Has anyone used a 180mm lens on a technical field camera such as the Arca Rm3di? I saw that Nikor has a lens at this focal length, and was wondering if it was a super sharp lens, how big the image circle was, and what it was like to use. Thanks for the replies in advance.
These older lenses are not Apo-Chromatic and so do not focus all three colors,RGB, well enough for precise and sharp focus.
The best available outside of the Digital models are the Rodenstock Apo-Sironar S lenses, or the Schneider Apo-Symmar-L.
The earlier lens model's had large errors, with especially the red component, too great to achieve anything near excellent results.
A note on use. These longer focal length lenses, will allow a bit more stop down so with backs up to 60mp you may be able to stop down to about F16.5.
With an 80mp back you can do nice work now at F11-F11.5, where the wide angles lenses are rarely good past F8.5.
In post you may need a bit more contrast and sharpening, but otherwise excellent results can be obtained.
The stopping down also covers some of the focus shift, especially in the red range, that occurs in all lenses.
Personal testing will let you know your acceptable aperture limits.
Hope this helps,
Rod