Author Topic: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!  (Read 2655 times)

simato73

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Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« on: May 07, 2017, 20:43:13 »
In my quest to make a 28mm TS from a Nikkor 28mm f/4 PS I have ended up going an unexpected way.

I got super cheap a nice TS bellows from Bronica, the Bellows attachment II, which was subsequently modified to remove the rear standard and to install a bag bellows.
While looking for parts to adapt the 28, I came across a cheap sample of the Nikkor P 75mm f/2.8 for Bronica.
Yes, Nikon did manufacture lenses for medium format in the '60s and this is a nice little gem of a normal lens (normal for 6x6, that is).
I recently purchased also the Nikkor O 50mm f/2.8, which is wider and has a decent reputation, although in my brief experience nowhere near as sharp as its 75mm sibling.
The mount on the bellows is now Nikon F and to that can be attached an adapter for my Fuji cameras (either of the hollow type, or a 0.7 focal length reducer, or "speedbooster").
Now my X-T1 is semi-permanently attached to this multi focal length TS apparatus. I am finding its use fun although not easy, I'll have to revise Mr Scheimpflug's lessons.

My quest to adapt the 28 is still on, but past experience with less successful TS bellows prototypes suggest its quality could underwhelm me.
Simone Tomasi

Roland Vink

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2017, 22:15:05 »
I catalogue the Nikkor for Bronica lenses here: http://photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#Bronica

simato73

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2017, 23:08:19 »
I catalogue the Nikkor for Bronica lenses here: http://photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#Bronica

You are the go-to guy for this kind of information ☺
Simone Tomasi

Roland Vink

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2017, 23:25:01 »
Actually I don't know a lot about these lenses. I kept coming across them and since they are a relatively small range, I thought it would be fairly easy to research and add them to my list. So I have a few basic specifications and some serial numbers, but that's about it. Not many know that Nikon made medium format lenses.

Hugh_3170

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2017, 02:42:53 »
I recall back in the late 1960s, Nikon made the (fixed) lenses for a folding 120 roll film camera called the Plaubel

They also had a very respectible line of lenses for 4" x 5" format cameras.
Hugh Gunn

pluton

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2017, 07:05:14 »
I recall back in the late 1960s, Nikon made the (fixed) lenses for a folding 120 roll film camera called the Plaubel

They also had a very respectible line of lenses for 4" x 5" format cameras.
That would be the 'Plaubel Makina' 6x7 folding camera.  They made a normal(80mm) version and a wide(55mm) version.
I remember them as being a hot item in the late 1970's and early 1980's.
Keith B., Santa Monica, CA, USA

richardHaw

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2017, 07:06:42 »
I was overhauling one last night. a 20cm f/4 lens  :o :o :o

Jack Dahlgren

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2017, 07:18:40 »
Plaubel Makina - I recall it had an 80mm, but there was a wide with a 55mm. I bought one in 1981, but had to return it as the metering was broken. They sell now for 2-3 times what I paid...

The LF lenses were pretty good. I still have a sw 90mm f/4.5 which is quite sharp and has good contrast. It was my favorite lens on 4x5, but I haven't used it for several years.

David H. Hartman

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2017, 07:22:31 »
They also had a very respectible line of lenses for 4" x 5" format cameras.

I have a 90/8.0 Nikkor-SW, 135/5.6, 150/5.6, 210/5.6 Nikkor-W and a 300/9.0 Nikkor-M and I want a 75/5.6 Nikkor-SW but I don't have time to use them.  They were great lenses though they were superceded​ by Rodenstock. I was told by the manager of Lee-Mac Camera in Pasadena, CA that Art Center students had switched except for the Nikkor-T ED(s).

Dave Hartman
...just poking the Web I saw a Nikon brochure with quite a few ED large format lenses (c) 2002-2004). I try to get up a link tomorrow./i]

[a few edits required, names backwards :) ]
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simato73

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #9 on: May 08, 2017, 08:32:50 »
What do all the M's and S's and W's stand for?
Simone Tomasi

Bjørn Rørslett

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #10 on: May 08, 2017, 08:44:30 »
W = Wide, SW = Super Wide. Do note that focal length is a bad predictor of covering angle, a 120 mm might be superwide on its intended format (8x10").

M = (medium image circle, meaning the lens will only provide moderate amounts of movements on the camera). This allowed for very small, light-weight lenses.

Nikon also had the AM series for close-ups, of these the most known is the 120 mm f/5.6 AM Nikkor ED (for 4x5" and smaller) , another was the 210 mm f/5.6 AM ED. These lenses are optimised for 1:1 (life-size) and the maker claims they keep the quality in the range 5:1 to 1:5. In practice, even to infinity if you have a suitable camera but then the image circle is severely constrained.

The most exciting large-format Nikkor series was the T ED range, starting at 270/6.3 T ED and going all the way up to 1200 mm f/18 T ED. They came in two subseries, 360-500-720 and 800-1200 focal lengths. Within each series you changed focal length by replacing the entire rear part of the lens with a dedicated lens component, not unlike a TC today. No such adaptation was offered for the 270 mm though. A pity as this probably was one of very best performing LF Nikkors. I used  the 270, 360, 500, and 720 versions and still possess most of them (no longer the 720 today).

David H. Hartman

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Re: Nikkor lenses for Bronica on a Fuji?!
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2017, 11:55:30 »
Here is the link to a brochure...

http://www.kennethleegallery.com/pdf/Nikkor_LargeFormatLenses.pdf

Nikkor-W v. Nikkor-M ...

300/5.6 Nikkor-W: Image circle (f/22) ø 420mm (10" x 12")
300/9.0 Nikkor-M: Image circle (f/22) ø 325mm (8" x 10")

For example the 300/9.0 Nikkor-M covers 8x10 at f/22 but that's with no movements. It starts getting reasonable with 5"x7" and has ample coverage for movements with 4"x5".

Size is mentioned above. For example a 300/5.6 W comes in a Copal No.3 shutter and probably doesn't fit a Linhof Technika IV or V 45. The fastest shutter speed on a Copal No.3 is a 1/125th as I recall. The 300/9.0 M comes in a Copal No.1 shutter with a top speed of 1/400th and will easily fit a Linhof Technika IV or V.

Dave


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