Nikkor Ultra-Micro 165mm f4

[NWphotos]

Does anyone know how difficult it would be to adapt this lense for use on a LF camera? I have one and hope it is possible.

Thanks in advance!

David

[pierre506]

It's a heavy, gorgeous lens and ONLY for micro photography.
What size is your LF camera? Bellows length?
What things do you want to shoot?
...

[Dan Fromm]

http://homepage2.nifty.com/akiyanroom/redbook-e/ultra/um165.html

Don't take it apart to put the cells in a shutter, hang a shutter in front of it or mount it in front of a shutter.

[Amedeus]

I second Dan's opinion ... don't put this lens in a shutter but use a Packard or Sinar Copal shutter behind the lens ... Pretty sure one could even use a Copal 3 shutter behind the lens ... It shouldn't be too difficult to mount this lens on a lens board ... Very nice find !

[Chauncey Walden]

So it will almost produce a 6x6cm image on 120 film? Or will you mount it the other way and shoot a 6x6cm subject (if you have enough bellows)?

[Amedeus]

I guess this lens made it to the auction site ...

[Amedeus]

This lens is capable of 40 times magnification with 7 meters of bellows ...


So it will almost produce a 6x6cm image on 120 film? Or will you mount it the other way and shoot a 6x6cm subject (if you have enough bellows)?

[Bernice Loui]

These speciality optics were specifically developed for production of semiconductor photo mask. They are optimized for monochromatic (single color) light to deliver high resolution. They can be used to make photographic images, know they are not optimized for this and their designed image circle is limited along with their optima reproduction ratio.

http://www.nikon.com/about/feelnikon/recollections/r18_e/index.htm


Zeiss made their version of semiconductor mask lenses known as S- Planar and S-Biogon with similar limitations.


The rave about these lenses in photographic circles is their published LPM of over 300 LPM which gave the impression that these lenses must be beyond extremely sharp when used to make photographs.. except folks who seek this many not understand these lenses only deliver this level of performance under very controlled conditions.



Bernice



Does anyone know how difficult it would be to adapt this lense for use on a LF camera? I have one and hope it is possible.

Thanks in advance!

David

[Nathan Potter]

The 165 mm, f/4 Ultra Micro Nikkor was designed for making photomasks from B&W or Rubylith copy at 40X reduction. Years ago (around mid seventies) I used one of these for producing 2 µm features on Kodak High Resolution Glass Plates. IIRC the plates were about 2 X 2 inch square. In reduction mode the image circle was about 55 mm.

The caveat for obtaining the high resolution was to use monochromatic light at e line (about 550 nm) which is green in color since the high degree of correction was based on 546 nm. Also the optical design is optimized for 1/40X so for normal reduction the useable image won't cover 4X5 format.

It would be useful in the reverse mode for macro work at 40X (hugh bellows needed as pointed out above) but would be quite deficient at a magnification factor to just fill a 4X5 to 8X10 format. Pretty astounding at 40X though where the 2 µm subject resolution would be about 80 µm on film at f/4 and with a vanishingly tiny DOF.

These were legendary lenses at the time until equaled and surpassed by some of the Canon mirror optics for micro lithography.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[NWphotos]

This lens is indeed special, I would never in a million years take it apart! Nate you are right on the money, this lens was used by a friend who did photomask work, the company is doing only specialty work now and they had several lenses to rehome, this being one. If it were something I could utilize with 4x5 I would keep it, but it seems like it would be difficult to adapt to this format.
Thank you to all of you!

David