I've already posted this request in rec.photo.equipment.large-format, but I know some of you don't follow both forums, so I thought I'd ask here as well. Sorry for the duplication for those of you who participate in both places.

I'm in the process of updating my Fujinon Lens Pages at:

http://largeformat.terrashare.com/fujinon.htm

It's been over a year since my Fujinon Pages went online, and I have been fortunate to acquire many more pieces of Fujinon literature. A very big "Thank You" to all who have contributed.

However, I still have one rather large hole in my literature collection and a couple unanswered questions. I now have a total of 16 different official large format lens brochures from 5/75 - 3/97. Unfortunately, I have a gap in official Fujinon literature from 4/88 - 3/97. My last D.O. Industries price list is dated March 2, 1988, and the last listing of Fujinon lenses I can find in a Calumet Catalog is 1990. So, sometime in the very late 1980s or very early 1990s, D.O. Industries ceased to import Fujinon LF lenses, and the infromation well ran dry. The 3/97 brochure I have is in Japanese. So here's where I need some more help. If anyone has ANY Fujinon LF lens literature from after 4/88 and before 3/97, PLEASE contact me - even if it's in Japanese (which it most likely will be).

I am particularly interested in nailing down the introduction date for the current CM/W line. Based on the literature I have, it was sometime between 1990 and early 1997, but I'd like to determine a more accurate date than that. In lieu of official Fujinon literature, if anyone has access to any Japanese photography magazine from the early 1990s, it may be possible to narrow down the introduction date of the CM/W line either through advertisements in those publications or press releases or lens reviews. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, if anyone knows exactly when D.O. Industries ceased to be the US distributor for Fujinon LF lenses, please let me know. In this case, American photography magazines from the late 1980s or early 1990s might contain some information on demise of the D.O. Industries Fujinon distributorship.

Finally, as I mentioned, the oldest Fujinon LF brochure I have obtained is from 5/75. If anyone has an older brochure, or knows exactly when Fuji entered the LF lenses market, please let me know. The older brochures (from the mid - late 1970s) also contain information of the Fujinar barrel mount lenses (tessar types) and I have also seen an occasional shutter (Seiko) mounted 150mm Fujinar. I suspect these may have been the original Fuji LF lenses. If anyone has any literature or information on the Fujinar line (especially any shutter mounted lenses) please let me know.

Thanks in advance for any help any of you can offer. I already have a lot more information to add to my web site. Unfortunately, the scanning of brochures and updating the site is very time consuming. I'll do my best to update the site as time allows.

Thanks, Kerry

-- Kerry Thalmann (largeformat@thalmann.com), May 26, 2001

Answers

I have a brochure and a price list, both dated 8/96, and neither one mentions the CM-W series, just the old W series. This puts the intro date between 8/96 and 3/97.

-- Stewart Ethier (s_ethier@parkcity.net), May 26, 2001.

Hi Stewart,

Thanks for the quick response and the important data point. A couple questions about your brochure and price list. Are they in Japanese or English? What is the full title on the brochure? Was the price list published by Fuji, or by a dealer or distributor? Finally, would it be possible for me to get copies or scans of these two items? If so, please send me a private email at: largeformat@thalmann.com to arrange the details.

Thanks, Kerry

-- Kerry Thalmann (largeformat@thalmann.com), May 26, 2001.

Kerry, these are probably duplicates of what you already have. One is a Fuji Photo Film Co. 1984 pamphlet titled " For Users Who Select A Professional Lens First"; and the other, without a date, published by D.O. Industries titled "Comparative Coverage Guide for Large Format Lenses".

-- Garrett Adams (gadams@jps.net), May 26, 2001.

Hi Garrett,

Thanks for the response. Yes, I have copies of both of those pamphlets.

Kerry

-- Kerry Thalmann (largeformat@thalmann.com), May 26, 2001.

Kerry -

The April 1995 issue of Nippon Camera features a full-page, outside back cover ad for the CM Fujinon lenses. The text of the ad cites 7 of the lenses as being new products - the W 105/5.6, W 125/5.6, W 135/5.6, W 150/5.6, W 180/5.6, W 210/5.6 and W 250/6.3. These are described as filling out the lineup previously begun by the existing W 300/5.6, W 360/6.5 and W 450/8. Hope this is useful...

-- Oren Grad (orengrad@world.std.com), May 29, 2001.

Oren,

Thanks for the response. Very useful datapoint. Any chance I can get a scan or photocopy of the ad? Unfortunately, I don't have access to any of the Japanese photo magazines. Since Fuji has continued to market their LF lenses in Japan, such magazines would be a great resource for information on new product introductions.

-- Kerry Thalmann (largeformat@thalmann.com), May 30, 2001.

Just a comment on Stewart's mail: I've got a brochure dated 1982 which featured EBC-Fujinons, exept a budget starter lens. 8 pages at all, it contains a foto, sketch of lenses and technical data for each lens in german. I recieved it on photokina exhibition in the mid 80's.

Thomas

-- Thomas Vaehrmann (TVaehrmann@web.de), June 01, 2001.