Hi everyone,

Recently I consider buying a 90mm lens for my 4x5 (I have a 210mmm). I came to the store, aksed questions, consulting forum etc. At the store, of course they have many 90mm but also they have a conversion set to make a 4x5 into a 8x10. Now if I buy the conversion set I don't need a wide angle anymore and I have 2 formats to use. The probs is other factors with the 8x10 (ie holders, tanks etc. film) and the thrill of a new format. Which way to go? Could anybody please beam me up? Thanks a lot.

-- dan nguyen (dan@egmail.com), June 15, 2000

Answers

"Now if I buy the conversion set I don't need a wide angle anymore"

Does your 210 cover 8x10 with enough room for moverments, or at all?

-- sheldon hambrick (sheldon_hambrick@hotmail.com), June 15, 2000.

More info about converting the 4x5 into an 8x10, PLEASE! How? Who? What? etc?

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), June 15, 2000.

What 210mm do you have?

-- William Marderness (wmarderness@hotmail.com), June 15, 2000.

Dan, Perhaps you need to ask what you want to do with the photographs that you make. For instance, do you want to sell color transparencies to calendar and book publishers; make prints from either color or B&W, and if so, how large; do you want to make contact prints?

Some other issues might concern where do you plan to use the camera. Do you plan to work in a studio environment, from a car, or will you carry this thing on your back a significant part of a day?

Cameras and lenses are nothing more than tools. The artistry comes in composing the image and printing (if you choose to print at all, and then in either the darkroom or in a computer). All of these things can be done with a 35 mm or a 20x24 camera. Choose the format to fit your desired creation and your physical limitations. Don't be seduced by size just for the sake of size.

Best wises, Bruce

-- Bruce M. Herman (bherman@gci.net), June 16, 2000.

Bill: Most monorails are convertible from one format to another. Going up from 5 x 4 usually involves buying a complete new rear standard and bellows, and extending the height of the front standard. Basically all you've kept is the rail itself. If you start out with the largest format you're interested in, you can get reducing backs for smaller formats.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), June 16, 2000.

Hi all,

I'm sorry for the missing info. The camera is a Sinar, the 210 is a Rodenstock Apo Sironar S - f5.6 (316mm image circle). Recently I find myself using more and more wide angle 24mm or 28mm (for 35mm), 50mm (for 21/4) so I'm looking for 90mm for my 4x5. My reasoning is this: for approx the same price, either or go for a 90mm or the conversion kit so my 210 become a wide angle. Also I like to try the 8x10 format. Anyway, many thanks for the inputs so far.

-- dan nguyen (dan@egmail.com), June 16, 2000.