Rodenstock 180mm f/5.6 Apo-Macro-Sironar Lens USA

The Rodenstock 180mm f/5.6 Apo-Macro-Sironar Lens is a large format lens specifically designed for macro use, primarily for the 5x7 format. It can also be used upon smaller cameras, of course, and even covers an 11x14 camera at 2:1 magnification. The Apo-Macro-Sironar produces stunning images within its recommended 1:5 to 2:1 reproduction ratio range, with enviable resolution and contrast. Common-use large format lenses, even symmetrical models such as Rodenstock's own Apo-Sironar S, simply cannot compete with this specialist. It is an apochromatic design, with no visible color fringing in any images taken within the recommended range. The Apo-Macro-Sironar is meant to be used at larger apertures of f/8-11 to limit the degradation of image quality caused by diffraction.

With very good coverage for a macro lens, you'll have 53mm of all-direction shift with 5x7 cameras at 1:5, and 83mm worth of adjustment with a 4x5 camera. At higher reproduction ratios, you'll have all of the image circle you could ever need for 5x7 or even 8x10 in most cases. Despite this, the lens weighs less than a pound and takes 67mm filters.