CF for Nikkor-SW 90mm f/8

[george_jiri_loun]

read: "wil not end up using..."

[jeffrey_scott]

Perhaps Michael should purchase all the 67mm CFs made and test them for himself, then he can determine which one works best on the Nikkor 90/8 and let us all know what he found out. What about it Michael, sound like a plan?

[michael_fox]

Thanks Jeffrey, but no thanks. I really just wanted an answer so I can get past the equipment purchase part and get to the making images part. Anyway, from the input above, it sounds like I *probably* won't need one for the 90mm but *probably* will need one for the 75mm.

[jean_marie_solichon]

"but *probably* will need one for the 75mm."

Who knows? I even do not use one on my 75 Super Angulon!

Jean-Marie

[jeffrey_scott]

I don't use one on my 58XL.

[van_camper]

Bob, I'll make it simpler. Nikons 90 f/8 is well known to have a much larger image circle then the same by schneider, rodenstock, fuji. It is the only lens Vistek in Toronto will rent and they say you don't need one. It is not "Just like other modern WA lenses" as you argued. It is different then all the rest. Yup, I know, I'm answering a very old post. The nikon doesn't need a CF, while schneiders do. Practical and theory are 2 different things, lets get practical.

[bob_salomon]

Van,

 

I will make it even simpler. It has about the same amount of fall off as Schneider,

Rodenstock and Fuji 90mm lenses for large format. They all fall off and the fall off visibly

starts after the first 80% of the field of coverage. That means that a CF will work to even

out the image with the Nikon lens.

 

Additionally if one does direct movements rise/fall/shift you will have fall off that is not symmetrical a CF will help to correct that.

 

And Vistec was very smart buying all Nikons for rental. They were probably very cheap as

Nikon discontinued the entire series along with enlarging lenses and large dealers like

Vistec could take advantage of those special prices.

 

You could just as easily pick other dealers in North America who only rent used lenses,

only rent Schneider lenses only rent Rodenstock lenses or only rent Fuji lenses.

 

Lens distributors offer special programs to retailers for rental equipment. Some

manufacturers are more aggressive in these programs then others. What a specific dealer

offers for rental is more a business matter then anything else. In some cases there can

also be family ties between a specific retailer and a specific product.

 

I would hate to go by "and they say you don't need one" the user has to decide if it needs

one for their application. Not the person renting. Next week that person might be

employed at a store that only rents something else exclusively and then tells you do need

a CF for the lens.

 

The need for a CF is determined by what you shoot, how you shoot it, what you will do to

reproduce it, etc. Not by what a rental clerk claims.

[bob_salomon]

And Van, one other thing:

 

"Nikons 90 f/8 is well known to have a much larger image circle then the same by

schneider, rodenstock, fuji"

 

The Nikon 90mm f8 has an image circle of 235mm at f22. Rodenstock does not make an

f8. They make a 6.8 in 90 and a 4.5 in 90mm. The 6.8 90mm has an image circle of

221mm at f22. That is 3? smaller then what Nikon claims (the 45 Rodenstock covers

236mm). The Schneider 90mm f 6.8 covers 216mm at f22 as did the 90mm f8. The Fuji

90mm 5.6 covered 236mm at f22. Like the Rodenstock 4.5 90 the Fuji 90mm 5.6 covered

105? at f22 and infinity. Both Fuji and Rodenstock state a 236mm circle. Nikon claims

105? for their f8 90mm but computes the coverage as 235mm.

 

In any case they all can use a CF to even out the hot spot that they all have.

[van_camper]

"The need for a CF is determined by what you shoot, how you shoot it, what you will do to reproduce it, etc. Not by what a rental clerk claims."

Bob, Vistek deals with a market area full of professionals. They have $2million in inventory for rentals. They rent what works, and not needing a CF filter helps. But, I find your comment odd. You argue not to trust them, or others, but what about yourself? After all you are a sales rep. How much experience do you have in using all the lenses you mention? These rental guys have been working pros, know what is the cheapest, sharpest, smallest filter (both scheider and Nikon in stock). Not all lenses as you imply behave the same way. I just bought a Fuji 240A, and comparing all other2 40 lenses there is a world of difference. The Fuji 240/6.7 and the newer 240/6.3 are examples of differences in lens design. Half the lenses you mention are too big (front filter, sometimes odd sized for me), or in my case the rear lens component was too big. So on that point, I have to say your probably right on some points, because I was less interested in some of the other lenses and have less knowledge then you do. I know what works for me.

"In any case they all can use a CF to even out the hot spot that they all have." Probably from your brochure, but a lot of times they rate them to conservative, everyone has their own standards (eg- the Claron 240 is rated very conservative at 298mm coverage). We all know that. You forget about experience, do you use the Nikor 90/8 yourself? I don't know anyone using a center filter for 4x5. This lens most people bought for that reason. Perhaps it is under rated? Either way, I have never yet needed a center filter for the Nikkor 90/8. On the other hand I remember reading below a David Muench photo the use of a CF on his Schneider 90/5.6 . Odd, for landscapes? Brochures are what you give us, but have you used all these lenses? Have you got extensive experience with the nikkor 90/8? You would be the first one I know of that recommends a CF for this lens.

[michael_briggs2]

I'm with Bob. Nikon hasn't found an end run around the laws of optics. The designs of the Nikkor-SW, Grandagon-N, Super-Angulon and Fuji-SW are similar. All have non-uniform illumination. Simple geometry shows that the illumination can't be uniform, e.g., the light rays off-axis has to cover a larger area on the film. Image circle size has little to do with the the rate of light fall off. You can see this by comparing the curves that Rodenstock and Schneider publish for their lenses. Nikon doesn't publish this data, which may be one reason some people think that their lenses are better. For the 90 mm focal length, for 4x5, I think few photographers use a center filter. So when someone advises you that you don't need a center filter for the 90 mm f8 Nikkor-SW, don't think that it indicates some superiority of this lens. For most uses, you don't need a center filter with any of these 90 mm lenses. For challenging uses, a photographer might find a center filter useful with any of them.

[van_camper]

Well, it's not how I understood it from when I was reading up on the Nikor f/8 at that time. Of course, 20 years later I don't remember the details, new things have come out. But I still read about the Nikkor being a classic. Well, I guess what matters is that we shoot with it.

 

Cheers!