What is your favorite LF portrait lens

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Large format photography : One Thread

I have a new 6x9 view camera and am trying to set up a 3 lens kit. I am interested in what focal length in either the 4x5 or 6x9 format you consider your favorite for portrait work. My current lenses are 55mm & 100mm. Also, is there a lens to complete my "kit" that you think would be best for both portrait and landscape. Feel free to recommend a particular lens. Thanks to all the fine people on this enjoyable LF forum for your opinions.

-- Paul Minkus (dkurtz@mc.net), April 18, 2002

Answers

The Rodenstock Imagon 250mm is in my opinion the best bet. I have a 300mm I use w/ 5x7. Good alternative is the Wollensak Verito, the ten-inch being the size you'd want, I believe. It's easier to find an Imagon 250 in good condition. Either lens is rather expensive in good condition. If you get the Imagon, make sure and get the complete kit -- i.e., lens, disks, filters, box. Don't get a partial kit and figure to go looking for the missing elements -- that's very hard. -jb

-- jeff buckels (jeffbuck@swcp.com), April 18, 2002.

No favorite. The choice of lens depends on the subject matter and the way you look at the subject matter.

-- Per Volquartz (volquartz@volquartz.com), April 18, 2002.

The 200mm Imagon is optimized for 6x9cm cameras.

-- Bob Salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), April 18, 2002.

I would consider a 21cm Heliar. Nice affordable older lens that should be great for head and shoulders on 6X9. F4.5 aperture.

-- Jim Galli (jimgalli@lnett.com), April 18, 2002.

I use a Schneider Tele-Xenar 240, but in general conditions a 210mm or a 240mm should be ok...

-- Enrique Vila (evilap@hotmail.com), April 18, 2002.


I'm also partial to Heliars for portraits.

-- David A. Goldfarb (dgoldfarb@barnard.edu), April 18, 2002.

I use a 210mm in a Copal Press shutter for 6x7 portraits. The Copal Press shutter has advantages for portraits: it is self-cocking, opens to maximum aperture for viewing, and can be opened with a cable release. So, an exposure can be made a few seconds after focusing, without touching the shutter or aperture controls.

-- Chris Ellinger (chris@ellingerphoto.com), April 19, 2002.

And it has a big limitation for some. Fastest shutter speed is limited to 1/125.

"The Copal Press shutter has advantages for portraits: it is self- cocking, opens to maximum aperture for viewing, and can be opened with a cable release"

-- Bob Salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), April 19, 2002.


My experience has been that I only dream of using a shutter speed faster than 1/125 for natural light portraits, and it is not an issue for studio strobes.

YMMV.

-- Chris Ellinger (Chris@ellingerphoto.com), April 19, 2002.


Seems to me a shutter speed faster than 125 is a non issue for portraiture since your lights will be defining the speed.

-- Jim Galli (jimgalli@lnett.com), April 19, 2002.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