600 mm on 8x10 cameras

[merlo.luca1961@libero.it]

I am considering to complete the following range of lenses by purchasing a Compact Fujinon 600 mm for my Wehman 8x10:

210 Schneider G-Claron
240 Schneider G-Claron
305 Schneider G-Claron
450 Fujinon C

Do you think the Fujinon 600 mm is a nice lens to complete the above outfit ?
What are your experiences with this lens ?

Thanks

Luca

[Eric Leppanen]

The Fuji 600C is a unqiue lens: relatively small and light, very sharp for its focal length and coverage, and available both new and used. If my camera had sufficient extension (as yours does), and I only needed a 600mm lens, I would pick the 600C in a heartbeat compared to its modern alternatives (Nikon and Fuji telephotos). I have compared its optical performance to the Nikon 600T and uber-expensive Schneider APO Tele Xenar 600; IMO it slightly outperforms the Nikon and compares favorably to the Schneider.

My only suggestion is that, given that your Wehman is reportedly an excellent long lens camera, you might want to consider a Nikon 600T convertible, due to the availability of its additional 800 and 1200 focal lengths. If you are a contact printer, there is no substitute for having a longer focal length if you enjoy long-lens photography. Of course, the Nikon is much larger and heavier, and really is a "close to the car" lens.

[John Kasaian]

If it is light, has coverage and it isn't a tele (and your camera has the bellows for it) why not? Sorry but I'm "down" on teles for gg focusing---theres funner ways to drive myself insane ;)

[Michael Kadillak]

I would not hesitate to consider the 24" Red Dot Artar as an economic alternative to the Fuji 600C. If you are contact printing I find that looking at images side by side with the Fuji 600C and the 24" Red Dot Artar, I lean to the Artar from an esthetic perspective as it appears to deliver a bit more contrast for me. The Fuji is sharp as hell, but when you are contact printing sharpness does not drive the process for me. The Artar is a bit heavier than the Fuji but so what. Either way you will not be disappointed so let opportunity and costs dictate which way you go. Get the best deal you can find and the best quality optic available and above all, do not settle for less than you want. Patience is a virtue.

Cheers!

[Rick Moore]

I use three Fujinon C lenses with my 8x10, 300, 450, and 600. I love them all. The 600 is a real jewel. I wish Fuji made similarly small, sharp wide angles that covered 8x10. Instead, I use a Berthiot Perigraphe 120/14, a Wollensak 159/12.5, and a 210 Gold Dot Dagor. Not a lot of coverage, but the siz lenses cover quite a range on the 8x10 without weighing a great deal.

[Dave_B]

M-
The Nikkor telephoto lenses are a fine set of optics. With a single shutter and front lens, one can get 600mm, 800mm and 1200mm rear cells that give performance that is truly outstanding for an ULF lens. I have the 600mm and 800mm cells and am on the hunt for a 1200mm unit. If I were you, I would also try for a complete set of these fine lenses. As Kerry T. says, they are expensive now, what will they cost decades after they are no longer made?*
Cheers,
Dave B.


*He said this about the 360-500-720 series but I think it also applies to the 600-800-1200 series as well.

[Gene McCluney]

M-
The Nikkor telephoto lenses are a fine set of optics. With a single shutter and front lens, one can get 600mm, 800mm and 1200mm rear cells that give performance that is truly outstanding for an ULF lens. I have the 600mm and 800mm cells and am on the hunt for a 1200mm unit. If I were you, I would also try for a complete set of these fine lenses. As Kerry T. says, they are expensive now, what will they cost decades after they are no longer made?*
Cheers,
Dave B.


*He said this about the 360-500-720 series but I think it also applies to the 600-800-1200 series as well.


UH, I thought all the Nikon large-format (and enlarging) lenses were discontinued a year or so ago? I thought there was just remaning inventory that is being sold?

[naturephoto1]

Gene,

That is correct. What Kerry wrote on his website was last updated in something like 2000.

Rich

[Dave_B]

Gene:
You are correct. As new items they are being sold out of inventory. Nikkor is no longer making them. Some of us are on the hunt to get a complete set while we can. My plan is to leave my son a college education, a little bit of money and a complete set of Nikkor LF lenses. Time will only tell which will be of the most value to him.
Cheers,
Dave B.

[Walter Calahan]

I have the complete set of Nikkor 600-800-1200. Wonderful glass. No movement.

