Fujinon 250mm f5.6 Soft Focus

MikeK · Jan 7, 2008

I have the opportunity to use this lens for a few weeks. It looks brand new and has both the yellow and red disks. But alas no instructions.

The lens stops has markings from f5.6 to f22 but does continue to stop down to about f90. My question is the settings for the disks. Are these really f-stop equivalents? or just an indication of how the image will get progressively sharper?

The markings for the yellow disk are 8,9,10 and the red disk are 10,11,12.

So need some help interpreting these numbers and getting to the correct f-stop. I will be using this nice looking lens with my Tachi 5x7

Cheers

Mike

noseoil · Jan 8, 2008

Hi Mike, I have the same lens in the 180mm for my 4x5 and used it again this weekend. It is a different look you will be playing with now. The numbers are etched into the shutter to indicate the amount of light fall-off due to the compensation for the disks and their holes.

You can be assured that the exact f-stop is correct. For example, when using the yellow disk, the lowest value is f8, or wide open. The lens is most likely an f5.6 (at least my 180mm is) if used without the disk, but once a disk is inserted, the light is reduced due to the baffle effect of the holes. The reason the lens stops with aperture numbers at f22 is that at anything beyond this aperture will have a "normal" look to it and the soft effect is basically gone, back to a "normal" lens again. I guess they figured it was being sold for a soft look and if you want a different look, you need to buy another lens with numbers below f22.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but the dreamy effect and smooth skin tones with these lenses are fun to play with. Pick one spot for your point of sharp focus (like the near eye in a portrait) and just use it with the loupe. Same thing for printing, use this spot with your grain magnifier, as it can be difficult to try to focus a "sharp" point in a "soft" image. Don't expect a normal look from this lens, but it will not exhibit the swirly effect of bokeh as seen with a petzval. That is an entirely different type of lens again. Play around with one disc until you have a feel for it, but I think you will enjoy the lens. It is a different look! Best, tim

colrehogan · Jan 8, 2008

noseoil said:
Hi Mike, I have the same lens in the 180mm for my 4x5 and used it again this weekend. It is a different look you will be playing with now. The numbers are etched into the shutter to indicate the amount of light fall-off due to the compensation for the disks and their holes.

You can be assured that the exact f-stop is correct. For example, when using the yellow disk, the lowest value is f8, or wide open. The lens is most likely an f5.6 (at least my 180mm is) if used without the disk, but once a disk is inserted, the light is reduced due to the baffle effect of the holes. The reason the lens stops with aperture numbers at f22 is that at anything beyond this aperture will have a "normal" look to it and the soft effect is basically gone, back to a "normal" lens again. I guess they figured it was being sold for a soft look and if you want a different look, you need to buy another lens with numbers below f22.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but the dreamy effect and smooth skin tones with these lenses are fun to play with. Pick one spot for your point of sharp focus (like the near eye in a portrait) and just use it with the loupe. Same thing for printing, use this spot with your grain magnifier, as it can be difficult to try to focus a "sharp" point in a "soft" image. Don't expect a normal look from this lens, but it will not exhibit the swirly effect of bokeh as seen with a petzval. That is an entirely different type of lens again. Play around with one disc until you have a feel for it, but I think you will enjoy the lens. It is a different look! Best, tim

I have the instructions for this lens at home. I have not been able to get a soft effect with the lens, but have only shot with it once. I'll have to try again.

noseoil · Jan 8, 2008

Diane, I'm curious what type of effect you had from the lens. How far did you stop it down? Which disk did you use? Which film? What type of lighting was there? What subject matter? Just curious.

If you stop down so the aperture is smaller than the center hole, it will basically tend to look like a "normal" shot. tim

MikeK · Jan 8, 2008

colrehogan said:
I have the instructions for this lens at home. I have not been able to get a soft effect with the lens, but have only shot with it once. I'll have to try again.

Any chance you could send me a copy of the instructions?

Thanks

Mike

BrianShaw · Jan 9, 2008

colrehogan said:
I have not been able to get a soft effect with the lens, but have only shot with it once. I'll have to try again.

You probably stopped down too much or were using the red disk. I've found that the red disk like to run wide open if you want any amount of noticable SF effect. The yellow disk can be stopped down to f/9 or so and still get nice SF.

BrianShaw · Jan 9, 2008

MikeK said:
Any chance you could send me a copy of the instructions?

me too, please?

colrehogan · Jan 9, 2008

Mike, Brian,
PM me your email addresses and I'll send a pdf of the instructions.

I tried the lens with a friend of mine sitting and the shots with this lens were taken with no frit, the yellow frit and the red frit. The shots with no frit and the yellow frit were taken at f/8. The red frit shot was taken at f/10. According to the instructions, you are supposed to stop down to taking aperture while focusing. I didn't do this as I got the instructions after this session. My problem is probably that I can't tell the difference looking at the negatives or the prints.

Doug Webb · Jan 13, 2008

I have the 250 5.6 and really like it, the results are amazing. I can't find my instructions, but the copy I had was not that helpful. The reason you stop down to focus and then open back up to your desired f stop to expose is that the image is not as sharp as you will most likely need at, say 5.6, to be able to focus accurately. I have to stop down to at least f8, sometimes more to be sure I am getting the eyes in a portrait, for example, in focus, then I open back up to the f stop I want. If you don't focus accurately, you won't be able to obtain some of the effects possible with this lens. If you stop down to the point that the lens apperture is smaller than the large opening in the disc, and expose at that f stop, you will not get a soft focus effect or the soft focus effect will be minimal. The lens can be used without the discs, but the effect is different. When the discs are used the bright areas bleed into the darker areas and, skin tones, for example, become incredibly smooth and even. The yellow disc gives a more diffused effect than the red disc. There are a number of effects that can be achieved, but you will probably find one that you like the best, however, you will have to spend some time and film experimenting in order to find out which you like the best. Stopped down this lens appears to my eye to be as sharp as any comparable focal length lens, but the coverage is not as great as some lenses in this focal length.
Good luck

Fujinon 250mm f5.6 Soft Focus

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