Fujinon L series

[Colin Graham]

Did Fujinon ever make a 240 or 250mm version of this? I know about the 210, 300, and 420- any other lenses in this line?

[Leigh]

I know about the 210, 300, and 420- any other lenses in this line?
The list I have shows those three focal lengths.
There were multiple versions of each, but no other focal lengths.

- Leigh

[Colin Graham]

Thanks.

[consummate_fritterer]

I apologize because you surely know the L Series are Tessar design. Have you tried a 250mm Ektar in exc. condition?

[drew.saunders]

The Fujinar lenses are also Tessar designs, and Fuji made a 25cm f/4.5. It's f/4.5 in the Shamal shutter, and f/4.7 in a Copal 3 shutter, which is probably easier to find and definitely easier to repair. I have a Fujinar 25cm f/4.7 and it's one of my favorite lenses. They're single coated, but I don't recall having any flare problems, especially since I use a Lee hood. Wide open, it's a bit of a "gentle focus" lens (not a real soft focus lens, just a bit more forgiving than other designs), but at f/11 and down, I couldn't tell the difference between it and my 250 f/6.3 Fuji, so I sold the 250/6.3.

[Colin Graham]

No, thanks for mentioning it- I had it in my head that there was only the gauss wide field 250. Didn't realize that there was a 6.3 tessar Commercial Ektar as well.


I apologize because you surely know the L Series are Tessar design. Have you tried a 250mm Ektar in exc. condition?

[Colin Graham]

The Fujinar lenses are also Tessar designs, and Fuji made a 25cm f/4.5. It's f/4.5 in the Shamal shutter, and f/4.7 in a Copal 3 shutter, which is probably easier to find and definitely easier to repair. I have a Fujinar 25cm f/4.7 and it's one of my favorite lenses. They're single coated, but I don't recall having any flare problems, especially since I use a Lee hood. Wide open, it's a bit of a "gentle focus" lens (not a real soft focus lens, just a bit more forgiving than other designs), but at f/11 and down, I couldn't tell the difference between it and my 250 f/6.3 Fuji, so I sold the 250/6.3.

Thanks Drew, I'll look around for one.

[Oren Grad]

...and Fuji made a 25cm f/4.5. It's f/4.5 in the Shamal shutter...

Shanel.

Also, IIRC the f/4.7 is in Copal 3S - not a huge deal, except when you thought you had a 3 and you're trying to fit it to a lensboard already drilled for that. :)

[consummate_fritterer]

No, thanks for mentioning it- I had it in my head that there was only the gauss wide field 250. Didn't realize that there was a 6.3 tessar Commercial Ektar as well.

It's actually a 10" (254mm).

[B.S.Kumar]

The Shanel shutters were made by Musashino-Koki, which later became Rittreck and then Wista. There are two kinds of Shanel shutters. The 5A was designed for mounting barrel lenses, and has a shutter mechanism only. The 5B and 5B-S have an aperture mechanism also, with the scale usually starting at f/4.5, though they could be customized on demand. Both shutters have speeds from 1s to 1/100s plus B, with M and X sync.They are as reliable as Copal shutters.

Kumar

[drew.saunders]

Shanel.

Also, IIRC the f/4.7 is in Copal 3S - not a huge deal, except when you thought you had a 3 and you're trying to fit it to a lensboard already drilled for that. :)

Mine is in the Copal 3S, so I was going on memory for the other shutter's name. Probably should have looked it up. It fit just fine in a regular C3 drilled lensboard. From what I've seen, the Shanel shutters are marked for both the 21/4.5 and 25/4.5, so you could get both lens cells and switch back and forth between the two lenses with that setup.

[Pfsor]

...
Also, IIRC the f/4.7 is in Copal 3S - not a huge deal, except when you thought you had a 3 and you're trying to fit it to a lensboard already drilled for that. :)


Mine is in the Copal 3S, so I was going on memory for the other shutter's name. Probably should have looked it up. It fit just fine in a regular C3 drilled lensboard...

Guys, lensboards are not drilled. They are milled.

[Colin Graham]

I finally got around to buying one of the 25cm 4.5 Fujinars in a Shanel 5B-S. The shutter is unusual in that you need two cable releases. Bulb is fired from a different lever/socket release (red dot) than the main spring release (blue dot). You have to cock the shutter to use B, and need to have a locking release to hold it open for focusing. Having to first cock the shutter seems odd because firing B doesn't actually trip the shutter- to release the main spring you have to turn the speed ring over to a timed setting and then trip the blue lever.

Neat lens but if I could call in a mulligan I'd get the 4.7 version in a Copal 3S, which is actually a smaller shutter and less fussy to use.



http://colinflanarygraham.com/darkshop/public_html/darkshop/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/QandD.jpg

[Drew Wiley]

Drilled/milled. Semantics. I'm not going to pay for milling machine work for a simple hole when I can do it right on my industrial drill press. Even diecast alloy can be done with a fly cutter or serious hole saw. But you want the lensboard very firmly non-mar clamped to prevent an accident, and want to go slowly, both in RPM and speed of entry, anytime a big hole is involved. Cutting fluid should be used for aluminum. Any roughness afterwards can be removed with a drum sanding attachment on the drill press, or even by hand using black emery cloth.

[ic-racer]

I have a Fujinar in that focal length. I use it for enlarging. Maybe a 5B-S will come to me and I can use it on a camera.
195381
195382

[B.S.Kumar]

I finally got around to buying one of the 25cm 4.5 Fujinars in a Shanel 5B-S. The shutter is unusual in that you need two cable releases. Bulb is fired from a different lever/socket release (red dot) than the main spring release (blue dot). You have to cock the shutter to use B, and need to have a locking release to hold it open for focusing. Having to first cock the shutter seems odd because firing B doesn't actually trip the shutter- to release the main spring you have to turn the speed ring over to a timed setting and then trip the blue lever.

Neat lens but if I could call in a mulligan I'd get the 4.7 version in a Copal 3S, which is actually a smaller shutter and less fussy to use.

I don't have a 5B-S shutter at the moment, and what I describe is based on the 5A. I believe both shutters operate in the same way.

That is not how you use the shutter.

The red lever has two functions.

To use as B: Set the shutter to B, cock it and fire the red lever. The shutter will remain open as long as the lever is kept in the open position.

To use for focusing: Set the shutter to your desired speed and cock it. Then flip the red lever to open the shutter. It will stay in position - you do not need a locking cable release. When you flip the lever back, the shutter closes, and you can use the blue lever to make your exposure. Note that you need long-throw cable releases for these shutters.

Kumar

[Colin Graham]

Good to know, thanks. Maybe I'll take it apart later to see what's wrong with mine. I still need 2 shutter releases since I don't like moving it for exposures longer than 1 second, so rather than risk damaging by taking it apart I might keep using a locking cable release for focusing.



To use as B: Set the shutter to B, cock it and fire the red lever. The shutter will remain open as long as the lever is kept in the open position.


Should firing on the B setting release the main spring? It doesn't on mine.

[B.S.Kumar]

Should firing on the B setting release the main spring? It doesn't on mine.

No, it doesn't.

Kumar