I am looking to purchase a long lens for my 4x5. I have 19" bellows draw and so therefore want to get a 19" lens. Other than macro, will I be able to use this lens on my camera? I am looking at the Roddy 420 f9 APO Ronar, APO Nikkor 450 f10, and the different red dot artars of 19" variety. There are also some process lenses of the 16 1/2" variety. Are these lenses sharp? What are the image circles on them for 4x5? What are the OD's? I have a good Alphax shutter which has a B&L 165 Tessar in it right now with a hell of a spacer in it and thought I might be able to use it for one of these lenses. The shutter is a brute of a shutter. About the same size as an Ilex #4 or #5. I am going to use the long lens for scene compression. What is your opinion of the contrast of these lenses? I have emailed lensandrepro for information but they seem too busy to respond other than to say they are busy. Any info would be appreciated. James

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), September 17, 1999

Answers

Response to lenses

I have a 450mm Goerz Red Dot APO Artar, which I find to be about as contrasty as I can handle when using T-Max. The lens is relatively lightweight, has a HUGE image circle (covers 11x14) is sharp as a tack and has a focal ratio of f/11, which works out to be... let's see here... quick math... about 1.6" in diameter. Mine is mounted in an Ilex #5, allowing it to be stopped down to f/64. This is by far the sharpest lens I own. I would recommend it to anyone...

HOWEVER: When the bellows of your camera are fully extended, you won't get much movement out of them.

-- Chad Jarvis (cjarvis@nas.edu), September 17, 1999.

Response to lenses

If you have 19 in. of bellows extension, you would only be able to focus to infinity (if you are lucky). Almost any shot you make, you will be focusing to some hyperfocal point (closer than infinity). You will not be able to do this if you have max'd out you bellows.

-- Ron Shaw (shaw9@llnl.gov), September 17, 1999.

Response to lenses

I have an old Apo-Ronar 9/360 and I can only praise this sharp and contrasty lens. Don't know about the others.

-- Paul Schilliger (pschilliger@vtx.ch), September 17, 1999.

Response to lenses

Correction: My Artar is in an Ilex #4.

-- Chad Jarvis (cjarvis@nas.edu), September 18, 1999.

Response to lenses

The Fuji and Nikkor 450's are good.

You could also look at a telephoto design such as the Nikkor 500mm - needs about 350mm of bellows draw to focus at infinity.

-- fw (finneganswake@altavista.net), September 19, 1999.

Response to lenses

Thankyou all for the info. I am now the proud owner of a 19" artar. I will let know how it works out. James

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), September 19, 1999.