Re: widest horizontal angel of view?

[Ellis Vener <evphoto@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Thilo Resenhoeft wrote:
> 
> Hi everboy out there,
> 
> i've a question about distortion-free
> panorama-cameras. Because i dislike
> the distortions with widelux, horizont
> and noblex, i like to know witch
> panorama-camera produces the widest
> distortion-free horizontal angel of view.
> 
> And - in addition - : Are there principal
> frontiers that make it impossible to construct
> "wider" lenses/cameras?
> 
> And - third - : Witch Objectives on the market
> offer the "maxiumum distortion free angel of view"
> (35 mm, medium-format, large format)?
> 
> Thanks for help,
> :-) Thilo

Angels and Witches, Oh My!
It sort of depends on what you call distortion, doesn't it? If you are
talking about rectilinear distortion then all wide angle lens have some
"pull" at the edges, but in general I'd have to say that using a
Schneider 72 mm f/5.6 Super Angulon XL on either a Hanchett V-Pan or a
Linhof Technirama  III, both of which are 6x17 cm roll film cameras and
is as wide as you are going to get in that format. Going down to 6x12 cm
backs on a standard view camera the widest full frame coverage at
infinity you'll get will be with a Rodenstock 65 mm f/4.5 Apo-Grandagon.
This works best on an Arca Swiss F-line camera. Going further down to
35mm you have the 13 mm f/5.6 Nikkor. here is also the 4x10 inch camera
from K.B. Canham which is set up for a 90 mm f/5.6 Super Angulon XL. The
widest angle of coverage is going to be just about 110 degrees with any
of these systems.
But I am not the best informed person on this list about these things.
What is your application?