Large format lenses advice please..

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Mark
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I'm looking at getting a 5x4 field camera, but not sure about lenses.

I'm looking at something around the 180mm range and If I stick to Nikon, Schneider and Rodenstock, are there any versions to avoid if possible? Somewhere in the back of my brain, I've got the idea that certain shutters weren't so good?

Thanks in advance
 
Any of the lenses made by the big names will be fine. Depending on the age, you'll find uncoated, single and multicoated which may make a difference depending on what/how you photograph. Newer lenses have bigger image circles (and bigger everything else!) and the newer designs went for a more abrupt image circle cut off; I've seen a 10x8 photo taken with a 1950s Schneider Symmar which was designed for 5x4 but managed to have only moderate corner darkening on the 10x8.

As the shutter goes up from 0 to 3, the top speed reduces and the size goes up.

In general, I prefer the older or slower lenses because they are much smaller and lighter.

On size, I recall at Focus some years ago seeing one 5x4 field camera on sale and the dealer warned me that the lens throat wouldn't accomodate some of the newer gigantic wide angle lenses.
 
Copal are probably the one to look for, however it is possible to remount the lens on another shutter, so you could buy say an old compur shuttered lens and then remount it on a Copal shutter should the compur fail.

Personally I would look more at a 135mm if it is to be your only lens for a while...

HTH
 
Kerry Thalmann did a piece on his choice of LF lenses in 3 groups. Link is for the 135mm - 240mm, but the shorter and longer lengths are before and after the linked page. Be aware that many of these are at the upper end of the price scale, but it's worth a read anyway.
http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/mid-rang.htm
 
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