So right before this Christmas I was able to purchase a Fujinon C 300mm for use with my current 8x10 camera. I have made quite a few pictures with it, however have failed to make any actual prints till earlier today....... it doesn't particularly sharp? I use rise and shift quite often could this have something to do with it or is this lens not nearly as sharp as the G-Claron I used a few times? Any experiences with this lens on an 8x10 are welcome.
I often use it on 4x5 and have never noticed any issues with sharpness. Perhaps you have a poor sample.
Where is it soft, in the corners, or all over?
At what aperture do you normally shoot?
I use one often on both 8x10 and 4x5. My results have always been sharp, though I usually stop down to f32 or more on 8x10.
On 8x10 with extreme movements the corners might be soft, but I really mean extreme movements before that happens.
Rgrds.
Blumine
I usually stop down to f45. Even the actual part I focus on isn't like tack sharp...... focused with loop and all.......... just not that 8x10 realer than real type of focus.
Might not be the lens. It could be that your ground glass isn't in the correct plane.
Fuji makes wonderful lenses. They've always been tack sharp, but I don't use a 300C on my 8x10 camera.
Good luck.
Here is a wild guess: Sometimes, wooden lensboards for older cameras are too thick, and don't allow the rear element to seat properly. They interfere with the barrel and don't allow it to screw down all the way. Could this be the problem?
Wild guess two: Is there a screw on the back of the shutter? Sometimes people forget to remove the screw or place it in a slot on the lensboard. In that case the lens is not mounted flat to the lensboard. (Might also create some problems from a light leak.
I don't have a 300 C, but I do have a 450 C and it is much sharper than I am.
Jordan,
I bought the Fuji 300 C when I moved to 10x8 a couple of decades ago & your experience with the lens mirrors mine. I found the lens to be very compact & have great contrast, but it lacked the sharpness I was expecting. I only had the Fuji lens so I borrowed a friend’s 300 Symmar which gave me the quality I was expecting to get from 10x8.
I sold the Fuji and bought a 300 G-Claron, which I found to be a great lens. It doesn’t have the same contrast due to it not being multicoated & it’s a little larger, but it is a very sharp lens.
Perhaps we both had poor samples of the Fuji 300C. It certainly put me off buying another Fuji lens. But I did a couple of years ago when I bought a 250 F6.7 which is a great lens and you should check out with your interest in architecture.
Andy
I love my Fuji 300 C - it is plenty sharp, has great contrast and is very compact. I use it with 8x10 and 4x5. I find all the Fujis I own to be some of the sharpest lenses available. Are you sure it is the lens that is the problem? I would definitely check the GG position if this is the only lens you own - of course if other lenses give you sharp results, then it must be related to the lens - or the lensboard. The little screw mentioned above screwed me up once - I couldn't get a sharp picture, no matter what I tried, until someone on this forum pointed out the tiny nasty screw on the back of the shutter. Removed it and evrything was fine:-) Felt really stupid afterwards too!
Juergen
I use the Fujiinon 300C, 450C, and 600C on my 8x10. All three are quite sharp. I do stop down to at least f22.
i had the same experience with the nikkor 300 m i purchased last month.
tried 2 fuji instant (silk surface) and thought the lens is not as sharp as my 210 and 150.
it could be the surface of the fuji instant. i took trans too but i am yet to send it to process.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks