Steve Beyer 
, Apr 02, 2006; 10:42 p.m.
I am interested in a 210, 550, 1100 for a 12x20 that I am about to purchase. I would only be
able to afford 2 of these 3 lenses to start. I am having a hard time deciding so I would like
your input. Which would you go with?
Jason Greenberg Motamedi , Apr 03, 2006; 12:05 a.m.
210mm would be really really wide for this format; you would need a lens with an image
circle of ~110 degrees just to cover. I can only think of one or two lenses which might do the
job, if you could even find them. I would think that a 300mm or 360mm would be a more
useful wide angle lens.
Jeffrey Moore 
, Apr 03, 2006; 04:15 a.m.
Someone more familiar with ULF than I am (4x5 only) can correct me if I am wrong here, but I believe the only 210 that will cover 12x20 is the Schnieder Super-Symmar. This lens goes for $3345 on B&H, plus you will definitely need the center filter, which adds another $1075. That's some serious scratch. I would make damn sure I needed this lens before I made that kind of leap. Also, this lens is reeaaaally wide on 12x20.
I would recommend starting out with a Nikon M-450. On a 12x20 it is slightly wider than normal. It's a terrific lens that can be found at fair prices on the used market.
Jeffrey Moore , Apr 03, 2006; 04:16 a.m.
That would be Schneider Super-Symmar XL.
joe harrigan , Apr 03, 2006; 09:20 a.m.
I don't shoot 12x20 but I do use a 30x40cm (approx 12x16) from time to time. I shoot wide angle almost all the time and the prev posts are right, a 210 on 12x20 would be insane wide. I would only use the lens for interiors or extreme conditions requiring a super wide lens. I prefer to work with a 300mm on the 30x40cm so a similar lens would be 360mm for 12x20 as Jason said. I never really use long lenses so I can't comment on them but if you have narrowed your choices to the new schneider ulf lenses i would go for the 550mm. That would be fairly close to a "normal" focal (or a tad long) on the 12x20 but again I probably would never use it as I do wide angle almost all the time. You may want to start out by buying some inexpensive process lenses and get a feel for what focal length you like on the 12x20 before shelling out major cash for the super nice lenses. My first choice of focal length for 12x20 would be 360mm. You may research but I think the g-claron 355mm might cover 12x20. i'm not sure of that and there would be little movement if it does. A rodenstock apo-gerogon 360mm might also cover 12x20 but do research it if you buy one as I'm not positive on that.
frank menesdorfer , Apr 03, 2006; 10:22 a.m.
If you want to go extremly wide because that is your question than Goerz Hypergon 200 mm would cover your size and also the Blue Dot Artar WA process lens would be nice too! The Schneider 210 super angulon would give you a 100 degree strait! Nice lenses but very vey wide!
frank menesdorfer , Apr 03, 2006; 10:32 a.m.
Sorry I forgot one thing! Try here this guys http://www.mamutphoto.com/ I do beleive that have a possibilities to help you out better than anybody else.
Robert Meyer , Apr 04, 2006; 01:26 p.m.
A 240mm Repromaster will cover 11x14 at infinity with quite a lot of movement, so it might cover 12x20. (I couldn't reach the limits of coverage on my 11x14 Seneca.) If you can live with a barrel lens you might try this as your wide angle. Repromaster lenses go quite cheap on Ebay, so it won't cost a fortune to experiment. I'm sure the 270mm Repromaster would cover 12x20, but that's getting quite long compared to the 210mm you specified. Note that the 213mm Repromaster won't cover my 11x14, so I know it won't cover your 12x20.
