Need a longer lens - advice appreciated

[butterfly]

Hi folks,

I've been given a brief to photograph a local factory, from a distance, to show it in it's environment. I will have to take it from the hills overlooking it and since below me is a nature reserve I am limited to where I can shoot from. I had a reccy last night and with a 210mm, the longest I own, it is not long enough.

I am limited to using a telephoto design for my Ebony 45SU. The image will be blown up BIG, so I need as much resolution as possible.

As my company will be paying me well and I could use a longer lens, I thought I would use the proceeds up front to part pay for and invest in a Schneider Apo xenar 400mm.

It's a heavy beast.

Two questions: Will it sit on the Ebony lens board ok without causing any strain.

Second, I've searched the net and can find no sample images taken with this lens. Does anyone have one, or can point me to one, and opinions on this lens appreciated. It is twice the price of the Fujinon 400mm T! I will pay for quality but wonder if the extra cost will be seen in the results?

Shooting colour by the way, some at dusk, night.

Cheers!

[Nick Zentena]

Why not take part of the money and use it for a longer bellows camera?

[Frank Szabo]

Why not take part of the money and use it for a longer bellows camera?

I second that motion - the little folders are pretty, they're handy, and for most purposes, adequate, but with the "distaste" for film now and stuff like Cambo 8X10s going so cheap (on FleaBay), why even fool around?

[Pinholemaster]

My Fujinon 400 mm is great. Never would see that much increase in quality for twice the price.

[keithwms]

What about a Nikkor 360T.

[Ole]

The best "stretch for the money" in 4x5" cameras might be the plain old Linhof Color. With a maximum extension just short of 42cm, you can easily focus a regular non-tele 400mm at infinity.

[pgomena]

Why not rent a camera and lens for a day and save yourself a whole lot of money? If there are no big rental houses near you, some houses will ship cameras. Wortha a phone call or two.

Peter Gomena

[Don12x20]

I'd use the Nikor T360 or T500 over the Fuji 400T (I sold my 400T as it was too soft in contrast compared to the Nikors which I subsequently purchased for 4x5).

[butterfly]

Would love a Nikon long lens, but they aren't made any more and never seen these focal lengths on EBay. I'll do a search of known shops in the UK.

Not only can I not find any shop to hire any LF stuff, nothing you order is actually even in stock to buy! I've been ringing around.

Some people seem to like the Fuji but the resolution and contrast is not up to Nikon/Schneider standards (is it?) I use Rodenstock 150 Apo sironar S and 90 Grandagon, and these are superb, so expectations are high.

Thanks for the advice everyone :-)

[Martin Aislabie]

Have you tried Teamwork - they hire LF stuff in the UK & so do one or two others
The chances of you getting a 400mm tele to hire is very small - they tend to be standard lenses.
However, Robert White have the Schneider in stock (usualy) and there delivery is very fast.
The 400mm Schneider will fit your 45SU easily without over-extending the camera (45SU = 365mm extended & th e 400m Scheider has a flange lenght of 285 - so you have 80mm of extension left - hence it should still be very stable)
Have Fun
Martin