Usually when I'm in the 600mm range, I'll use my Cooke XVa in the 645mm configuration instead. Then I have movement.

If your way of seeing doesn't need to got beyond 600mm, I think the Fuji 600C is the lens for you.

[John Z.]

I have both the Artar and the Fuji C, and think they are both great lenses. The advantage of the Artar is that it can be found fairly inexpensively in a barrel. The Fuji on the other hand is more compact, and is typically mounted in a modern shutter. In side by side contact prints I thought the Fuji was slightly sharper, but only very very slightly; the Artar is a great lens too, a work of art, with a certain beauty mounted on a wooden board.

My personal preference in the field would be the Fuji; lighter weight, and a modern shutter; every ounce can matter when carrying a heavy backpack!

[merlo.luca1961@libero.it]

Sorry for the late reply but I could not get access to Internet in the last two days. Thanks to all for the kind suggestions. I think I will get the Fuji 600 C. By the way, any suggestion for a 8x10 wide angle wider than the 210 I own ?

Best regards from Italy

Luca

[Ole Tjugen]

How modern do you want your wide angle lenses?

I use a 165mm f:6.8 Angulon and a 121mm f:8 Super Angulon. And a 11cm Weitwinkel Aplanat of unknown age and origin if I want even wider than that.

[merlo.luca1961@libero.it]

Ole,

Thanks for the suggestions. I think that a 121 Super Angulon should do it fine but several people say it does not cover ..........

Then how much shall I expect to pay for such lens in good/exc conditions ?

Ciao

Luca

[Dave_B]

Luca:
The Nikkor SW 120 f8 is a very fine WA lens. Its IC is 312mm. I find the images it produces to have nice contrast with good colors, at least for my taste. One can find them in a variety of places and prices seem to be reasonable especially in comparison to the modern ~150mm WA lenses for 8x10 which lately have been through the roof.

Ole:
Does the Schneider Super Angulon 121 f8 cover 8x10? The published IC is 288mm. Is that too conservative?

Thanks,
Dave B.

[Ole Tjugen]

Come to think of it now, my camera is a 18x24cm and not 8x10".

But the 121 SA covers the full 300mm needed for that format, at least. I'll put it on a bigger camera tomorrow to have a look at the full image circle - in daylight.

[Chauncey Walden]

The 121 SA will cover 8x10, but only if perfectly centered and therefore with no movements. It was such a hassle to set up that I made a box 8x10/4x10 for it where it is permanently mounted at infinity in a two position lens board. On the other hand, my 165 Angulon looses it before it gets to the corners of 8x10 so it has a home in the 5x7 bag and the 159 Wollensak that I was testing it against stayed with the 8x10.

[Dave_B]

Ole:
Did you ever do the test on the Schneider Super Angulon 121? Were you able to confirm that it does not really cover 8x10?
Cheers,
Dave B.

[Ole Tjugen]

Dave -

I plain forgot about it! I'll see what I can see tomorrow. The lens is dim, I'm after the edge of the image circle which is even dimmer, and the ground glass on my 24x30cm plate camera is not the brightest. So I need good light outdoors and a good dark cloth in a dark room to be able to see anything at all - and the bellows on that camera has too many holes for a test exposure at f:32!

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have this lens and use it a lot. It comes out of the bag everytime I go out photographing. I guy I photograph with sometimes (he is a lurker of this site but won't ever write anything...right John?) has the same lens too.

[Ole Tjugen]

Ole:
Did you ever do the test on the Schneider Super Angulon 121? Were you able to confirm that it does not really cover 8x10?
Cheers,
Dave B.

I finally got around to it today, and...

I can confirm that the 121mm Schneider Super Angulon does cover 8x10"! Using 2cm of front shift on my 24x30cm camera, it just starts to go soft right at the edge of the GG, making the image circle (at small stops) 340mm.

[Dave_B]

Ole:
Thank you for doing the test. This is good news. The 121 is still reasonably priced and the fact that it covers 8x10 makes it an affordable wide angle lens for that format. My 8x10 camera will not be showing up for a while. When it does, I look forward to using my 121 on it.
Cheers,
Dave B.

[Robert Hall]

I use the 120 (f/8, I think) Nikkor as well. Very nice lens and works well on smaller formats from 8x10 to 4x5.