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I currently have a Nikkor 120mm f8 lens which I frankly find too large and heavy to carry around with me for architectural photography. I am thinking of buying/part exchanging my Nikkor for a 110 XL which seems to offer excellent coverage but is less bulky and a lot lighter! Would the 100 XL be suitable for architectural photography and are the modern ones free from fungal growth.... or is that just a problem with the 80 XL

Only thing to say about the 110mm XL is that it would be the last piece of kit prised from my cold hands of anything I have owned over the last 10 years. Mainly landscape is my use but I think the same qualities would shine in architecture too. You may wish to get the centre filter and then you would never run out of movement on 5x4 IMHO.

I have and use both the 80 and 110XL lenses and they offer superb quality. My 110XLis sharper then the 80 at full aperture. But as I always stop down this is never an issue. I use the 80 more as my style of photography is of the wider view. The 110 offers a much more gentle view of the world and as said has a great deal of movement on 4x5. It is indeed a lens I would not like to be without. It is a very compact lens for the amount of coverage it offers.

With regard to the fungus issue I believe this is more to do with early samples of the 80XL's and not the 110XL.

Thanks for your replies. I must admit the fear of fungus has been rather off putting, as I will be looking for a secondhand 110XL... Would anyone be interested in doing a swap for my 120mm/f8 Nikkor, or for part payment with the lens?

Never heard of any issues with any of the XL lenses apart from the 80mm - don't worry!!

I am also not aware of any issues with the 110mm, only the early 80mm lenses. I didnt think it was fungus but 'fogging' between elements where they hadnt been sealed properly. Many were returned and fixed under warranty. There was talk of them being soft wideopen too but invariably this wasnt a shooting issue, only focus and if you stopped down to F5.6 it went away anyway. This thread has the best description:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/ ... hp?t=15123

I still bought one (and a second one some years later), was very pleased with them having tried 75mm Nikon and 90mm lenses. WIth the 110mm the 75mm was too big a gap and needed a CF, the 90mm too close and one or the other sufficed. It was a bit soft to focus at f4.5 but you could easily get in the zone and then stop down anyway. It was very sharp and didnt need a cf for slide film unless you used a lot of front rise/fall or front tilt.

The schneider 110XL is the 'OMG what have I done to my camera' lens.

i.e. You will not be restricted by the lens, most typically by the bellows.

I'll support the contention that I will never, ever get rid of this lens. It is just about the perfect lens. That and my 150 Sironar S will be staying with me for a long, long time.

Still haven't worked out what wider lens I like the most. The 80 is very nice but it's a bit of an arse to use at times (softish wide open and gets dark in the corner very quickly in comparison to super angulon designs) however, it's incredibly light compared with the alternatives.

Tim

Steve,

I've sent you a pm re. 110xl

Jonathan

It sounds like you could use the 80XL, at full aperture, as a soft focus lens. I have been getting very attached to the PS945. Photographing flowers has become so much more interesting lately. I shall be exploring its impact upon ferns. Perhaps the 80XL might offer openings in that area. I shall however be sticking to the Nikkor 90mm/f.4.5 as it is the widest I really use for landscape use. I too love the Nikkor 300mm which is so small and lightweight I always carry it with me along with the Schneider 120 Apo.

I am just in the process of going for a MF camera for low level work, where I cannot use my LF camera because I may not ge able to get up again, without help! I was going to save up for a Hassy and 120mm Zeiss macro lens, but have recently discovered I can assemble a complete Mamiya 645 Pro TL macro outfit, for a fraction of the price, and the Pro TL is recommended on APUG. It will be a shock using a camera with safety interlocks after having got so used to LF equipment. So you may see me in future with the Ebony and Mamiya cameras, complimenting one another.

I hope you enjoy the mamiya, i use one, tremendously good value these days.

Thingy wrote:... but have recently discovered I can assemble a complete Mamiya 645 Pro TL macro outfit

Aw, go on, get an RZ67.

Thingy wrote:So you may see me in future with the Ebony and Mamiya cameras, complimenting one another.

So, what did the Ebony find so attractive about the Mamiya, that it felt it had to pass a compliment?

Joanna Carter wrote:

Thingy wrote:... but have recently discovered I can assemble a complete Mamiya 645 Pro TL macro outfit

Aw, go on, get an RZ67.

Thingy wrote:So you may see me in future with the Ebony and Mamiya cameras, complimenting one another.

So, what did the Ebony find so attractive about the Mamiya, that it felt it had to pass a compliment?

Joanna

If you're willing to carry it on my next trip to Iceland, next Summer, I might reconsider....
The problem with the RZ is its weight and size. I want to carry BOTH my Ebony AND a MF camera. Also I have already bought some bits for the Pro TL, but will buy the secondhand camera when I can afford it.

I just need to find someone who sells 220 Fuji trannie film to fit my £10 220 film insert. I already have a couple of rolls of 220 Pro160s neg film.

BTW: I've decided to sell the Nikkor 120mm/f8. I shall be posting details on the classified section shortly, once I've found out what they cost S/H.

Steve

Thingy wrote:will buy the secondhand camera when I can afford it.

If you can half afford it in the next 7 days, you might want to see what this guy's got in his half price sale:
http://www.mrcad.co.uk/shop/home.php

dave_whatever wrote:

Thingy wrote:will buy the secondhand camera when I can afford it.

If you can half afford it in the next 7 days, you might want to see what this guy's got in his half price sale:
http://www.mrcad.co.uk/shop/home.php

I've seen one cheaper at Ffordes.

Better prices at Teamwork and you could easily examine them there before buying.

USED Mamiya RZ Pro II complete.
USED Mamiya RZ Pro complete. Includes Pro II body, 90 mm standard lens, 120 roll film holder. Great condition.
£475.00