What are the differences - Fujinon 300 A and 300 C ?

[Don Dudenbostel]

Can someone give information as to the differences between the Fujinon 300 A and 300 C? I would be using it on a 5x7. How does performance compare and how would it compare to the Nikkor M 300? I don't do very much landscape but more documentary work. At the moment I have a 300 Symmar and 14 and 19 Red Dots but all three are rather large either due to #4 Ilex shutters or just the size of the 300 Symmar. Size is more of a factor than speed.

Thanks!

[Justin Cormack]

I only have the Nikkor 300M - there was a big shortage of Fujis when I bought it, so I cant compare. The Nikkor is not made any more (mine was end of line stock), and nor is the 300A, only the Fuji C is still available new. The Fuji A is symmetrical, so will have better close up performance than the C (though close up with a 300 is an odd pursuit), and worse at infinity in theory. They are all excellent lenses.

I have no problem with the f8 of the Nikkor - the ground glass is very bright. And the lens is tiny, and very sharp. I dont see the need for wider apertures otehr tha for portrait lenses at that length.

[Sheldon N]

Fuji A has more coverage - 420mm image circle vs 380mm for the C. Fuji A is a very desirable compact 8x10 lens. Either would cover 5x7 more than sufficiently.

Fuji A is a plasmat design (6/4) while I believe the Fuji C is a tessar derivative (4/4).

Fuji A is heavier (410g vs 250g) with a larger filter size (55mm vs 52mm).

Fuji A series lenses are renowned for being very sharp at both infinity and close up. In reality, there's probably not much difference. Both are good sharp lenses.

Fuji A series lens will be hard to find (only available used, fairly rare) and will set you back $800-900. The Fuji C can be bought new for $695, used for maybe $550.

[Arne Croell]

All of the compact 300's (Nikkor-M, Fujinon-C, Fujinon-A, Apo-Ronar, Apo-Germinar, Apo-Artar, Repro-Claron, G-Claron) are good performers. If size and weight are an issue, and you don't need the image circle, the Fujinon-A is not the first choice, the same goes for the 305mm G-Claron. All others would be a good choice (for the Artar and the Repro-Claron, size and weight depend a lot on the shutter they come in).

The Nikkor-M is a Tessar type, but the Fujinon-C is not. Its an asymmetric version of the classic dialyte (4 elements in 4 groups).The Apo-Ronar,-Artar, -Germinar and the Repro-Claron are symmetric dialytes, and the Fujinon-A and most G-Clarons are Plasmats.

[Ken Lee]

See The World's Most Complete Fujinon Lens List (http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/index.htm)

[Bjorn Nilsson]

Well, someone probably got lucky today.
See the bay at this auction: 290209910401

That's quite cheap, isn't it? But as the seller couldn't tell the audience if it had EBC or not, is seems like some thought it was single-coated. (Which by the way it isn't...)
Also it makes me kind of worried about the value of my two A-series lenses. But again, nah, I bought them to use them, not collect them.