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View Full Version : Fujinon A 180 f9 image circle way too small!



aquinas7
28-Aug-2019, 01:23
Hello everybody! My predicament is this: I've heard many good things about the Fujinon A 180 mm f9 and I was especially attracted by the advertised image circle of 252 mm! So I made a test on my 8x10 where I focused to infinity and used f32 aperture . My measurement of the image circle is barely 210 mm. Can it be that my particular specimen is a lemon, or it is a sort of norm for specs to be that optimistic? Thanks!

Drew Wiley
28-Aug-2019, 11:12
This lens was never designed to cover 8x10. It will do 5x7 OK, and 4x5 and smaller with very generous room for movements. You're about 100 mm off from realistic 8x10 application (250mm advertised circle vs around 350 or, ideally more, necessary for 8x10 film). It's the DIAGONAL dimension of the format rectangle that counts. The 240A and longer versions will cover 8x10.

Dan Fromm
28-Aug-2019, 11:41
So I made a test on my 8x10 where I focused to infinity and used f32 aperture . My measurement of the image circle is barely 210 mm.

Lens hood?

aquinas7
28-Aug-2019, 12:09
Drew, I never said that I was going to use the lens on 8x10. I did it to see the real circle.

aquinas7
28-Aug-2019, 12:16
Yes, Dan, that must be it. Otherwise it doesn't make sense. I actually used the hood which, probably, blocked the circle.Thanks a lot!

Drew Wiley
28-Aug-2019, 14:32
Point blank the circle of illumination will actually cover 8x10. But image definition toward the corners falls off badly.

Luis-F-S
28-Aug-2019, 16:07
You're right, it's a dud. Just send it to one of us!

ic-racer
29-Aug-2019, 15:34
I've heard many good things about the Fujinon A 180 mm f9 and I was especially attracted by the advertised image circle of 252 mm!

If you are interested in image circle, did you hear any good things about this one???
194958

Drew Wiley
29-Aug-2019, 15:46
For all practical purposes, the 180A is an 80 degree plasmat at typical working apertures. But I don't have any brochures old enough to rate the inside-lettered 180 W. But the related 150mm evoluition shows an increase in angle in the NW series compared to the older W. Fuji's specs are full of a variety of typos; so it's really hard to say unless someone here has actually used one. I do know that the later versions of their general-purpose 180 plasmats are comparable in coverage to the "super plasmat" A's. In other words, generous coverage on 4x5, and some wiggle room on 5x7.

aquinas7
30-Aug-2019, 00:49
If you are interested in image circle, did you hear any good things about this one???
194958

Sure, a lovely thing with the 260 mm image circle.

aquinas7
30-Aug-2019, 01:01
Thanks a lot everybody for responding, especially you, Dan Fromm, whose two words resolve the issue in an instant (speaking of experience). I've made the test again without lens hood, and the image circle is as huge as it is supposed to be.

aquinas7
30-Aug-2019, 05:07
With the exception of Dan Fromm, the participants are either self-absorbed gentleman or jeering seen-it-all types. Thanks to all anyway. See you in paradise!

Drew Wiley
30-Aug-2019, 10:42
Do you know what a compendium shade is, and why it's used on view cameras instead of a conventional hood? Or is that kind of advice too self-absorbed or seen-it-all for you?

MAubrey
30-Aug-2019, 12:49
Do you know what a compendium shade is, and why it's used on view cameras instead of a conventional hood? Or is that kind of advice too self-absorbed or seen-it-all for you?
Still grumpy?

David Lindquist
30-Aug-2019, 13:16
now you know who to put on your ‘block’ list. A properly managed list is the best way to increase skill. Am glad that you tried it instead of taking opinion of ....

.- - -
I find Dan Fromm to be both an expert and a gentleman. And I'd say the same of Arne Croell.

David

Drew Wiley
30-Aug-2019, 13:24
I appreciate this thread because it's helped me identify certain whiners to put on my own ignore list. Done.

ic-racer
30-Aug-2019, 16:06
Sure, a lovely thing with the 260 mm image circle.

That 180mm Fujinon in the picture is the one with 305mm circle! Makes a great field-camera lens for 8x10.

Jeff Keller
30-Aug-2019, 19:53
Not certain which Fujinon W 180mm 5.6 the table refers to but many similar lenses in the table seem to be the older ones with inside lettering. It lists an image circle of 305mm.

https://www.graflex.org/lenses/lens-spec.html

aquinas7
31-Aug-2019, 00:57
That 180mm Fujinon in the picture is the one with 305mm circle! Makes a great field-camera lens for 8x10.

I guess I confused it with the CM-W model. Strange that such an exceptional thing as W S is so cheap on ebay, even if it's just single coated.

Dan Fromm
31-Aug-2019, 05:16
OP, I see that you signed up here more than three years ago and have made very few posts. I don't know whether you're acquainted with this site's resources. A link to my contribution, a set of links to sources of information on lenses and other subjects, mainly LF, is in the first post of this https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?138978-Where-to-look-for-information-on-LF-(mainly)-lenses discussion. The list contains, among others, links to sources of information on Fujinon LF lenses. The first link in that section is to Joe McGloin's site. I see it as the best place for help in understanding Fuji's LF lenses.

Fujinon CM-W lenses are all so engraved. They're the only Fujinons that are easily identified.

You're right, IMO used Fuji LF lenses are usually bargains.