I also asked this question over on the APUG forum to solicit as many opinions as possible:
I'm considering moving up to 7x17 and have a question about lenses longer than 600mm/24" on this format. This is not the typical question about what lenses are available (I am familiar with the options) and how much they cover. It is a question about actual usage. Specifically, for all you 7x17 shooters, do you use a lens longer than 600mm/24" on this format. And if so, how often?
The reason I ask, is maximum bellows draw is one of the main considerations when purchasing a 7x17 camera. For me personally, camera weight is also an issue. I realize no 7x17 is going to be ultralight, but I'm not eager to carry more weight than necessary unless I really need it. I already own a 600mm Fujinon C, which is longer than normal on 7x17. If that ends up as my longest lens for 7x17, I can get by with a lightweight camera with a fairly short bellows. For anything longer, I start to get into heavier, bulkier, more expensive cameras and bigger and bulkier lenses that need a sturdy front standard to support them at full extension.
I currently shoot quite a bit of 4x10 and my lens kit consists of 110mm, 150mm, 210mm, 300mm and 450mm. The 150mm and 210mm are my most used focal lengths, followed by the 110mm and 300mm. The 450mm is my least used lens on 4x10, but I do use it on occasion, and I always carry it in my pack as it's just so darn small and light (it's a 450mm Fujinon C, which I also plan to use on 7x17).
I already have lenses in the 240mm, 355mm, 450mm and 600mm focal lengths that cover 7x17. This seems like a pretty good assortment of focal lengths. It doesn't quite cover the extremes at the wide and long ends that my 4x10 kit does, but it does covers the range from wide to moderately long quite well. Doing the math, the 600mm Fuji on 7x17 would be equal to about a 355mm lens on 4x10 and it would take a lens in the 750mm/30" range on 7x17 to equate to the 450mm I use as my longest lens on 4x10.
My gut instinct tells me I can probably get by without anything longer than the 600mm Fuji on 7x17, but I'd like to hear from users with more experience on this format. Buying a 7x17 camera is a spendy proposition and I don't want to buy one only to find out later the bellows are too short to meet my needs. On the other hand, I also don't wish to spend more money on a heavier camera if I'll never use the added bellows extension.
So, all you 7x17 shooters. Do you use lenses longer than 600mm/24"? How often (compared to shorter lenses)? What is the max. bellows extension of your camera? Do you ever wish you'd bought a camera with a longer bellows, or are you happy with what you've got? If you were shopping for your dream 7x17 camera, what is the absolute shortest maximum extension you'd consider mandatory on this format?
Thanks,
Kerry
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