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View Full Version : Fujinon SWD 75/5.6 on Crown Graphic? Lens price?



engl
13-Jul-2010, 08:05
A local store has a Fujinon SWD 75/5.6 (outer lettering, Copal C shutter) for 295$ and Im considering buying it. First I have some questions though:

1. Is that a good price? I have not been able to find what these usually go for, but it seems like a well regarded 75mm lens, and other 75/5.6 recently sold over at eBay are considerably more expensive. The one for sale has excellent shutter/glass, only some cosmetic marks on the aperture ring.

2. How well would the lens work on a Pacemaker Crown Graphic? From what I have read, it should work, but what about movements? Rise is what I need most. What about focusing? I have read I need to use drop bed, would not this make focusing a mess?

3. Would you recommend a center filter when using this lens with negative film? Seems unnecessary, but if anyone disagrees Id like to hear.

Im pretty new to LF photography and have only bought one lens, a Fujunon NW 125/5.6 Im very satisfied with, but I find myself wanting to go wider.

BradS
13-Jul-2010, 09:00
That seems like a very good price...maybe too good. Make sure that the shutter works and that it is the correct shutter - not some older crap that was swapped in. Also inspect the optic carefully...these lenses used to fetch $600 easily. I know that the market is depressed but this seems too good to be true.

The lens will be a major pain in the ass to use with a Crown Graphic. You must drop the bed and the lens will end up right at or very near the hinge. Focusing will be near impossible and the bellows will be too compressed to allow any movements.

Center filter not generally needed with this lens when shooting print film.


It is a fine lens but, not at all suited to the Crown Graphic.

Dan Fromm
13-Jul-2010, 12:21
Focusing shouldn't be a problem. This because the inner and outer bed rails are linked.

FWIW, I shoot 35/4.5 Apo Grandagon, 38/4,5 Biogon (doesn't cover the format), 47/5.6 SA, ... on 2x3 with a Century Graphic (= cheaper version of the 2x3 Crown) without difficulty.

Your camera's minimum flange-to-film distance is 52.4 mm, the Fuji's is 85 mm. See http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/fujinon_1.html. Rise should be possible. I'm not going to look up how deep the 4x5 Crown's body is; if lens makes infinity with the front standard inside the body, the front wire frame finder will limit rise. I solved this problem with my Century by removing the frame finder from the front standard.

engl
13-Jul-2010, 12:34
Thank you for your reply! Yes, the price is indeed low, but the "local store" happens to be one of best places in Tokyo to pick up used gear at excellent prices. I do not doubt that they are being honest when I asked them if there were any problems with the lens. The sticker had the word "old version" which may explain why it was a lot cheaper than the other (cosmetically better) SWD 75/5.6 with the more recent Copal shutter for 450$.

Anyway, looks like I may pass on the lens. My budget really does not allow for another camera at this time, and it seems the SWD 75/5.6 would be rather limited on my Crown. I dont mind having to drop the bed, but the lens ending up on the hinge does seem like a big problem, and I absolutely need to use rise.

They also did have that SWD 90/5.6 at 260$, reduced price because of some insignificant scratches to the front element. SW 90/8 in super condition for 230$...

That store (Sanpou camera) is a goldmine. I passed on a Fujinon NW-125/5.6 (same lens I already have) for 100$. Never could figure out why it was priced so low, shutter and glass in good condition, no problems when I inquired. It was gone the day after :)

engl
13-Jul-2010, 12:42
Another reply appeared while I was writing the one above to BradS.

Thank you for your reply Dan! So there might be hope still...

I had an idea and would like to hear if it sounds somewhat accurate. Am I able to approximate movements at infinity with a 75mm lens by putting my 125mm lens 50mm behind its infinity stops? Both lenses are symmetrical designs I believe.

BradS
13-Jul-2010, 13:12
I guess I assumed you were talking about a 4x5 Crown Graphic. If you have 2x3 Crown Graphic then disregard what I said above (except the part about the price!). However, if you have a 4x5 crown Graphic...what I said above holds.

engl
13-Jul-2010, 13:22
I have the 4x5 Pacemaker Crown Graphic.

BradS
13-Jul-2010, 13:26
Thank you for your reply! Yes, the price is indeed low, but the "local store" happens to be one of best places in Tokyo to pick up used gear at excellent prices. I do not doubt that they are being honest when I asked them if there were any problems with the lens. The sticker had the word "old version" which may explain why it was a lot cheaper than the other (cosmetically better) SWD 75/5.6 with the more recent Copal shutter for 450$.

Ah...Tokyo. Yes. You can be certain that they will be honest.



I dont mind having to drop the bed, but the lens ending up on the hinge does seem like a big problem, and I absolutely need to use rise.

....and....



I had an idea and would like to hear if it sounds somewhat accurate. Am I able to approximate movements at infinity with a 75mm lens by putting my 125mm lens 50mm behind its infinity stops? Both lenses are symmetrical designs I believe.

In short...yes. You can get a feel for how the lens would be on your camera by moving the front standard to a position that approximates the focal length of the lens (over simplified) just as you suggest above. In my experience with the 4x5 Crown Graphic, this ends up being very near the hing - either right in front of the hinge or half on the front rail and half kinda dangling in space (once the bed is dropped). It would be much more usable if you can get it to the very back part of the front rail. Depends upon how far away you want to focus. Anyway, with the front standard nearly in the box, front rise will be very difficult at best.

engl
15-Jul-2010, 12:33
Ive tried mounting my current lens at about the distance a 75mm lens would be at. This puts the lens inside the box. The bellows can do a fair bit of rise at this distance, however, the wire frame finder gets in the way. The problem Im not able to remove it, as the rise knobs on the front standard are stuck.

The same issue prevents me front reversing the front standard, which is kind of an issue with the 125mm lens I have now. Id like down tilt, but that is not possible unless using a lens long enough to be on the outer rails (drop bed + rise).

Anyway, no 75mm lens for me. Thanks for the responses!

David Karp
15-Jul-2010, 14:04
Check out http://www.largeformatphotography.info/cameras/pacemaker/ to see a photo of my Crown with a 75mm Grandagon-N on it. It works just fine. However, there is not much movement available on the Crown itself. It has been a while, but I recall that the frame on the top of the front standard hits the inside of the camera box when you apply rise, so it may be somewhat limited.

That price on the 75mm Fuji is smoking. It is probably a good thing I don't get to visit Tokyo! At those prices I would probably eventually own every focal length!

That 125mm NW is a nice lens on the Crown. $100! I did pay $100 plus shipping for a nice 180mm f/5.6 Fuji W with a scuffed up shutter once. The seller was in Japan.