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Thread: 150mm f8 SW Nikkor is retrofocus (updated: not)

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    832

    150mm f8 SW Nikkor is retrofocus (updated: not)

    I have had a 150mm f8 SW Nikkor for about ten years and use it on my Toyo 810M. I have it set up with infinity stops and although it is big, heavy and now quite costly, it gets left behind more often than not when I do field work. I usually take a 120, 250 and a 450. I just acquired a nice 159mm f12.5 Wolensak Extreme WA because it is small, was inexpensive, and I can pack it in my bag to bridge the gap between the 120 and the 250.

    I must say this about the 150mm SW Nikkor, on the Toyo 810M, it covers the 8X10 in horizontal or vertical without dropping the bed. This allows the full range of movements, except for front fall,free of yaw. It is mounted in a Toyo View recessed lens board with an angled cable release adapter, so it is a big package. All my other lenses are mounted in Graphic boards and I use Toyo flat and recessed adapter boards.

    I mounted the Wolensak 159mm in a Graphic board with a flat Toyo adapter figuring it would find infinity somewhere near the stops for the 150 Nikkor in recessed board. To my surprise, it is 43mm back of the Nikkor. I checked the flange focus and it is 152mm. I can use it horizontally without catching the bed, but for verticals the bed must be dropped.

    Then I put the 150mm f8 SW Nikkor on and checked the flange focus for the first time ever. It is 197mm. So if it covers the angle claimed, it must be a retrofocus design. Then I checked the 120mm f8 SW Nikkor and it is 125mm.

    I have 65mm and 75mm SW Nikkors for 4X5 and I will check those soon. I also plan to make negatives of the same scene with both the 159 Wolensak and the 150mm SW Nikkor to see how they compare.

  2. #2
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Jan 2001
    Posts
    8,640

    Re: 150mm f8 SW Nikkor is retrofocus

    Nikon's FFD spec for the 150 SW is 165.9 mm. For the 120 it's 130.7 mm.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    3,901

    Re: 150mm f8 SW Nikkor is retrofocus

    "150mm f8 SW Nikkor is retrofocus"

    ~NO~


    Bernice

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    832

    Re: 150mm f8 SW Nikkor is retrofocus

    My mistake! I didn't account for the recessed board the 150 SW Nikkor is in. I measured again with a Toyo recessed adapter board on the stops and get 164mm. FFD is still 5mm longer than the 159mm Wolensak. I made comparison exposures with them today on 8X10 HP5+.

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