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Thread: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

  1. #1
    Craig T
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    What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    Sorry to sound a little ignorant but what's the difference between the Fujinon "W" 360mm lens and the quite sought after Fujinon "A" 360mm? Does one work at infinity better then another...is one more appropriate for 1:1?
    I'm still looking for my lightweight 360mm for my 8x10 and I've been debating whether to chase down the Fuji, the G-Claron or.....wait for it....lash out and buy the new Schneider Apo-Tele-Xenar Compact 350mm/11.
    There is a Fuji "W" available but I'm not sure how different it is to the "A"...if it's different at all.

  2. #2
    Robert Oliver Robert Oliver's Avatar
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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    Kerry Thallman has a ton of good info about the fuji lenses on his website....

    great guy. great for insight on backpacking with these beasts or just lightening your load overall.

    http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/
    Robert Oliver

  3. #3
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    The Fuji W and CMW lenses are big heavy plastmats in a #3 shutter. They are very
    high quality, but due to their clumsiness for field use, are apt to be sold quite reasonably on the used market. The Fuji A is an f/10 close-range corrected plastmat
    in a #1 shutter. One of the most versatile lenses I've ever owned (actually I have
    two of them). They're light enough for a 4x5 field camera, with very little shutter
    shake, so make an excellent substitute for a telephoto, provided you have enough
    bellows extension. On 8X10 they have plenty of coverage, and are exceptionally sharp from macro all the way to infinity at typical working apertures. What scares
    people away from them is their alleged scarcity and high prices. They were indeed
    quite rare for over a decade, but I have counted eleven of them coming onto the
    market this year alone, with a couple of them selling well under a thousand dollars.
    But even at the more typical fourteen-hundred or so, they're worth every penny.

  4. #4
    Craig T
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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Wiley View Post
    One of the most versatile lenses I've ever owned (actually I have
    two of them).
    ...you don't want to sell one do you?

  5. #5
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    I should have added that the 355 G-Claron is a similar design to the Fuji A but in a
    #3 shutter, so would be intermediate in weight and more affordable on the used
    market. More compact than the big studio plastmats, but I wouldn't want one a
    typical field 4X5. Where the G-Claron excels is in formats larger than 8X10 because
    the 3 shutter has less mechanical vignetting, hence a larger effective image circle.
    Like the Fuji A it is close-range corrected but with a tad less contrast. Other compact lenses in 3 shutter would include the Artar, Apo-Ronar, Computar, and Kowa Graphic.
    The new Schneider 360 in #1 shutter is probably infinity corrected, and might not
    be quite as good really close-up, but someone who actually owns one of these
    should verify if this is correct or not. All these various lenses are superb are versatile.

  6. #6
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    Sorry, don't want to sell either of mine. I need a spare just in case. I use this lens
    constantly. You might want to post a WTB message on the community board. The
    other lenses I mentioned are worth seeking too, although the Artars and Apo Ronars
    are a little tight on coverage for 8x10, at least for typical field use. Fourteen-inch
    Dagors are also quite compact and mid-weight, but unfortunately, obscenely
    overpriced at the moment, at least for relatively modern examples. The Fuji A does
    seem to have the best combination of properties and modern coatings of the entire
    selection, though I prefer the distinct look of the Dagor for portraiture.

  7. #7
    the Docter is in Arne Croell's Avatar
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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Wiley View Post
    The new Schneider 360 in #1 shutter is probably infinity corrected, and might not
    be quite as good really close-up, but someone who actually owns one of these
    should verify if this is correct or not.
    Schneider says its symmetric (from all we know its an Artar-type), so it should perform pretty good at 1:1 even if they adjusted the spacing for a more even performance at infinity.

  8. #8

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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    Quote Originally Posted by Craig Tuffin View Post
    Sorry to sound a little ignorant but what's the difference between the Fujinon "W" 360mm lens and the quite sought after Fujinon "A" 360mm? Does one work at infinity better then another...is one more appropriate for 1:1?
    I'm still looking for my lightweight 360mm for my 8x10 and I've been debating whether to chase down the Fuji, the G-Claron or.....wait for it....lash out and buy the new Schneider Apo-Tele-Xenar Compact 350mm/11.
    There is a Fuji "W" available but I'm not sure how different it is to the "A"...if it's different at all.
    Hi Craig, the 360W is conventional coating, WS in EBC coating(Multi), they cover about 68 degrees, image circle of 485mm at infinity at f22. Great lens, typically f6.3 aperture (because of the diameter of the shutter). Optimized for infinity. As in the case of most longer focal length lenses with relatively wide aperture, the user should re-focus at f 8 or a bit smaller when shooting at close studio distances, there can be some slight shift of focus (not just Fuji, but for all similar lenses).

    360 A or AS conventional or EBC. These are apochromatic plasmats covering 70 degrees with an image circle of 504mm, infinity, f22. Optimized for close up but in my personal experience they are wonderful at long distances. because the maximum aperture is f 10 there will be no shift of focus. I personally prefer the A rather than the W.

    Lynn

  9. #9

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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    If you don't need a shutter-mounted lens, the 360mm APO Nikkor is another nice choice. Small and light, razor sharp, excellent blur rendition, many-bladed diaphragm.

  10. #10

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    Re: What's the difference between the Fujinon "W" and "A" 360mm?

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Wiley View Post
    The new Schneider 360 in #1 shutter is probably infinity corrected, and might not
    be quite as good really close-up, but someone who actually owns one of these
    should verify if this is correct or not. All these various lenses are superb are versatile.
    I was on the Schneider site and could find no reference to a new 360 in a copal #1.

    Something new??

    bob

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