Fuji 210 WS 5.6..do I have the wide-coverage one?

[Gene McCluney]

I got this Fujinon.W S f5.6 210mm lens. It was sold to me as being the one that has the enormous coverage suitable as a wide-angle on 8x10.

In looking over the older lens specifications linked from the home page of this Large Format forum, I can't actually find a "W S" Fujinon, rather there are "S" and "NWS" lenses, and while the lens exhibits characteristic manufacturing features of the older Fuji lenses, such as engraving on the front ring, rather than on the outside..the Seiko shutter it is mounted in has a maximum marked aperture of f6.7, while the lens has an engraved maximum aperture of F5.6.

So, what I have is a "Fujinon.W S 1:5.6/210" Serial No. 214128, mounted in a Seiko shutter with aperture marks from f6.7 to f64. The aperture does open up a wee bit past the f6.7 mark.

Any info would be appreciated. I have not put the lens on the camera yet.

[Gem Singer]

If it takes a 58mm screw-in filter, it probably is the older wide coverage model.

See: www.willwilson.com/byfl.htm for the specs. on Fujinon lenses.

[David Karp]

Sounds like the cells were put in a different shutter somewhere along the line.

Engraving on the front ring makes it most likely that it is single coated, which would make it the older version of the 210. However, I think that Kerry's website or article in View Camera on Fujinon lenses indicated that there were some EBC coated lenses with the lettering on the front of the ring.

[Gene McCluney]

If it takes a 58mm screw-in filter, it probably is the older wide coverage model.

See: www.willwilson.com/byfl.htm for the specs. on Fujinon lenses.

For some reason, I have never been able to get that web site to work, all I get is empty columns where the data is supposed to be.

[Gem Singer]

The "S" probably stands for Seiko shutter. At one time Fuji was using both Seiko and Copal shutters.

I believe Seiko shutters were phased out around the time that the "NW" version was phased in. Their lenses were then mounted in Copal shutters.

Fuji engraved the inscription "W" on their lenses, but referred to them as "NW" in their literature.

The most recent "W's" are labeled "CM-W".

[Gem Singer]

Gene,

Thats strange. When I click on the link, it opens immediately, and all of the columns fill in.

Perhaps it's because I'm using a Mac?

[benrains]

I'm guessing that's one of the recent pair offered in the classifieds section here in the Seiko shutter? From the look of it, the lens elements seem to be correct for the old style 210/5.6. The rear one is quite a bit a larger than the front, but it looks to be mounted in a Seiko with the scale from a different lens. In one of the photos you can see the marking "LS24" (probably the one that's supposed to be for the old style Fujinon 250/6.7). My 210/5.6 is also in a Seiko shutter, and the scale on mine is labeled as "LS23". I wouldn't expect you'd have any trouble with the sharpness and coverage of the lens, however, I think it's likely the aperture markings on your Seiko's scale aren't going to match up with the real apertures for the 210/5.6 lens. Just looking at my old style 210/5.6, I can see that the '8' for f/8 is directly adjacent to the leading '2' for the '250' shutter speed. On the scale on your shutter the '8' is adjacent to the trailing '0' for the '400' speed. That's about 1/2 stop off.

Also, my thinking is similar to Gem's regarding the 'S' on the lenses meaning it was originally sold mounted in a Seiko shutter. All the other discussions of I've read about the why some of the old lenses are marked 'Fujinon-WS' and some are marked 'Fujinon-W' are either that it was random or that the 'S' stood for one mounted in a 'shutter' but neither of those explanations are particularly convincing to me.

[Andrea Gazzoni]

again on Fujinons...in a G.A.S. attack I've bought my second 210mm and found there are differences in shape between the Seiko (WS) and the Copal (W) version.
as the pictures attached show

• the Copal has the same diameter on front and rear cells, the Seiko has a larger rear cell

• the elements have different design: the WS's are stocky, the W's are more "slender"

• both are 5.6, but the scale of Seiko ends at 64, the Copal at 45

• both shutter have 1/400th second max time

• both lenses have front inner lettering

• Seiko has slightly larger iris aperture than Copal at the very same f-stop (maybe obvious since the rear cell of Seiko is larger?)

Commons sense and house rent will probably encourage me to sell one of these boys, until then I can answer questions and produce detailed pictures to any fellow member who may need it.

My only question is: is the image circle 352mm for both? is there a way to measure it without technical tools? I have just inspected the corners of my 8x10 groundglass and found that for the same subject I have to close 1/3 stop more on the Copal to exclude vignetting... again, is this normal since the rear cell is a little narrower than the Seiko?

thank you
Andre

[Andrea Gazzoni]

couldn't resist...sorry, we're drinking Fragolino down here

[Louis Pacilla]

Thanks bardamu.

That's funny & man how I needed a good chuckle .

Peace
Louis