age of Nikon and Fuji LF lenses

[Matus Kalisky]

Hi. This is probably not that important, but once you are buying some used lens it is good to have a guess on the age of it (though it of course must not be directly connected with the condition of the lens). So my question would be - is there anybody out there having some information about this (THIS == age of nikkor or fujinon LF lenses)? It seems to be rather hard to find as very few producer followed the Schneider way of sharing the information about their products.

.. yes, I still did not manage to get the Tachihara yet - I hope for Photokina in September.

M..

[steve simmons]

If you look around the web there have been artilces done on these lenses that give their age and how to determine by seriel number.

steve simmons
www.viewcamera.com

[Michael S. Briggs]

Rodenstock and Schneider assign serial numbers in a single sequence across their entire product lines, which makes for an easy system to use to deduce the date -- one serial number versus date table applies to all lenses regardless of lens model. In contrast, Fuji and Nikon assign serial numbers in blocks to each lens model. This makes deducing the date more complicated -- a separate table would be needed for each lens model. I don't know of any such tables being publically available. (Serial number ranges are available for 35 mm Nikkors.)

There is a discussion of Fuji serial numbers at http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/fujinon.htm

For Fuji, some lens models have changed, and Copal shutter styles have changed (and very early lenses can be in Seiko shutters), which can be used as date clues.

[Matus Kalisky]

Let's make it in a different way.
I know there is a VERY nice webpage about the fuji lenses : (http://members.aol.com/subgallery/) but the do not have any information connectiong the Serial numbers and the year of the production.

Now I would like to ask YOU - yes, exactely you who have bought your fujinon or nikkor LF lenses NEW, so you approximately can estimate the production date to SHARE the serial numbers and year of the purchase, so we could put together here some estimates. Of course it will be nice if you would ad some description (type and color of the shutter and wheter is the lens marked from outside or from inside). So, come on!

thanks

MAtus

[Diane Maher]

Now I would like to ask YOU - yes, exactely you who have bought your fujinon or nikkor LF lenses NEW, so you approximately can estimate the production date to SHARE the serial numbers and year of the purchase, so we could put together here some estimates. Of course it will be nice if you would ad some description (type and color of the shutter and wheter is the lens marked from outside or from inside). So, come on!

thanks

MAtus

I bought a 300 mm Fujinon-C new when I first started out in 8x10 three years ago. I bought a 90 mm Nikkor-SW new a couple of years ago. How do I know what the production date is based on when I bought the lens? Since then I've bought several other Nikkors used, so can't help you there.

[Arne Croell]

Matus, there is some information on Kerry's Fujinon page:

http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/...htm#unofficial

On that page, he essentially asked what you said, too, to provide the serial no. and date of purchase for new lenses. You might want to get in contact with him before you duplicate efforts. Its a pretty big undertaking, since you need several data points for each type and focal length of lens.
With respect to Nikon, there was very little change between the time they had introduced the lens lines (late 1970's - early 1980's) and their discontinuation (a few months ago). The only exceptions I am aware of are the discontinuation of the Nikkor-M 105mm and a change of the filter size for the Nikkor-W 210mm from 77 (or 72?) to 67 mm.

[Matus Kalisky]

- all -

Yes I am aware of the webpage of Kerry Thalmann but I was not prbably reading that page. Excuse me for that. I really do not intedn to duplicate efforts. But Kerry made it clear that Fuji is using some compitated way of numbering the lenses, so more imput wouldreally help to "calibrate".

O course, it would be much better if anybody who has some information to share would send it to Kerry. But it would be nice if he/she would drop a few lines to this tread so it would not get lost and forgotten in a week or two.

[Oren Grad]

With respect to Nikon, there was very little change between the time they had introduced the lens lines (late 1970's - early 1980's) and their discontinuation (a few months ago). The only exceptions I am aware of are the discontinuation of the Nikkor-M 105mm and a change of the filter size for the Nikkor-W 210mm from 77 (or 72?) to 67 mm.

Sometime late in the run, an iris that better approximates a circular opening is said to have been introduced on some of the Nikkors (designated as "S type"). I've never seen one, so I don't know how much of a difference there really is. I have a list of which lenses were affected in one of my Japanese references - could dig it up if anyone's interested.

[Arne Croell]

Sometime late in the run, an iris that better approximates a circular opening is said to have been introduced on some of the Nikkors (designated as "S type"). I've never seen one, so I don't know how much of a difference there really is. I have a list of which lenses were affected in one of my Japanese references - could dig it up if anyone's interested.

That would be interesting to know, Oren. I remember being told that the 7-blade iris of the Copal no. 0 (vs. the older 5-blade version) was exclusive to Nikon for several years before other companies could get it from Copal. I don't have proof of that, but it sounds similar to your information.

[Oren Grad]

I remember being told that the 7-blade iris of the Copal no. 0 (vs. the older 5-blade version) was exclusive to Nikon for several years before other companies could get it from Copal. I don't have proof of that, but it sounds similar to your information.

Arne, that's very interesting, and may in fact be all that's going on here. I just checked my Nippon Camera annuals, and the Nikkors listed as "S" types are all of those offered in Copal 0 and none of those in larger shutters. And the footnote explaining what "S" means says that it refers to a 7-bladed iris.

The oldest edition of the NC Annual that I have is 1995 and the "S" designation is already there; I don't know when before that it was introduced. My foggy recollection of "late in the run" may well be incorrect.