4x5 tele lenses

Aside from the Fuji and Nikon tele lenses are there any other modern design lenses out there worth considering in the 300-400mm range? I'd consider a modern design as more than 4 elements and multicoated.

I'm specifically excluding things like the Tele-Congo and Komura lenses for being 4 element and not multicoated. I'd probably lump the Schneider Tele-Xenar in the excluded column as well, as I used one a long time ago and found it barely covered 4x5, The slightest bit of movement and it vignetted. Also 4 element.

Did Rodenstock ever make tele designs?

Rodenstock made some tele lenses but I don't know how modern they were. Schneider made the Tele Arton which later ones were multicoated. I believe they were 5 element.

I did look at a 360 Tele-Arton. It's a heavy lens and big, takes a 95mm filter. A regular CMW Fuji 360 weighs less and takes a smaller filter.

The 360 tele Arton is huge and in a copal 3 shutter. I’m not sure why. I also have a 270 and it’s a very reasonable size, both are f5.5 lenses. I don’t know if they ever made a 300.

The Tele-Xenar 360mm f5.5 is listed with an IC of 230mm. There's also the APO Tele-Xenar HM 400mm f5.6 is 5-elements with an IC of 250mm.

Tele lenses have narrow angles of coverage -- these are both 35°.

I know you said outside of Fujinon and Nikon, but just wanted to add that I just got a Fujinon 300mm T, and my tests showed the lens as being beautifully sharp all over the frame on 4x5" (unshifted). I read online that the Nikkor M 300mm is the better lens, but that is not what my tests showed - the Fujinon is better. I tested the lenses for landscape use, so not at close distances, where I assume the Nikkor could have an edge.

Best regards,

Vieri

Vieri Bottazzini said:

I know you said outside of Fujinon and Nikon, but just wanted to add that I just got a Fujinon 300mm T, and my tests showed the lens as being beautifully sharp all over the frame on 4x5"

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That's what I have ordered from Japan. The sellers there are amazing, ordered Sunday, picked up Monday, arriving in Canada Wednesday. Can't complain about that at all.

I asked about others aside from Fuji and Nikon just to make sure I wasn't missing any gems - seems that I'm not. I have other Fuji lenses and never been disappointed with them.

The Fujinon T 300mm was Fuji LAST telephoto lens and was only available with EBC coating. The T 400mm & T 600mm can be found with single coating or EBC coating.

The T 300mm only needs 195mm of bellows to focus on infinity!

Craig said:

That's what I have ordered from Japan. The sellers there are amazing, ordered Sunday, picked up Monday, arriving in Canada Wednesday. Can't complain about that at all.

I asked about others aside from Fuji and Nikon just to make sure I wasn't missing any gems - seems that I'm not. I have other Fuji lenses and never been disappointed with them.

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Agreed, after putting together a few Schneider / Rodenstock / Nikon lenses for my 4x5" kit, recently I decided to try Fujinon lenses - my reason for not doing it sooner was basically lack of info online compared to the other three (brochures, reviews, etc), and the relative difficulty to figure out the various models and evolution of the lineup.

So, finally I got a SWD 90mm, a W 180mm and a T 300mm, and I have to say I have been extremely impressed with all three.

I just left for our spring Workshop & traveling season, and in my bag I have the Schneider 38mm XL f/5.6, Rodenstock 55mm Apo-Grandagon f/4.5, Fujinon SWD 90mm f/5.6, Schneider Apo-Symmar 150mm f/5.6 and Fujinon 300mm T f/8.

The two Fujinon replaced two Nikkor of the same focal length, the SW 90mm f/4.5 and the Nikkor M 300mm f/9.

I am definitely going to add more Fujinon LF lenses in the future if the opportunity will arise.

Best regards,

Vieri

I have the Fuji 600T for 4x5 that I am very happy with, and on 8x10 I used the Fuji 250/F6.7 and the 360/6.3. Both are very nice lenses.

APO Tele Xenar:

Thank you for posting miha!

I have not seen reference to a Tele-Xenar 250mm before. I have only seen 240mm in Schneider materials. I wonder if that became the 250mm tele-arton? Does anyone on the forum know?

Jess

Hello everyone,

I use both the Schneider Apo-Symmar 5.6/240 and the Apo-Tele-Xenar 5.6/400, on Compur 3 shutters and Linhof lens boards.

In my opinion, they are really excellent lenses.

They may be hard to find, since Schneider unfortunately stopped production. Mine are 26 years old. And they are like new (but they have always been well cared for and even cherished).