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dpetersen
22-Jul-2007, 20:12
I am considering a 450mm lens to use on a 4x5 camera. The two examples that I am aware of are Nikon and Fuji. I think I would prefer the Fuji since it is smaller and lighter. At any rate, could the users of this focal length please comment on the usefulness of such a long lens?

Peter De Smidt
22-Jul-2007, 20:18
I use a 420 Fuji L regularly on 4x5. The 450 is nicer (mainly smaller.) Whether it's usefull is a personal matter. It's equivalent, roughly, to a 140mm lens on 35mm.

Dave_B
22-Jul-2007, 20:37
I have the Nikkor-M 450. It is a fine lens, as are all the Nikkor M lenses. I find the lens to have good contrast and color rendition. I imagine the Fuji is also a fine lens but you won't be unhappy with the Nikkor. As far as whether you will use it on a 4x5, I find I use the Nikkor 300M and the 360T much more on my 4x5 camera. Racking a 4x5 out to 450mm gets a lot of stuff out there to move in any wind there is. The telephoto 360 requires much less bellows extension than the 450 non-tele lens. I use the 450M much more on my 8x10 than on my 4x5.
Good luck,
Dave B.

Randy Redford
22-Jul-2007, 20:54
I have the Fuji 450 and it is one of my favorite lenses for 4x5. There are many times that you just need that extra reach. Since I bought the lens several years ago, I have always made sure that every camera I have purchased has had sufficient bellows extension to allow the use of the 450. My ebony that I have now, I have had to go to a tophat board, but it is well worth it. As posted above, wind can be a problem at times with that much bellows.

This is a quick scan of a pic that I needed the 450 to get the looming effect of the mountains over the cabin.

Ron Marshall
22-Jul-2007, 21:06
I have the Fuji 450 and am very happy with it. However, I don't use it very often. For the subjects which I currently shoot, such as marshes, forrest glades, there is not much call for this lens. In future I plan to shoot more wide-open landscapes where it will be more useful.

Most of my images are with 110, 150 and 210.

Andrew O'Neill
22-Jul-2007, 21:48
I use the Nikkor 450 for both 4x5 and 8x10...often. Great lens.

Ed Richards
22-Jul-2007, 21:50
Check how long your bellows is, and how stable it is at 450mm+. You may be better off with a Fuji 400 telephoto.

Brian Vuillemenot
22-Jul-2007, 22:18
The Fuji 450 C is my second favorite lens (out of 7 focal lengths; my trusty 150 is my favorite) on 4X5, and my favorite for 4X10 and 8X10. Both the Fuji 450 C and Nikkor 450 M have great reputations and large image circles. The Fuji is much lighter and more compact, and is in a Copal #1 shuttter, compared with the Nikkor in a Copal #3. For this reason, the Fujinon is more advisable for use on 4X5. Just make sure your camera has enough bellows extension, as most 4X5s don't. A long lens opens up all kinds of new possibilities. Soemtimes the 450 isn't quite long enough- I'm even thinking about picking up a 600 tele!

JPlomley
23-Jul-2007, 05:00
If you could sacrifice 50mm, there is always the Schneider 400mm APO Tele Xenar. Copal #3 with an f/5.6 aperture. Never used one myself, but Jack Dykinga has numerous examples of stellar images recorded with this optic in his book "Large Format Nature Photography". Not meaning to highjack the thread, but anyone here compared the Schneider to the Nikkor and Fuji in this FL range?

Ole Tjugen
23-Jul-2007, 05:17
I haven't used any 450mm on 4x5", but I've used the 420mm rear cell of a 240mm f:5.6 Symmar convertible. It needs 500mm of bellows to focus at infinity, so not all cameras can use it...

Nick_3536
23-Jul-2007, 05:22
Not meaning to highjack the thread, but anyone here compared the Schneider to the Nikkor and Fuji in this FL range?

Don't know about the Schneider but there should be quite a few threads discussing the Fuji and the Nikon. Which you pick tends to come down to use. The Nikon supposedly has more coverage but is bigger. For those using 8x10 or smaller out of the studio the Fuji seems the choice. Above 11x14 the Nikon.

Don Hutton
23-Jul-2007, 06:02
If you could sacrifice 50mm, there is always the Schneider 400mm APO Tele Xenar. Copal #3 with an f/5.6 aperture. Never used one myself, but Jack Dykinga has numerous examples of stellar images recorded with this optic in his book "Large Format Nature Photography". Not meaning to highjack the thread, but anyone here compared the Schneider to the Nikkor and Fuji in this FL range?

I've owned all three - the Schneider is huge and heavy. I sold mine for that reason. There's not much to pick with image quality between them - perhaps the Schneider is a little smoother (less harsh) than the Fuji or Nikkor - all three are great lenses. I currently own only the Nikkor.

Ted Harris
23-Jul-2007, 06:27
I use the Nikon 450M. I considered the Fuji but opted for the Nikon of the greater coverage and wider maximum aperture than the Fuji C (I have no experience at all with the Fuji CMW 450). As for size, once you are in a #3 shutter the shutter is likely to weigh more than the lens elements unless you are talking wider apertures. I had a chance one day to shoot them both in the field and also found I liked the color quality of the Nikon better (mostly subjective). The Nikon 450M replaced a very late Schneider 480 Apo Artar that I was using mounted in a #5 shutter (done by Steve Grimes). The 480 was an ok lens but only ok. Most of the time I found it too soft for my taste and that could only have been the case of my sample as many report it is a very sharp lens.

Bottom line is that when you need a lens this long you need it. Same is true for the ultra wides. OTOH I know that my 58 and my 450 are likely the two least used lenses in my kit and the 58 gets more use than the 450.

David Karp
23-Jul-2007, 15:15
I have owned both the Fuji 450 C and Nikkor M. I sold the Nikkor to buy the Fuji due to the smaller size of the Fuji. I use it mostly on 4x5, but now also on Whole Plate. The smaller size and lighter weight of the Fuji lens seemed more appropriate for 4x5. I was always worried about the weight of the Nikkor M hanging on the end of my fully extended camera, and the vibration from the Copal 3 shutter.

That said, I made some images I was very happy with using the Nikkor and have since made images with the Fujinon that I am very happy with.

For what it is worth, I use the 450 Fujinon on the 4x5 much more than I ever thought I would.

Harley Goldman
23-Jul-2007, 15:22
I have the Fuji 450mm for 4x5. I use it all the time. Some trips (fall colors, etc), it is my most used lens.

It is a great lens. Very small and very sharp.

Jim Becia
23-Jul-2007, 19:23
I have used the Fuji 450 for about 5 years now, and I think it one of the sharpest lenses that I own. I use mine fairly regularly and it has made some of my nicest images. I've never used the Nikkor so can't comment on it. Bought the Fuji based on Kerry's recommedations and I am not dissatisfied. Jim

http://www.spiritlightphotography.com

Paul Metcalf
23-Jul-2007, 19:50
This is a quick scan of a pic that I needed the 450 to get the looming effect of the mountains over the cabin.
I have the Nikon 450mm to do just what Randy shows in his pic. It will provide a somewhat compressed perspective as shown on 4x5. Compare Randy's picture to this thumbnail which I think IIRC is using a 150mm on 4x5.

dpetersen
24-Jul-2007, 19:52
Thanks all for your input. My camera will focus the 450 (500mm bellows Wisner Traditional) and I believe it would be useful for 4x10. Now for a little "creative financing" and a call to Badger Graphics.