Nikkor-W 150mm vs Fujinon-W 150mm

[aussie]

Hey everyone, hoping you could lend me some advice. Diving into LF and looking into my first lens, what would your suggestions be between these two?

[David Karp]

The lens labeled Fujinon-W that has the lettering on the inside front of the lens will be single coated. The lens labeled Fujinon-W with the lens around the outer front of the barrel is actually a Fujinon-NW and will be EBC multicoated. It has a larger (224mm) image circle than the Nikkor-W (210mm). Most likely, the Fujinon will be less expensive when compared to a Nikkor-W in equivalent condition. I think the Fujinons in this series are excellent. I have both the 125mm and 150mm. You can't beat the value of the Fujinon lenses. Most who have used lenses from multiple manufacturers will say that lenses from the major manufacturers are equivalent. I have purchased multiple Fujinons from sellers in Japan and they have all been in really good shape.

[Leigh]

I agree with David. The Fujinon lenses I have are excellent.

There are various Fujinon lenses available.
I have the 150mm Fujinon CM-W with outer labeling, which has a huge 260mm image circle.

For reference, the diagonal of 4x5 film is only about 160mm.
An image circle larger than that allows you to use lens movements (rise/fall/left/right/swing).

- Leigh

[aussie]

The lens labeled Fujinon-W that has the lettering on the inside front of the lens will be single coated. The lens labeled Fujinon-W with the lens around the outer front of the barrel is actually a Fujinon-NW and will be EBC multicoated. It has a larger (224mm) image circle than the Nikkor-W (210mm). Most likely, the Fujinon will be less expensive when compared to a Nikkor-W in equivalent condition. I think the Fujinons in this series are excellent. I have both the 125mm and 150mm. You can't beat the value of the Fujinon lenses. Most who have used lenses from multiple manufacturers will say that lenses from the major manufacturers are equivalent. I have purchased multiple Fujinons from sellers in Japan and they have all been in really good shape.

So the later version Fujinon-W will be pretty much comparable to the Nikkor-W apart front a larger image circle. Interesting, thanks a lot David and Leigh.

[David Karp]

Personally, I think Fuji made great LF lenses. Most of my lenses are Fujinon, but I have some Nikkors, Rodenstocks, an Ilex, and a Schneider. (I have too many lenses.) I don't think you can beat them for "bang for your buck" because they are at least as good as any of my other lenses.

This website should be helpful to you: http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/

[aussie]

Personally, I think Fuji made great LF lenses. Most of my lenses are Fujinon, but I have some Nikkors, Rodenstocks, an Ilex, and a Schneider. (I have too many lenses.) I don't think you can beat them for "bang for your buck" because they are at least as good as any of my other lenses.

This website should be helpful to you: http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/

Well the Fuji and Nikkor are the same price and same condition so I'm not sure. That website link is broken by the way.

[Lachlan 717]

Check that the Fuji is in a Copal, and not a Seiko, shutter.

Seiko are good shutters, but hard to repair now.

I had a Fujinon 150mm (outside lettering) that was a great lens.

[Steve Goldstein]

Leigh, are you sure about that? A 260mm image circle is a field of view of over 80 degrees, well beyond what Fuji claimed for the CM-W series. The massive listing David pointed to in post #5 says 223mm for the 150mm lens, 260mm for the 180mm Fujinon CM-W listed just below it.

I have the 150mm Fujinon CM-W with outer labeling, which has a huge 260mm image circle.

[Pfsor]

An image circle larger than that allows you to use lens movements (rise/fall/left/right/swing).
- Leigh

Leigh, the "left/right" is called "shift" in photography parlance. Shorter to type too.

[xkaes]

Fuji made different versions of the 150mm W and the 150mm NW. A complete listing is at:

http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/

The site is NOT dead -- depending on your system, you might need to drop the http://, or http://www, or just search for "fujinon large format lens list". It's there.