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

[LFLarry]

Hi Drew, I was wanting some longer focal lengths for my 4x5 camera in a reasonable/smaller size. I have a Linhof Technikardan and the 360 and 500 lenses will definitely work on this camera without any need for an extender/top hat board, etc.

I am not really concerned about image quality via the web, really more about seeing what compositions people are creating with these focal lengths would be interesting to see. The typical search on Flickr and Flickriver didn't result in much, so I was thinking some people here may have something to share.

These lenses are so well corrected that any web posted image would be like trying to view a circus through a keyhole. What film format are you working with? Even the 360 will easily cover 8x10 with room to spare. The sharpness and color correction will be superior to any official view camera lens of equivalent focal length. Contrast will be excellent. But any out-of-focus rendering or bokeh will be disappointingly busy. These are hard-hard-sharp lenses intended for precise graphics applications. I own the 240,
305, 360, and 760. These are all 4-element dialytes. Nikon did offer a cheaper, non-dialyte line of process lenses too; but I've never personally run into any of those.

[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.