"The big two" - Please tell me about your japanese lenses!

[Jody_S]

Canon... with Magic Lantern !!!

Sony Handycam, if your name starts with "Lars".

Again, I enjoy a good story told in images. I also enjoy images made with Diana F or Kodak box cameras, if the photographer has something to say.

[Ig Nacio]

Hi,

Thank you for your messages to this post : ) !!!

Hopefully, people who find this thread in the
future will write further suggestions!

Thank you again, kind regards!

[Vaughn]

Quite happy with my Fuji Ws -- 250/6.7, 300/5.6. and 360mm.

[goamules]

Are French portrait lenses as good as the German originals circa 1841-50? Are the British copies of the French as good? Are the American copies of the British?

It's all relative to who, what, when, and how the lenses of each generation were made. But the French probably had the earliest renown for photographic optics.

[Drew Wiley]

Raccoons ate the snails (escargot) in my yard, so maybe they prefer French lenses too.

[Ig Nacio]

Hi,

Thank you for your messages : ) !!!

The way I do it, is that I google each
of your recommendations to learn
more about each of them.

Thank you again, kind regards!

[Eric Woodbury]

This is too confusing unless I limit my answer to 4x5 lenses. However, I use several of these with 5x7 and 8x10, too.

Fujinon 65, 135, 180, 450. I like all these but the 65 and 180mm don't see much use. I always buy them in Copal shutters, so all my shutters are approximately the same making it easier to use in difficult circumstances.

Nikon 90, 200, 300. I like all of these too. Never used the 300 much until recently when I changed the spacing on my lenses.

German lenses are 47, 58. These are fine lenses too. The 47mm I permanently mounted it to a point & shoot 4x5.

I had the Fujinon 400T for a short bit. I didn't like it. I thought it was off. Unsharp. I traded it while it still looked new.

I had the Fujinon 105 and 125 at one point. 105 coverage was too close for comfort and the 125 spacing was unnecessary. Both gone.

There was a time when I avoided Japanese lenses. Mostly for lack of knowledge and distribution. Now I like them the most. Different focal lengths, lighter, and less expensive. Expense has fluctuated over the years, but I will say that having less expensive lenses is freeing. I don't worry so much about their loss or replacement. The 135mm is common as dirt, about the same price, and wonderful -- my favorite lens and used the most. It would be fun to try one of those thousand dollar German versions with the fancy review, but it wouldn't make my photographs any better at all.