Best long lenses usable with Linhof Master Technika

[epines]

I'm looking for recommendations for long lenses (say, 360mm - 450mm) that are usable with the Technika's bellows draw. I know the Fuji 400T will work, but those who know the lens seem to say that it's just good, not great. Or perhaps I've read the wrong comments? I know that the Nikkor 360mm f/8 and the Fujinon 360mm f/10 are among Kerry Thalmann's classics.

I'll mostly be shooting at infinity, so I won't need to push the bellows much beyond that. But of course I'd like to able to focus closer than infinity as well.

Thanks
ethan

[JMO]

That Nikon, which I haven't used, is another telephoto and has a 210mm image circle and weighs 800gm, versus 220mm and 600gm for the Fuji 400T. I've been satisfied with my Fuji 400T. Good luck finding one of those Fujinon 360A f10 lenses, and if you can find a good copy it will be EXPENSIVE. It has a HUGE 500mm image circle, so is favored for 8x10 and larger formats, but that is far larger than what you'll need with your LMT 4x5. If you're talking about the Nikkor W 360mm f6.5, that has a 494mm IC but weighs 1420gms!

I've used a 360mm APO Ronar f9, which has a 318mm IC and weighs 550gm. It has a Copal 3 shutter, but has worked well for me on my LMT, and it weighs in at about 550gm per Rodenstock's brochures.

[Len Middleton]

Ethan,

With about 16" of bellows draw, it will be capable of managing a 14" (360mm) non-telephoto lens.

My Technika V with a dialyte-type 355mm Repro-Claron can focus to about 10 feet., but obviously not cammed.

Hope that helps,

Len

[Rick Rycroft]

I'm happy with my Fuji 400T.

[Drew Wiley]

Yes, we can be nitpicky. But the Fuji 400T was prized by everyone I know who used one for 4X5 distance applications. No, it's not in the league of a Fuji 360A/ f10, which is a completely different animal, close-range (macro) as well as infinity corrected and with a huge image circle generous even by 8x10 standards, and not a telephoto at all - so you need the full bellows extension, which your Technika might not even have. Dunno. It's a lot more compact than a tele, and in a lightweight no. 1 shutter, but quite rare and expensive now; it's one of my most-used lenses, especially on 8x10, but sharp enough even for 120 roll-film back applications.

Otherwise, I've known of even 600 Fuji T's being used on Master Technikas at infinity at least.

You won't want to be in the field with a big general-purpose studio plasmat 360 in no. 3 shutter unless you just can't find heavy rocks to sit on any other manner.

[Mark Sampson]

Even a 300mm will give you some reach if you intend to use a roll-film back, as you mentioned in your other thread.
I've used a Nikkor-M 300/9 and a roll back successfully on a lightweight 4x5 camera. True, a Fuji 400T or a Nikkor-T 500/11 would have been even better, but I didn't have either of those.

[LabRat]

With triple extension bellows, you can usually get a non-tele 300mm to work at infinity and maybe a little closer... Measure the film to iris distance with a tape measure to see how much extension you have to work with, and look up lens specifications to see if a candidate lens will work...

On my older Tek III, Regularly use a 270mm process lens (with a rear mounted shutter) and I can easily focus from infinity to about 15 feet...

Steve K

[Len Middleton]

My Technika V with a dialyte-type 355mm Repro-Claron can focus to about 10 feet., but obviously not cammed.

To be clear, that is with a flat lens board.

A "top hat" lens board should get you closer, or allow use of a longer lens.

[Mike Lewis]

I use a Schneider Apo-Xenar 400mm lens with my Technika V. It is a telephoto lens. It is supposed to use a custom Linhof lensboard but I had a machinist drill out a Technika blank lensboard for the lens. I don't really recall, but I think I had to have the hole made centered instead of offset like other Technika lensboards. It works.

[Corran]

Nikon 360/500. Works with tophat lens board. Very versatile.