Large Format Lenses
     At the heart of any camera is its lens, and this is even more so with large format. In fact, many people sometimes refer to large format as the medium that defines the meaning of "a box with a lens". In large format, there is no such thing as a "dedicated" lens, as seen in 35mm and medium format bayonet mounts. With a few exceptions, you can generally use any large format lens on any large format camera - including a box you throw together yourself.
     Large format lenses come in two types - barrel mount or mounted in shutter. Barrel mount lenses are simply lenses with a diaphram (aperture) and no shutter. To use them, either your camera must have a shutter or you need to install a shutter on your camera - such as the old standby Packard shutter. Barrel mount lenses can have standard leaf-shutters installed, but the cost is often prohibative. The second type of large format lens are those mounted in shutter. This means that the lens has a leaf-shutter installed, which means no shutter is required in the camera itself. Most large format lenses are mounted in shutter, although the shutter type may vary. Most modern lenses use Copal shutters, though Compur and Prontor shutters are also in use. When looking at older lenses, pay attention to the shutter speed range to see if it meets your needs.
     All lenses are organized by manufacturer. When possible, the shutter size is included with the lens (the "Copal X" designation). Coverages are at either f16 or f22, depending on the manufacturer's specification (most are at f22). 2x3 refers to 2 1/4 by 3 1/4. For macro lenses, please keep in mind that the coverages are based on 1:1 reproduction, not standard photography, and a large number of macro lenses may not be used for standard photography.

Nikon    Rodenstock    Schneider    Kodak    Other


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