Large Format Lenses recommendation

[138S]

Lachie, bye...

 

[5x7shooter]

Circling back to my original query for any data comparing Fujinon's original single-coated W and later multicoated NW Plasmat lenses, I was so pleased with the image quality and coverage of the first Fujinon 135/5.6 W (inside writing on bezel) that I picked up a second mint copy, for a "deal I couldn't refuse". The second copy is as good as the first one - sharpness and tone quality are at least on part with the Fujinon 125/5.6 and 150/5.6 NW multicoated models and the original W model Plasmat has usefully more coverage. The 250/6.7 original W is also excellent, nearly on par optically with the 250 CM-W costing 2X more. I am beginning to believe that many of the original Fujinon W lenses are significantly under-estimated, not just the famous 250/6.7 .

 

[138S]

The second copy is as good as the first one .

Reportedly, Fuji had a remarkable consistency in the quality of their lenses, with a lower than usual sample to sample variability.

 

[DREW WILEY]

At one time there was a dealer in downtown SF which attempted to stock every current LF lens from all four big manufacturers (Schneider, Rodenstock, Fuji, Nikon). They had long-term career salesmen on staff too, who claimed Fuji was the only brand they never had even a single quality control issue complaint with. They had a huge view camera selection too. Times have sure changed!

 

[Guna Dwi]

I have a couple of questions regarding my lenses
Does anyone know about this

1. Fujinon SW 65/8 Seiko Shutter
I lost the retaining ring, what size should i buy, i measured the diameter is 32.5 mm, is it same with Copal 0?

2. Nikkor T ED 800/12
Is this lens can be use bigger than 8x10 format?
The image circle is 310

Thank you

 

[138S]

1. Fujinon SW 65/8 Seiko Shutter
I lost the retaining ring, what size should i buy, i measured the diameter is 32.5 mm, is it same with Copal 0?

Mounting thread of Seiko #0 is M32.5 x 0.5 mm, the same than Copal 0

https://www.largeformatphotography.info/shutters.html

2. Nikkor T ED 800/12
Is this lens can be use bigger than 8x10 format?
The image circle is 310

The illumination circle is larger but quality is soon degradated as you surpasse the Nominal image circle, what is first noticed in the corners.

You may take advantage of the larger illumination circle for a larger format in the case the scene background is Out Of Focus and well blurred, obviously in that case technical image quality in the corners matter little.

The T 360-500-720 just covering 5x7" nominally have been used for 8x10", illuminating well the format, but quality in the 8x10" corners is well objectionable, still in many shots corners are irrelevant, you may have sky in the top corners and Out Of Focus close things in the bottom corners, to not mention portraits. You may expect a similar behaviour when going beyond 8x10 with the T800.

If Nikon specifies 310mm this is because you at least will have a quality degradation beyond that point, so a shift/rise is not recommended in 8x10" as you go aoutside of the Nominal circle, again it depends on what you have in the corners and on what you want to allow in quality degradation.

 

[Guna Dwi]

Mounting thread of Seiko #0 is M32.5 x 0.5 mm, the same than Copal 0

https://www.largeformatphotography.info/shutters.html

View attachment 259305





The illumination circle is larger but quality is soon degradated as you surpasse the Nominal image circle, what is first noticed in the corners.

You may take advantage of the larger illumination circle for a larger format in the case the scene background is Out Of Focus and well blurred, obviously in that case technical image quality in the corners matter little.

The T 360-500-720 just covering 5x7" nominally have been used for 8x10", illuminating well the format, but quality in the 8x10" corners is well objectionable, still in many shots corners are irrelevant, you may have sky in the top corners and Out Of Focus close things in the bottom corners, to not mention portraits. You may expect a similar behaviour when going beyond 8x10 with the T800.

If Nikon specifies 310mm this is because you at least will have a quality degradation beyond that point, so a shift/rise is not recommended in 8x10" as you go aoutside of the Nominal circle, again it depends on what you have in the corners and on what you want to allow in quality degradation.

Thank you very much, you always be so helpful and give useful information. Really appreciate it.

Im exploring all the lens at the moment but already know what i will keep.
So far i will keep 90-150-210-300-(360 & 500)

Already sold Nikkor 65 and Fujinon T 600

 

[138S]

It is a ver well balanced kit, the 90-150 jump is a bit large but no problem, a +50% step would be from 90 to 135, ...but the 150 is the most popular 4x5 focal, followed by the 210

Now this is about shooting film, only time will tell you if you should refine the kit acordingly to your shooting style, anyway many Pros have made their career by using way less glass !!!

 

[Guna Dwi]

Is anyone know about this lens? cant find much info about it
is it wide angle lens equal 76mm? what format is this lens will cover?

Wollensak Velostigmat 3" Focus Series VII f3.5

 

[Roger Thoms]

Is anyone know about this lens? cant find much info about it
is it wide angle lens equal 76mm? what format is this lens will cover?

Wollensak Velostigmat 3" Focus Series VII f3.5

View attachment 260215

You might check out this site, he he a ton of Wollensak catalogs posted.

https://alphaxbetax.com/wollensak-catalogs-etc/

Roger

 

[Deleted member 88956]

If I may interject as I just got here on page 6 and too much to go through.

Have we bought the 10-lens kit yet?

