Telephoto
Telephoto Large Format Lenses:
The large format lenses in this category are, in many ways, in a class all to themselves. Many photographers automatically associate long focal length lenses with telephoto lenses and vice-versa. While in smaller format SLR style lenses most longer focal lengths will be telephoto it certainly isn't the case with large format view camera lenses. The telephoto optic is a unique design that has some characteristics that you should be familiar with as a view camera photographer.
Take a look at these lenses for sale or keep reading below...
 |
 Schneider 500/5.5 Tele-Xenar #4502621  US $825.00
|
 TEST CHART FOR Schneider 600mm f/9 Tele-Xenar APO US $9.95
|
 1959 SCHNEIDER Lenses Curtagon & Tele-Arton Vintage AD US $8.00
|
 Schneider-Kreuznach Tele-Arton 240 F5.5 4x5 Lens F/5.5 US $549.00
|
 Linhof Schneider Tele Xenar 360mm Lens W/ Shutter US $275.00
|
 TEST CHART FOR Schneider 800mm f/12 Tele-Xenar APO US $9.95
|
 TEST CHART FOR Schneider 600mm f/9 Tele-Xenar APO US $9.95
|
 TEST CHART FOR Schneider 800mm f/12 Tele-Xenar APO US $9.95
|
Comparing a long lens to a "normal" lens by the same manufacturer and in the same series - Fujinon W 180mm to Fujinon W 300mm for instance - you will find that the lenses are generally very similar in appearance with the longer lens being notably larger and having a bigger shutter. However, if you then look at a Fujinon T (telephoto) series lens in 300mm you will immediately notice some significant design differences.
As far as the practical differences of a long lens and a telephoto lens of the same focal lenght, there are a couple of major ones. First, the advantageous part of a tele lens is the fact that it requires less bellows extension to focus on a given point than a non-tele lens of the same focal length. For example, a 300mm lens would require 30 centimeters of bellows extension to focus on infinity. A 300mm telephoto lens would require substantially less, probably only about 20 centimeters giver or take. Many large format photographers will choose to go with a telephoto lens if the camera they intend to use it on is not capable of extending itself to accommodate the equivalent focal length in a regular lens.
Another thing to keep in mind that can be a disadvantage is the fact that this type of lens has it's nodal point located near the front of the optic as opposed to nearer the center. This means that when applying tilt to the front element your image on the ground glass will shift much more than with a traditional lens design. This will require significantly more shifting of the front or rear element to compensate.
