Just bought a Fujinon 135/5.6 W ( first type )

[Mark J]

I though I'd launch a thread about this lens, as it seems like a bargain, and could be of interest to others shooting 5x7" and 4x5".
I've only just paid for the lens on EBay, but will report back periodically once I've received it and started using it.
I particularly want to see how it performs on 5x7" , and will try to do a couple of test shots to illustrate centre and corner performance.

Although I have a few more modern lenses, I have been looking at this one and checking EBay for a while, because it seems particularly useful.
Its plus points are :
Lightweight for carrying/hiking, Seiko 0 shutter
Pretty cheap
Works as a wide on 5x7" ( 28mm equiv ) with a small amount of movement
Works as a wide-standard ( 38mm equiv ) on 4x5" with lots of movement

There are always a few of these on EBay, but most or all of them have problems ( fungus/haze) . This one seemed to be among the cleanest I'd found so far, the shutter looks lightly used, and it was less than $200 including postage.

Obviously there are later ones with Copal shutters, but the NW and the CM-W don't cover 5x7" (at least on paper they don't ).
Actually, there is one currently for sale of the earlier type that does have a Copal shutter , but there is a comment about 'slight haze in the lens' which made me avoid it.

[paulbarden]

Haze is easily removed, since it’s deposited on the air spaced glass surfaces. Access to those surfaces is usually as simple as unscrewing the components. A bit of haze in a lens shouldn’t be a deterrent.

[Kevin Crisp]

I always look very carefully at the ad, and if there is any rim damage that would prevent me from disassembling it front or back (normally easy with the SK Grimes wrench) I avoid it. Even if the seller says "it takes a filter." Some lenses just seem to develop haze and normally you can take care of that in 15 minutes or less.

Except for rare situations where multicoating really would make a difference, I've been pleased with mine.

[ic-racer]

Nice lens. I have 4 or 5 Fujinon with the inside lettering like that. Though, I don't have the 135mm. Let us know how it works out. I suspect it will be a fantastic performer.

"Haze" either wipes off easily or is permanent. No way to tell beforehand.

[paulbarden]

Nice lens. I have 4 or 5 Fujinon with the inside lettering like that. Though, I don't have the 135mm. Let us know how it works out. I suspect it will be a fantastic performer.

"Haze" either wipes off easily or is permanent. No way to tell beforehand.

Permanent haze is very, very rare, in my experience.

[Mark J]

I didn't want to take the risk, when buying from Japan. It may be rarely serious but I see 'haze' as a catch-all which might include some coating deterioration.
Plus I didn't want to be opening up either the front or the rear group if it was internal to those.
The Copal-shutter one is still out there.

[Dan Fromm]

It may be rarely serious but I see 'haze' as a catch-all which might include some coating deterioration.

Wise. I once bought a late WW-II vintage coated Aviar that had haze I couldn't clean off. Close examination found that the front glass had many many tiny pits.

[Alan9940]

I have this version and, also, the slightly later NW version. Personally, I found the earlier version to exhibit corners that were too soft for my taste; and, this was on 4x5. In my experience, the later NW version is not that much larger (both in a 0-size shutter) with significantly better corner performance. The earlier one is single coated, while the later has EBC coating. Not that I care one way or the other about that...just mentioning it.

[AJ Edmondson]

I have one of these (in Seiko shutter) which was in beautiful condition. I sent it off to Carol Flutot (just the shutter) for a CLA and it has been my favorite lens for over ten years... to the extent that I seldom use any other lens and it stays mounted on my Wista 45SP. The only lens which I have found that was equal in performance was a 165mm f6.8 Schneider Angulon. For me there is something about these single-coated lenses that is almost magical.
Joel

[willwilson]

This my primary 4x5 lens. I have had 2 copies and now shoot with a newer version with the lettering on the outside and larger front filter ring.

It may be in my head but I like the newer version better. That said I have taken several hundred photos with the older single coated inside letter version.

It's the perfect focal length for me 90% of the time and it's decent macro lens too. Small, light, hard to beat.