Photos From Nikkor 360/500/720?

[LFLarry]

I am thinking about getting the Nikkor 360/500/720 T lens and I was hoping to see some photos from the group here and any thoughts that you have about this lens and these focal lengths based on your first hand experience?

Thanks

-Larry

[Drew Wiley]

My main concern with the longer teles is the amount of leverage they'd put on the front standard. They've got a big barrel extending out, which might be just as troublesome as a tophat in that respect. I don't see a lot of Nikon LF tele work. I have seen quite a number of shots and big prints from Fuji 400 and 600 teles, which are certainly high quality and seem to be a bargain at the moment. But I apologize for initially confusing your query with barrel process lenses.

[Tin Can]

Larry

A former LFPF Mod has extensive web pages with lots of very specific recommendations with pictures.

I don't know if he has tested your specified lenses, but he has one of mine, which is not telephoto but is long with narrow angle of view. I bought mine because of his review.

http://www.kennethleegallery.com/htm...r610/index.php

Search under his full name, as some things don't show up on the menu.

[Eric Woodbury]

Larry, I had the 600/800T combo. A nice lens, but very heavy. I used it on my 5x7 Deardorff only. Even with a support board underneath the front, it always made me nervous. On a bigger camera and larger lensboard, maybe it would be different.

The images made were usually big landscape style -- not my strong suit. I only hiked with it when somebody else would carry it, but I know there are lots of LFers here that are stronger than I am, probably all of you. If I were to use a long lens again, I'd look for a standard lens design, not a tele, since there is enough bellows with a D'orf (it might be close). I still use a Fuji 450mm C. That's my longest now. If I need the longer lens-effect, I crop.

If you are always cropping, then a long lens is what you need, but these heavy telephotos for field use are too often dead weight for me. When I was loading up the camera bag with lenses for a hike somewhere, trying to guess what I might need, grabbing that big lens just didn't happen for me. YMMV.

Happy snapping,
e

[Drew Wiley]

The 450C is one of my favorite lenses, as both a "long-normal" for 8x10, and distinctly long perspective with 4x5. Compact and lightweight too.

[Willie]

The lens is not all that heavy. A Friend has the 500 and looking to get the 720 element one of these days.
He uses it on a 5x7 Ikeda Anba, a very lightweight wood camera. Works well. I have tried it a few times and the photos look good.
It is nice not having the bellows racked way out when photographing.

[Corran]

A will post some later. They are all excellent, but really shine 2-stops down from wide-open, or even just 1-stop in the case of the 720mm. I was told this by the previous owner and it bears out in my usage and the online testing mentioned above. The hardest thing is simply having a camera that has enough bellows to use the longer lens elements.

[EdSawyer]

I have the set, it's great, easily the best tele(s) for 4x5, better contrast and resolution than the fuji or schneider options. Even wide open they are great, the 360 makes a super nice portrait lens wide open, with particularly good bokeh.

[Tin Can]

I think, maybe wrongly that a bought a 360 Schneider from Ed.

I like it and use it on 2X3 Linhof Color Rail for portraits.

Less contrast works for me in the long view...

I have the set, it's great, easily the best tele(s) for 4x5, better contrast and resolution than the fuji or schneider options. Even wide open they are great, the 360 makes a super nice portrait lens wide open, with particularly good bokeh.

[Corran]

360mm:



500mm:



720mm: