone work with this lens? And, Does anybody have another lens they think I should look at? My primary field is B/W landscapes. I usually use a yellow filter so chromatic aberration is not my primary concern.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Jason

-- Jason Kefover (jkefover@york.tec.sc.us), July 18, 2000

Answers

What about a Nikkor-SW 90/8.0 with a 235mm image circle, and a whole lot smaller and less expensive?

I believe the Nikkor is the only slower (f/6.8 or slower) lens that competes with the faster, more expensive models from other manufacturers. It is an 8/4 configuration, same as the Rodenstock f/4.5 lens.

-- Bruce Gavin (doc@compudox.com), July 18, 2000.

Jason how about the slightly longer Schneider 110XL Super Symmar with an image circle of 288 at f22. Copal #1 shutter, 425grms., and takes 67mm screw filters. Regards,Trevor

-- Trevor Crone (tcrone@gm.dreamcast.com), July 18, 2000.

Jason, I second the Schneider 110xl, an amazing lens, which will apparently cover (just) 10x8. Regards Paul

-- paul owen (paulowen_2000@yahoo.com), July 18, 2000.

You won't regret the Grandagon f/4.5, if it's anything like the f/6.8 version that I use.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), July 19, 2000.

The Rodenstock 90mm f/4.5 Grandagon-N is a great lens. I use it for 4x5 and 6x17cm. It easily will cover a 5x7. It is exceedingly sharp. 96% of what I shoot is color transparency film (mostly RVP/RDPIII or RAP) and I have noticed no chromatic aberration problems. For all but the most extreme movements on 4x5 you will not need a center weighted filter but if you do I recommend the 0.45ND Heliopan version. Calumet sells this lens as the 90mm f/4.5 Caltar II.

-- Ellis Vener (evphoto@insync.net), July 19, 2000.