 

[jimgalli]

135 answers! The Wollensak lens is probably from a 6X6cm box of some sort. It won't cover much more than that. The rest from your original inquiry are Kraft Macaroni and Cheese from a box.

 

[Guna Dwi]

You might check out this site, he he a ton of Wollensak catalogs posted.

https://alphaxbetax.com/wollensak-catalogs-etc/

Roger

Thanks a lot..what a complete lens database !

 

[Guna Dwi]

If I may interject as I just got here on page 6 and too much to go through.

Have we bought the 10-lens kit yet?

Yes! Actually it's 13 lenses but already sold some of them that i dont use much

 

[Guna Dwi]

135 answers! The Wollensak lens is probably from a 6X6cm box of some sort. It won't cover much more than that. The rest from your original inquiry are Kraft Macaroni and Cheese from a box.

Thanks, that's make sense.
I thought it's for 4x5

 

[Guna Dwi]

I just got Copal 3 lens board for Nikkor W 300/5.6
But apparently it doesnt fit to my Chamonix N2.
I think the rear optic is too big for chamonix front standard. And the lensboard locking system cannot accept it.
Is it so or am i missing something?

 

[138S]

You may try this: Remove the rear cell of the W 300, mount what remains in the front standard, then screew in the rear cell from the back.

Problem is that doing this in the field is a bit risky, but IMO it is no problem if done very carefully, personally to make those those things I put the dark cloth on the camera box, and I put the lens+lensboard on it to remove a cell (convertible symmars...) if not... soon or late a cell may fall to the ground. Also the inner elements and shutter may take some dust, but IMO this is not an issue.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I just got Copal 3 lens board for Nikkor W 300/5.6
But apparently it doesnt fit to my Chamonix N2.
I think the rear optic is too big for chamonix front standard. And the lensboard locking system cannot accept it.
Is it so or am i missing something?

Do you mean rear element is larger than lens board across or larger than opening in the front standard? If so there is no cure as even if rear element is screwed in from behind it will more than likely touch bellows on the inside. And you would be doing bellows disfavor trying to fit a large chunk from behind that is too big for available space to begin with.

 

[Guna Dwi]

Do you mean rear element is larger than lens board across or larger than opening in the front standard? If so there is no cure as even if rear element is screwed in from behind it will more than likely touch bellows on the inside. And you would be doing bellows disfavor trying to fit a large chunk from behind that is too big for available space to begin with.

No, the rear element is smaller than the openning but for some reasons it can't through in..i try mount the rear element from behind and it works

 

[Guna Dwi]

You may try this: Remove the rear cell of the W 300, mount what remains in the front standard, then screew in the rear cell from the back.

Problem is that doing this is the field is a bit risky, but IMO it is no problem if done very carefully, personally to make those those things I put the dark cloth on the camera box, and I put the lens+lensboard on it to remove a cell (convertible symmars...) if not... soon or late a cell may fall to the ground. Also the inner elements and shutter may take some dust, but IMO this is not an issue.

Thanks a lot..it works!

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Good thing it works from behind, but I don't get how it did not fit through if smaller. I don't own 45N2 but it seems a simple affair to mount a lens board on it from pics of it.

 

[Guna Dwi]

Good thing it works from behind, but I don't get how it did not fit through if smaller. I don't own 45N2 but it seems a simple affair to mount a lens board on it from pics of it.

I thought so that simple..but when i tried it, the rear element hit top of lensboard opening and can't get in.

 

[138S]

it works!

hmmm... that N2 looks impressive with such a big eye !!!

the W 300 is top notch gear, really top notch, I use the 360 version for 8x10 and I'm impressed... but if has a very large image circle (allowing larger formats) that may generate some flare as rays may bounce inside, specailly if bellows are very extended providing a "tunnel". If the case, you may use a compendium shade to trim the image circle.

 

[Guna Dwi]

hmmm... that N2 looks impressive with such a big eye !!!

the W 300 is top notch gear, really top notch, I use the 360 version for 8x10 and I'm impressed... but if has a very large image circle (allowing larger formats) that may generate some flare as rays may bounce inside, specailly if bellows are very extended providing a "tunnel". If the case, you may use a compendium shade to trim the image circle.

Do you think using top hat lensboard would be the best way to use this lens?

Which Nikkor 360, the Telephoto one?

 

[138S]

Do you think using top hat lensboard would be the best way to use this lens?

Which Nikkor 360, the Telephoto one?

Your camera has 395mm max extension while this lens requires 284.9mm to focus infinite, so you should be able to focus closer than 2m (1.2m perhaps), if I calculated it right (https://www.kennethleegallery.com/html/tech/bellows.php) so you don't need much the extension board for this lens, but I don't know if your bellows are too stretched at max extension, which can provocate internal reflexions ending on the film sheet, so IMO what you should check is if your bellows are long enough, as said, this can also be overcomed with a compendium shade to trim the excessive circle.

The nikkor 360 I shot with is the W 360, mainly for 8x10, and also the W 210 that nearly covers 8x10 and can be it used for that, both are superb. Anyway it's dificult to find a modern LF plasmat lens that is not delivering a crazy good yield. John Sexton exceptional master made most of his work with those Nikkors, still he owned several units of the same model to get top perfomers as there is some variability from sample to sample, for sure me and many would not absolutely notice any flaw in the glasses he replaced, but that variability existed in the production of all manufacturers.