Fuji GX617 - 72mm unicorn?

Saus · Dec 3, 2018

I've heard rumors of a 72mm lens for the Fuji GX617 system. Does it really exist? Anyone know anything about it? Availability?

macfred · Dec 3, 2018

It does (though I never saw one in real life) ...
72mm Schneider Super – Angulon XL 5.6 with additional finder in front https://www.adammonk.com/tag/panoramic-camera/#gallery-1

Edit: The Schneider lens is for the Linhof 617 - I was wrong !!!

Dan Fromm · Dec 3, 2018

macfred said:
It does (though I never saw one in real life) ...
72mm Schneider Super – Angulon XL 5.6 with additional finder in front https://www.adammonk.com/tag/panoramic-camera/#gallery-1

Isn't that lens for a Linhof?

macfred · Dec 3, 2018

Dan Fromm said:
Isn't that lens for a Linhof?

Dan, you are right - I was wrong ... Sorry

j_landecker · Dec 3, 2018

Further on down in the next post, he says "I understand that 72mm and 300mm glass is also available as a special order".

Saus · Dec 5, 2018

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I forgot to reply earlier, to my own thread!

j_landecker said:
Further on down in the next post, he says "I understand that 72mm and 300mm glass is also available as a special order".

I suspect these lenses are no longer available for special order. Even if they were, I suspect the price would be astronomical. Maybe it would be possible to custom make one with the Schneider 72mm XL lens. Problem would be the external viewfinder. I've tried using Gaoersi's viewfinder, but they... really suck.

Dan Fromm · Dec 5, 2018

Y'know, OP, there are machine shops. There are even machine shops that specialize in photographic equipment. If you have a lens and the money, a photographer's machinist should be able to make a lens cone with focusing helical that will let you use the lens on a GX617.

Come to think of it, a 75/5.6 Fujinon SWD can be bought for much less than a 72 SAXL and should cover 6x17 too.

Saus · Dec 5, 2018

That's interesting, I hadn't considered the 75mm SWD at all. I see on the large format forum lens list that the 75mm SWD has an image circle of 196mm ( http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses/LF4x5in.html ). Not sure if that is across, or diagonally. It should cover it, since 6x17 is actually 56mm x 168mm. Do you think a center filter would be needed?

edit: 56mm x 168mm makes about 177mm diagonally, so the 75mm SWD should cover it. Thanks for suggesting it! Might look into that instead.

Next problem would then be the viewfinder...

Ian Grant · Dec 5, 2018

When I bought a 6x17 camera a decade ago I assumed I'd mostly use a 90mm lens, but I also bought a 75mm f8 Super Angulon and cones for both. In fact I've only ever used the 75mm, not a single frame with the 90mm it's used elsewhere now

I've found a 75mm ideal with 6x17 it's a normal lens in the Vertical perspective and great as a wide panoramic lens in the Horizontal perspective. Maybe the 72mm SA XL is a bit of a marketing hype, it has way more coverage (image circle) than's needed on a camera with no movements, but looks very exotic, it's really just Bling

Ian

Saus · Dec 5, 2018

Ian Grant said:
When I bought a 6x17 camera a decade ago I assumed I'd mostly use a 90mm lens, but I also bought a 75mm f8 Super Angulon and cones for both. In fact I've only ever used the 75mm, not a single frame with the 90mm it's used elsewhere now

I've found a 75mm ideal with 6x17 it's a normal lens in the Vertical perspective and great as a wide panoramic lens in the Horizontal perspective. Maybe the 72mm SA XL is a bit of a marketing hype, it has way more coverage (image circle) than's needed on a camera with no movements, but looks very exotic, it's really just Bling

Yeah, actually the 72mm SAXL turns me off becuase of the 95mm filter size. What kind of viewfinder do you use Ian?

Dan Fromm · Dec 5, 2018

Saus said:
That's interesting, I hadn't considered the 75mm SWD at all. I see on the large format forum lens list that the 75mm SWD has an image circle of 196mm ( http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses/LF4x5in.html ). Not sure if that is across, or diagonally. It should cover it, since 6x17 is actually 56mm x 168mm. Do you think a center filter would be needed?

edit: 56mm x 168mm makes about 177mm diagonally, so the 75mm SWD should cover it. Thanks for suggesting it! Might look into that instead.

Next problem would then be the viewfinder...

Thinking of the 75 SWD and GX617 and 72 SAXL, I can't for the life of me understand why Fuji would buy in a lens for the camera when they made one that was nearly as wide.

Well, whether you'll need a CF depends on how you use the lens. Some compositions benefit from having dark corners with no invisible subject in them. By the Rodenstock/Schneider CF rule of thumb you'll need one. See my article (on the French LF site) on center filters. This discussion http://www.largeformatphotography.i...to-look-for-information-on-LF-(mainly)-lenses has a link to a list of useful links, including one to the CF article.

Ian Grant · Dec 6, 2018

Saus said:
Yeah, actually the 72mm SAXL turns me off becuase of the 95mm filter size. What kind of viewfinder do you use Ian?

I bought a Chinese Gaoersi 6x17 camera (it's the early version) about 11 or 12 years ago, I have the variable finder. It may not be the best finder but I've had no problems with it.

My 75mm f8 SA takes 49mm filters which is practical.

Ian

Fuji GX617 - 72mm unicorn?

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