From: Sandy King (sanking@hubcap.clemson.edu)
Date: 05/24/00-10:01:19 AM Z
For a variety of reasons the favorite lenses for the large panoramic
formats are wide angles. For this use Dagors are really hard to beat
on cameras 7x17, 8x20 and 12x20 format, and even the very oldest ones
provide more than enough sharpness, assuming of course one intends to
make contact prints.
The 12" Dagor was made in large quantities and is a great wide-angle
lens for any of these formats. It will *just* cover 12X20 stopped
down to f/45 or more, covers 8x20 with some movements at the same
aperture, and offers considerable movements on 7x17. It is commonly
available in good condition in working shutter for less than $500
(except for the gold-ring and gold-dot Dagors, which are much more
expensive but offer little if any improvement in performance).
The 14" Dagor is less common and more expensive ($700-1400) but
allows moderate movement on 12X20 and more than one is likely to need
on 8x20 and 7x17. The 16" Dagor is very pricey ($1000-1400) and still
rather wide angle on 12X20 and 8x20 but gives almost unlimited
movement.
Other good lenses of less than 400mm for all of these formats are the
360mm Schneider Symmar (convertible version, that allows use of the
single element at 610mm), a very good buy in the $400-600 range and
the 360mm Fujinon-W ($800-1100).
Many banquet format workers are using the 305mm and 355mm G-Clarons.
The former covers 7X17 with some movements and 8x20 just barely,
while the 355mm will cover 12x20 with just a bit of movement. These
are certainly good lenses but provide slightly less coverage than
Dagors of equivalent focal length.
There are lots of other good lenses out there for these formats, as
others have mentioned. However, if wide angle is what you are looking
for, the following provide the maximum for the format from lenses
that are rather readily available on the market.
7x17 210mm f/8 Super Angulon or 200mm Grandagon, both give image
circle of slightly over 500mm, which allows quite a bit of movement
on 7x17. The 210mm f/18 Protar will also cover, in a small package,
and the 183 f/18 Protar covers with a circle of illumination but
considerable loss of definition at the corners.
8x20 270mm f/6.8 Dagor (and perhaps the 240mm Wide Angle Dagor).
The 210mm f/8 Super Angulon will cover with slight vignetting.
12X20 300mm f/6.8 Dagor
Sandy King
>>I am contemplating a purchase of an 8 X 20 back for my Wisner. Can
>>someone give suggestions on lens for an 8 X 20?
>>
>>Thanks
>>David
>
>I use a 305 g claron (just barely covers at infinity) , a 15/24/36
>turner reich, which I also use for my #16 cirkut camera, a 19"
>artar,and a 24" nikkor apo.
> Jamie in Madison, WI
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