Nikkor-W 300mm f/5.6

[CassJohnson]

Hello The specs on this say its image circle is 10" x 12" My question is whether or not its a good lens for the 8x10 camera.

[karl french]

It is an excellent lens for 8x10, if you can stand the weight. All modern 300/5.6 Plasmats are big and heavy.

[Alan Gales]

If you are looking for a sharp, contrasty lens in a modern Copal 3 shutter with plenty of coverage for 8x10 then you should like it very much.

As far as being heavy, welcome to 8x10! :)

[Leigh]

Yes, it's large.
Yes, it's heavy (almost 3 pounds).

Yes, it's excellent.
At least mine is.

I don't understand the "10" x 12" image circle" comment. An image circle is a circle, by definition.
That of the Nikkor W 5.6/300mm is 420mm, almost a full 100mm larger than the 8x10 diagonal.

- Leigh

[karl french]

The 10x12 thing shows up in the Nikon Literature. Both for the 300/5.6 and the 450/9.

[Leigh]

The 10x12 thing shows up in the Nikon Literature. Both for the 300/5.6 and the 450/9.
That's a parenthetical note, showing one example of a format that would be covered.

The spec is 420mm.

- Leigh

[CassJohnson]

Wow, This is awesome news. I think the Nikon 300 5.6 might be my start up lens. I've been looking at a couple of Schneider 300's it looks like they're much smaller, but I'm not sure if they'll cover the 8 x 10. Does anyone have experience with Schneider?

[Leigh]

Does anyone have experience with Schneider?
No experience, but I do have one Schneider 300mm in my database, the f/5.6 APO-Symmar.
Comparing it with the Nikkor f/5.6 W:
The Schneider IC is 425mm; the Nikkor is 420mm.
The Schneider weighs 1155 grams; the Nikkor 1250 grams
The Schneider flange focal length is 281.4mm, slightly shorter than the Nikkor 287.1mm.
The Schneider takes a 105mm filter; the Nikkor takes a 95mm filter.

Conclusion: Different designs.

Of course, there are other 300mm Schneider lenses.

- Leigh

[MAubrey]

Wow, This is awesome news. I think the Nikon 300 5.6 might be my start up lens. I've been looking at a couple of Schneider 300's it looks like they're much smaller, but I'm not sure if they'll cover the 8 x 10. Does anyone have experience with Schneider?

Any Schneider plasmat design (i.e. anything with the word 'symmar' in it) will cover 8x10.

[karl french]

If you're set on a modern 300/5.6 plasmat, in my opinion the Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-N 300/5.6 is the best combination of image circle and size. A bit smaller and lighter than either the Nikon or the Schneider but throws the same 425mm image circle.

All these lenses we are discussing are very sharp. When I was shooting 4x5, I shot with a Nikkor W 150/5.6 quite a bit. It was a good lens, I'm sure you'd be happy with the 300/5.6.

[Sal Santamaura]

...My question is whether or not its a good lens for the 8x10 camera.In my experience, if sharpness is at all important to you, it's an excellent 8x10 normal lens. See this:


http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?71322-f64&p=1321449&viewfull=1#post1321449

[dodphotography]

Super sharp, lens was used by Alec Soth in his work during Sleeping On the Mississippi