First is that in Queensland it's easy to find very clean/dry air, so it's about avoiding turbulent hours. Then also all depends on subjects distance, you don't have to be much far from subject to use a 480mm in 5x7. A 21º angle of view is not that weird.Originally Posted by Pfsor
Not to be much far from a subject with 480mm lens in architecture photography IS weird unless you're interested in brickwork insect photography. YMMV.
A 480mm for 5x7" is weird only for "certain" kind of architecture photography, but IMHO architecture photography is a very wide field, there are many opportunities outdoors for long focal shots, beyond portraying details, perspective compression is also powerful resource to bring focus on composition, on textures or on shadings, as many masters have been showed.
We may need to adjust the relative sizes of different subjects, that are in the framing, so may have to move the camera to the right place, then we may need a particular focal (that can be long) for the framing.
Let me show an example (Taos), this is not a very long focal but it's longer than "usual" for architectural:
If distance from foreground to backgound walls had been larger then a longer focal had to be used for same relative sizes.
Personally, I find that when we overlap two architectural subjects and we want to control the relative sizes then it can happen that we need a long focal for the format.
OP...you should test your lens without a shutter - and see if it lives up to your needs/expectations. If it does...then either get it mounted in a shutter and enjoy it - or maybe if you think the (value/resale) math does not work somehow - borrow and test a 450M (or Ronar/Artar/Fuji-C) and then make a choice. If the Apo Nikkor flunks your test - then go for the 450M (or Ronar/Artar/Fuji-C) and don't look back.
CThe OP lives in Australia, his lens is in Rhode Island, in pieces.
Little late, and expensive, for him to test it now!
Lure of the initial low cost of a lens in barrel marked APO and Nikkor (famed brand). While this is a GOOD lens for both 1:1 and infinity trying to re-set these lens cells into a shutter is no simple task. Fungus added to the difficulty. The economically acceptable way to use lenses in barrel like this is to mount this lens to the front of a BIG shutter like an Ilex# 5, or with a behind the lens shutter like Packard, Sinar or even a front Galli shutter.
There was a time back in the 1990's when the idea and practice of mounting barrel lenses into shutter was just beginning for LF folks. Folks like Jim Galvin to BIG optical companies like Melles Griot would install lens cells from a lens in barrel into a shutter. During the 90's Melles Griot produced Ilex shutters and they would offer this service with the purchase of a new shutter. While expensive, Melles Griot did this work in a new shutter and proper testing of the lens post lens cell installation into their Ilex shutters. We had Melles Griot do a 30" APO artar, 35" APO Artar both turned out good. Cost was just over $1000 including the shutter in 1990's USD.
Since then I've given up the idea of trying to mount any barrel lens into shutter as the Sinar shutter simply flattens this problem very nicely. Then again, the Sinar system is not for all. Given this fact, it IS better to purchase lenses already in shutter with both shutter and lens cells in GOOD condition. There is also a divide caused by the problem of really excellent vintage lenses with beyond wore out shutters with fine lens cells. There are other good and curious vintage lenses that could benefit from the advantages of a modern shutter or there was a time when lenses in barrel were really low buck allowing the added expense of transferring these lens cells to a shutter was cost and technically viable. Majority of times, installing barrel lens cells into a modern shutter is not worth the resources and expense as there are other very viable ways to solve this technical problem.
For those who hike and travel with a lightweight field camera there are plenty of excellent moderns lenses already supplied in shutter that fit that need nicely. The only time installing a barrel lens in shutter is if there is a highly specialized lens where it's optical performance cannot be replicated in any other way. APO Nikkors less than 600mm are not it.
Bernice
APO Nikkor Process lenses are normally optimized for 1:1 (actual size) reproduction ratios.
That's certainly not what you want for landscape photography.
Of course, the lens will work for landscape, but a Nikkor M 450mm/f9 is my choice.
I have one of those and it works very well. Its 440mm image circle covers 8x10 at infinity.
And I would never use a lens that had fungus, even after cleaning, even if doing so would save me from an eternity in hell.
- Leigh
If you believe you can, or you believe you can't... you're right.
Atmospheric issues arise from the distance between lens and subject regardless of FL.
Ever used high magnification binoculars? Did you see the atmosphere with them in the same way as with your eyes?
Pere Casals, when I scrolled down and saw the first inch of the Moon photo I thought "Man, that's a bad case of fungus".
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