Looking for a 90mm lens - Things to look for?

[grahamp]

I have a Caltar HR 5.6 90mm (Topcon) that works fine on my Wista using a flat board. It only just fits the lensboard aperture, and I have more coverage than the fixed bellows will let me use. I am really happy with it. It does mean I step down 77mm filters for other lenses. That may be an advantage with a slower lens.

[Ole]

When you consider wide angle lenses, the important criteria are:

Weight
Bulk
Coverage
max Aperture
Price.

I use a 90mm f:6.8 Angulon and a 90mm f:8 Super Angulon (as well as a half-dozen antiques, but that's a different discussion). The plain Angulon wins hands down on Weight, Bulk, Price and Aperture, but loses a little on Coverage. That's why I use both - I quite often use 5x7", and even on 4x5" I keep needing more movements.

One lens I would give serious thought (if I were looking for another 90mm lens) is the Congo WA 90mm f:6.3. As far as I can see it's a double-Gauss construction, which is capable of very good performance. The Coverage is less than the "wasp-waist" modernish lenses like the SA (and even more the SA XL), but Weight, Bulk, and Price are comparable to the old 90/6.8 Angulon. And max Aperture is a fraction better than that, too...

There's a third type of lens, too - exemplified by the Super Symmar Xl 80mm. I have never used one, nor even seen one, but it's intermediate in terms of illumination and only marginally better (IMO) in terms of overall sharpness. And the price is beyond comparison! If I knew I needed one, I would buy one. But so far I haven't missed one - even if my only LF 80mm lens is a WA Rectilinear from 1899...

[mealers]

I use a 4x5 Shen Hao and I also have a 90mm f/5.6 Super Angulon.
To be honest I really didnt enjoy using the 90mm with the standard bellows, it was usable and you did have movements but it was way too restrictive for my liking. I bought the bag bellows and it has made things alot easier.
My advice, buy a 90mm and try the standard bellows and then make your own mind up.

BTW I also have the same Schneider lens as you, the bag bellows also works well with that lens.

[coriana6jp]

I have used the both Nikons f/8 & f4.5, both Fujinons the f/8 & f/5.6 and the Schneider 90mm Super Angulon XL. For pure coverage the Schneider XL wins hands down, but I found it to be a real problem carry any distance in the field.

The nikons were okay, but I didnt really care for the color and contrast too much, though the f/8 was sharp. I ended up keeping both of the Fujinons. For me they had better flare control and I prefered the color rendition. Then again I am biased, I really like pretty much all Fuji lenses.

Gary