Nikon 300mm on Wista 4x5

[stompyq]

Ok this has been a whirlwind week and i need help. First i buy a fuji 250mm f/6.3 for next to nothing and now my photographer uncle has said i could have his nikon 300mm f/9 b/c he's going digital. This all with the fact that i have a 210mm computar symmetrigon too. Too many lenses!!!
Anyway i am really inclined towards the nikon, but worried if my camera can handle it. I have a Wista 4x5 woodfeild (the older one). I looked up the specs and have seen that for the nikon I am at the maximum bellows of my camera.
I am worried about using this lens. I don't intend to buy a 4x5 at least for a few more years so, has anybody had experiance with the nikon on a wista? I am worried about stability etc. I primarily shoot velvia and landscapes.
The second question is which is worth keeping the fuji or the nikon (in your opinion). I am going to keep one and sell the other 2.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

The Nikkor 300-M f9 is a small lens that fits in a Copal 1 shutter and is a great piece of glass. I used mine on Tachihara and could focus at infinity but no closer. This is a great little lens to have. You should not have any stability issues as it is a light lens.

I would keep the 210mm and the 300mm and sell the 250mm if it were mine.

Good luck and have fun!

[stompyq]

The Nikkor 300-M f9 is a small lens that fits in a Copal 1 shutter and is a great piece of glass. I used mine on Tachihara and could focus at infinity but no closer. This is a great little lens to have. You should not have any stability issues as it is a light lens.

I would keep the 210mm and the 300mm and sell the 250mm if it were mine.

Good luck and have fun!

Meaning anything thats before infinity can't be focused with the nikon? That would make the 300mm useless for me. Although i shoot landscapes most of the subject matter is a little before infinity so these would not be able to be focused on? correct?

[Oren Grad]

Nikon specifies the flange-to-film of the 300 Nikkor M as 290mm. So whether you can focus usefully closer than infinity will depend on exactly how far the Wista will stretch - a few millimeters will make all the difference.

Since you have the camera, why not ask your uncle if he can send you the lens to try? If you can manage even 15-20 mm of extension beyond infinity focus, it could turn out to be quite usable.

[Ralph Barker]

Another option would be to make a top-hat style lensboard to gain additional extension. This lens is light enough that having it hang 3-4 cm in front of the front standard shouldn't be a problem.

[Harley Goldman]

Check with Jim at Midwest for an Ebony tophat board if you don't have the bellows stretch, as Ralph suggested. They work great.

[stompyq]

hmm, the tophat seems a good idea. As to trying the lens out i'll have to wait another couple of days at the least (he's not in the US). so i am guessing that i could fold my wista with the nikon attached?

[Brian Ellis]

i was under the impression that wista made several different top hat extension boards of different lengths. i'd suggest you call hp marketing, the u.s. distributor for wista (assuming you're in the u.s.) and ask or maybe check the web sites of b&h or similar places. i've used a 300mm nikon m for years. it's a great lens and it would be a shame to get rid of it if you can use it with the simple expedient of a top hat lens board. i don't know whether you could fold the wista with the board attached or not.

[David Karp]

It is certainly worth using the 300 M, even if you can only use it at or close to infinity. I have used mine on a Crown Graphic, which has about 12.5 inches of extension. The 300 seems significantly longer than a 210 to me. I don't know about a 250. For the price, it would be worth keeping. If you keep the 210 and 300, maybe you could sell the 250 and pick up a wide angle.

[Bob Salomon]

You can easily extend the maximum draw on a Wista by using either a Wista Extended Lensboard or a Wista Extension Bed and bellows or both. If you are in the USA we can mail you a brochure illustrating these and most other Wista items.