Fujinon-L 210mm apochromatic?

[gregstidham]

The Fujinon-L 210mm 5.6 is a Tessar design, so I assume it is not apochromatic. The Fuji specs say "Modified Tessar" so I thought I'd take a shot in the dark and ask if anyone has used this lens for Infrared work with out converting their focus for IR or stopping down?

I love the size of the Fujinon-L, but if it isn't apochromatic I will just buy another Sironar-N or continue my search for an Artar.

[LH1H17]

The Fujinon-L 210mm 5.6 is a Tessar design, so I assume it is not apochromatic. The Fuji specs say "Modified Tessar" so I thought I'd take a shot in the dark and ask if anyone has used this lens for Infrared work with out converting their focus for IR or stopping down?

I love the size of the Fujinon-L, but if it isn't apochromatic I will just buy another Sironar-N or continue my search for an Artar.


The Fujinon L series was originally marketed as a budget line below the standard W series. Not sure if it is apochromatic.. but if that's what you're looking for I would recommend the A ("apochromat") series, which are super-compact and still manufactured in 240mm and 180mm focal lengths. :)

[gregstidham]

Thanks. I already know about the fine "A" series. Unfortunately, they don't offer a 210mm .

I've decided to find another Sironar-N or CaltarII-N.

[Ole Tjugen]

Does it matter at all?

My experience is that it doesn't - unless you are shooting deep infrared with one of the few remaining sheets of HIE.

All other IR films are only sensitive to near IR - down to about 820nm - which requires very little if any focus adjustments. So unless you see serious colour fringing on colour film shots with a lens, you are not going to get a significant colour shift.

Are APO lenses necessarily better for IR?

NO! They are corrected for three colours - blue, green and red - but there is absolutely no guarantee what happens whaen you move away from visible light. You might find, with very critical examination, narrow-pass filters, and shooting wide open, that some APO lenses may actually give more focus shift than some non-APO lenses.

I've shot MACO IR 820c with Tessars (old Xenar), a Zeiss Planar, old Angulons, and an APO-Lanthar. ALL of these give good sharp negatives at f:16 without any correction whatsoever.

[gregstidham]

Your right. Near IR is very close to visible and many lenses will be corrected for it.

I think my best bet to to test lenses myself shooting wide open, which is often my preferred stop. I thought maybe someone here would have had some experience with this cheaper and smaller "L" series tessar lens. But since most folks stop the lens down, it wouldn't really help me anyhow.

Also, after enough testing, it would be no problem correcting any focus if needed.

[John Berry]

I own a couple of those lenses. It might be considered a budget lens but it sure carves a nice image. Fuji has been way under rated for a long time but everybody seems to have caught on. I'm not sure but I think it might cover less, hence the L??? I have a 300 L that I use on 8x10 with no problem.

[Jon Wilson]

Greg, if you are still looking for a 210mm artar, I have an 8 1/4 inch red dot artar in a compur shutter. It has clean glass and a smooth shutter. It has a front lens cap made by Steve Grimes and I was advised he cleaned the shutter before I purchased it. It was formerly a NASA lens. Let me know if you are interested. Jon

[gregstidham]

Greg, if you are still looking for a 210mm artar, I have an 8 1/4 inch red dot artar in a compur shutter. It has clean glass and a smooth shutter. It has a front lens cap made by Steve Grimes and I was advised he cleaned the shutter before I purchased it. It was formerly a NASA lens. Let me know if you are interested. Jon
Thanks Jon. I've worked out my 210mm needs.