Is a 300mm lense a use focal length for 4x5???

[Len Middleton]

I have been looking the Nikkor lenses catalog and there are two type of long lenses, Type T and Type W (this is a broad rage of lenses). They mark T as real telephoto lenses. What is the real difference between two types?

Take a closer look at the specifications for the two lenses.

The W is a general purpose lens (plasmat design) with a large image circle (300 covers 10x12) and requiring a lot of bellows (approx 300mm at infinity).

The T is a telephoto lens (telephoto design) with a smaller image circle (the 360 covers 5x7), but requires much less bellows.

For 4x5, the 360 T would cover and could likely accommodate the bellows draw of a small 4x5 camera.

[EdoNork]

Thank you very much, Len.
Any word about image quality?

[Nathan Potter]

Edo, I've used both of these lenses but now stick with the 360 T ED, mostly because I can convert it to a 500 mm by changing the rear section. I have a sense in general that the 300 might have a slight edge in sharpness but the 360 T uses some ED glass which appears to yield better contrast for longer landscape images. For portraiture I'd choose the 300 W.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[EdoNork]

I will be using it for landscapes. 360 T is the choice, the image circle is enough.
Thank you.

[Brian Vuillemenot]

450 mm is at least my second most often, and perhaps most often used, lens on 4X5. I use the 300 mm quite a bit, too.