Fujinon 450C f/12.5 lens I just won on eBay

[naturephoto1]

I just won a Fujinon 450C f/12.5 lens in mint condition on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...3847&rd=1&rd=1

I will use the money that I saved over new to partially pay for the SK Grimes adapter to use the lens on my new Toho Shimo FC-45X. I will call SK Grimes tomorrow and discuss the adapter with them. I see that they also make an adapter for the Linhof Technika/Technikardan 45 cameras. I will discuss with them to find out if they can may a tube to screw into a lens board for both cameras for easier mounting than using the Technika board on the Toho. In any case, I could use the extension tube on both cameras if prepared properly.

Have any of you owners of the lens compared the results of the performance of this lens with the Nikon 500T ED f11 lens. I also have this telephoto lens and the rear 720mm lens elements. With the adapter I could use this 720mm lens on the Toho as well as some of my macro lenses (with more bellows draw) with say my Schneider f5.6 120mm Makro Symmar lens as well.

Thanks for any comments.

Rich

[Jack Flesher]

Well, the Fuji 450 C is an excellent optic, has more IC than your Nikkor Tele and weighs less than half the tele.

As for using extension tube adapters, I don't like them in general since they move the axis significantly rearward for all of your front tilt and swing adjustments -- actually for this same reason I don't happen to care for tele lenses on view cams. THey may also trim usable IC due to physical vignetting. I would prefer a rear extension back if I needed to add draw, but this is my personal opinion only, other's views may vary.

Cheers,

[naturephoto1]

Well, the Fuji 450 C is an excellent optic, has more IC than your Nikkor Tele and weighs less than half the tele.

As for using extension tube adapters, I don't like them in general since they move the axis significantly rearward for all of your front tilt and swing adjustments -- actually for this same reason I don't happen to care for tele lenses on view cams. I would prefer a rear extension back if I needed to add draw, but this is my personal opinion only, other's views may vary.

Cheers,

Hi Jack,

Thanks for the input. My Linhof Technikardan 45S has enough bellows for the lens and does not require a rear extension back. The Toho FC-45X on the other hand has no option. There is no way to attach a rear extension to the camera since the ground glass assembly is permanently attached to the bellows. With only about 360mm of bellows, the only option with this camera is to use either telephoto lenses requiring less than 360mm of bellows or an extension tube for non telephoto lenses such as the the Fuji 450C. Additionally, I can use rear swings and tilts in place of front movements if there is a problem.

Rich

[Harley Goldman]

Another option to a custom tube is a top hat board from Ebony. You can buy them from Jim at Midwest and save the cost of going custom. I have a two section Ebony top hat on my 450mm, which I use on my Toho and Arca and it works great. I would highly recommend constructing a baffles in the extension tube or top hat board. The lens has a huge image circle and there is a lot of light bouncing around. The baffles will greatly improve the contrast.

Drop me an email if you want more info.

[Ron Marshall]

Another option to a custom tube is a top hat board from Ebony. You can buy them from Jim at Midwest and save the cost of going custom. I have a two section Ebony top hat on my 450mm, which I use on my Toho and Arca and it works great. I would highly recommend constructing a baffles in the extension tube or top hat board. The lens has a huge image circle and there is a lot of light bouncing around. The baffles will greatly improve the contrast.

Drop me an email if you want more info.

This is what I did to mount my 450mm on the Toho.

Mine consists of a Linhof style board with a circular opening, three 35mm long tubes and a front ring on which the lens is mounted. If I remember correctly, the entire set was about $150.

[naturephoto1]

This is what I did to mount my 450mm on the Toho.

Mine consists of a Linhof style board with a circular opening, three 35mm long tubes and a front ring on which the lens is mounted. If I remember correctly, the entire set was about $150.

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the info. I sent a PM to Harley asking about this possible combination of 3 35mm tubes. I was wondering if the rings would be available separately. Do you find that 105mm of added extension enough to use the lens? The SK Grimes is 4 1/2" (versus about 4.13" for the Ebony). Any problem mounting the Ebony extension board system at an angle onto the Toho camera? Also, Harley had suggested installing a baffling into the extension tubes due to reflection and light scattering. Have you found a problem with the lens performance without the baffling?

Thanks for the help.

Rich

[Ron Marshall]

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the info. I sent a PM to Harley asking about this possible combination of 3 35mm tubes. I was wondering if the rings would be available separately. Do you find that 105mm of added extension enough to use the lens? The SK Grimes is 4 1/2" (versus about 4.13" for the Ebony). Any problem mounting the Ebony extension board system at an angle onto the Toho camera? Also, Harley had suggested installing a baffling into the extension tubes due to reflection and light scattering. Have you found a problem with the lens performance without the baffling?

Thanks for the help.

Rich

Hi Rich. I remembered wrong, the rings are 38mm. I bought one ring, the front plate and the "technika" board from Midwest at an ebay auction for $75, then ordered two more rings from them, which were about $35 each.

With three rings the minimum focus on the 450mm is 3.6 meters, which is closer than I really need for a 450, but nice to have.

I bought telescope flocking cloth, which is adhesive backed and installed it myself. It is needed, as the rings are somewhat shiny inside. There are two kinds, sticky and very sticky. I used the sticky. The very sticky cannot be repositioned once placed. The sticky won't come off. It is very cheap from this link:

http://www.fpi-protostar.com/flock01.htm

Naturally at full extension this set-up is shaky, but if you wait until the vibrations dampen then the photos are wonderfully sharp. It is a real treat being able to use such a long lens when it is needed.

[Harley Goldman]

Rich,

If you are using an extension tube, you will want to make some kind of baffle for the tube. I used my lens for a while without the baffle and my images were washed out and lacked pop. As soon as I installed the baffle, the images were looking great.

I am amazed at how often I use the lens, too. It is on the camera a surprising amount. Great lens, sharp and contrasty.

[naturephoto1]

Hi Harley and Ron,

Thanks for the input. The flocking cloth that Ron has suggested looks like it may be a simple and inexpensive way of avoiding reflection and light scattering. Unless you feel that the baffle is going to be a superior method for combating this problem, I think that I will try the flocking cloth first. Additionally, I think that it would be easier to apply the flocking cloth to each of the extension tubes than the baffling. If it doesn't solve the problem, I will remove the cloth (following Ron's suggestion for the sticky version) and install the baffling.

Rich

[Don Boyd]

Harley and Ron,
I had S.K. Grimes make me a single 4 1/2 inch extension tube for my Toho and 450 Fuji, and all of my images appear washed out. Suspecting that it was extraneous light bouncing off of the inside, I had been trying to come up with a solution. Ron, if you must purchase more flocking cloth than needed, I would be happy to share the cost with you. Harley, I am not sure how you might attach baffles to the extension tube. What did you do?