Long focal length lenses, 600 - 1200mm, Nikkor vs. Fujinon ??

[Bill Glickman]

If lens manufactures direct lens aberrations towards the outer most edges of the image circle, then wouldn't it be true that a lens that offers a much larger im age circle would create a sharper image on the film. (i.e. all other things bei ng equal, and no camera movements to loose the center of the image on film) For example, the Nikkor 600mm, 800mm and 1200mm all have image circle that barely f ills the 8x10 film area, however the Fujinon lenses in the same focal length cov ers well over (135%) the 8x10 film area. Which of these two manufacturer would create better images in these focal lengths? Any input would be helpful, thank you.

[Ellis Vener]

"If lens manufactures direct lens aberrations towards the outer most edges of th e image circle..."

I am not sure this is a correct supposition on your part.

"For example, the Nikkor 600mm, 800mm and 1200mm all have image circle that bare ly fills the 8x10 film area, however the Fujinon lenses in the same focal length covers well over (135%) the 8x10 film area." Are you comparing the Nikkor telephotos to Fuji telephotos (AKA Fujinon-T) or Fu jinon C lenses? Process lenses of these focal lengths have even bigger image circles, that does not mean that they are optimized for landscape photography.

[Alan Gibson]

If I had to choose between two lenses, where one exactly covered my negative, and the other other had a much larger image circle, and I didn't need movements, I would suspect that the lens with the smaller image circle MIGHT give higher quality, because there are always trade-offs, and something would have to be sacrificed to get the larger circle. Of course, that "something" might be price.

No, I don't think the manufacturers you refer to "direct lens aberrations towards the outer most edges of the image circle". True, it is possible, and a manufacturer could decide to trade-off edge properties against on-axis properties, but such an effect would be swamped by the trade-offs involved in increasing the image circle. Besides, high quality lenses more usually have a goal of consistency across the field.