Unusual Fujinon W 125mm 5.6!?!

[turtle]

I just picked up one of these on ebay. From the photos it is clearly an old single coated Fujinon, in Seiko shutter with lettering on the inside of the lens, not around the rim. I am familiar with the 135mm, 180, 210 and 250 (6.7) and their very generous 80 degree coverage, but have never seen or heard of a 125mm version. In fact I cannot see it listed anywhere and have never seen mention of one. I am familiar with the 125 NW and CM-W, however and this lens absolutely is not one of these. There is no doubt it is one of the older, original W range.

Has anyone ever seen one before? Can anyone tell me anything about it?

The price was right in case it turns out not to have super coverage, but I am guessing something around a 200mm+ IC if it is like the other single coated inside lettered W series.

I am no lens expert but have been looking at old Fujis for some time (read all of Kerry's writings on them and many more) and this one really threw me!

[Steven Tribe]

Posting in the right thread might help! This is Camera and Accessories!

[Andrew]

I've seen a few go thru evilbay so they aren't that rare
sources on the net say it has an image cirle of 210mm
should be single coated like the other -w series
probably a nice little lens with a lot of movement on 4x5 or none at all on 5x7

http://www.willwilson.com/fujinonlc2.html

[B.S.Kumar]

I have this lens. Tiny, sharp and with excellent coverage on 4x5.

Kumar

[turtle]

Oops, yes this in the wrong place...

I have now found a few references to this lens (phew) and it should in theory have a 210mm circle, allowing for more movement than a regular 120 APO Symmar or even the APO L. Should have the same IC as a 135 APO Sironar S and so be very useful with a lightweight 5x4 outfit.

It looks to be tiny and in the seiko, presumably light too.

[Steve Goldstein]

Yup, mine weights 180gm, less than the APO-Symmar (199gm). Both weights are actuals, with caps and retaining ring.

[JosephBurke]

I have one as well!

[ic-racer]

http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/page1.htm
More expensive than the 135, 150 and 180 when new.

[turtle]

very interesting, thanks ic-racer. I wonder why it was so much more than the 135 if it has the same angle of view?

[ic-racer]

very interesting, thanks ic-racer. I wonder why it was so much more than the 135 if it has the same angle of view?
Does it look any different than the others?

I have the 300, 250, 210 and 180 from that 80 degree "W" series and the 125 from the "SW" series. Could you post a picture of your 125 W?

[turtle]

I don't have the lens yet, but this is the photo.
69962

[Steve Hamley]

Don Dudenbostel has one and I've shot with it. Also consider the 78-degree CM-W, which I have. Both are super.

Cheers, Steve

[turtle]

Steve, I've already bought the lens and it is on its way. I was not going to pass up this 80 degree gem.

[Michael Graves]

Steve, I've already bought the lens and it is on its way. I was not going to pass up this 80 degree gem.

Wise move. I recently acquired one of these and the first shots I took with it were very sharp and had great contrast. The only fault I found with the lens is that it doesn't auto-compose very well. It failed to detect the cell phone tower sticking up on the crest of the hill.

[turtle]

Such are the risks of using old lenses, unfortunately. For images already affected by cell phone towers, Photoshop has a Gursky 'Rhine II' plugin which removes all human traces from landscape photos.


Wise move. I recently acquired one of these and the first shots I took with it were very sharp and had great contrast. The only fault I found with the lens is that it doesn't auto-compose very well. It failed to detect the cell phone tower sticking up on the crest of the hill.