Is goerz Syntor any good for landscapes?

[baachitraka]

I maybe a little harsh when it comes to uncoated Dialytes, and low contrast, the best are definitely very sharp. A good lens hood will help, better still a Compendium style adjustable bellows lens hood will be the most effective.

Personally for portraits I'd go for a Cooke triplet design (or Tessar), I had superb results when using a Rolleicord and Triotar, these days I have 150mm & 210mm Geronars, both Cooke triplet type lenses. I also have some TT&H Cooke triplets on reflex cameras, that I can also use on my two Speed Graphics. Failing that I'd use a Tessar or type lens.

What am I really saying, given a choice I would not use my 203mm f7.7 Ektars for portraits (coated Dialytes) they are very sharp lenses, my next altenative is my 210mm f5.6 Symmar S, but no I'd go for a Congo/Osaka 210mm f6.3 this is the Japanese version of the Commercial Ektar, which Kodak soldtoCongo.

Finally, the simplest design is the Cooke Triplet Geronar. These are all budget lenses.

Ian

Apart from sharpness and contrast, I also desire some imperfections rendered by the lens such as swirl etc.,

 

[Ian Grant]

Apart from sharpness and contrast, I also desire some imperfections rendered by the lens such as swirl etc.,

It's why the TT&H Cooke triplet portrait lenses were manufactured for around 6 decades, and are still desirable today. You won't get the imperfections with a Dialyte. The Rodenstock Trunar is a good triplet lens.

Ian

 

[JPD]

The Rodenstock Trunar is a good triplet lens.

That should be Trinar. Then the Meyer Trioplan, Schneider Radionar and Steinheil Cassar. Good triplets from famous brands.

 

[baachitraka]

I think I will settle with the existing plate camera and CLA the shutter (I tried, still the piston is stuck even after taking out the speed setting dial and a small pin there).

I also got a Rolleicord with a clean Triotar and working compur shutter. May be this camera is already capable of rendering the imperfections better than I can imagine.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I think I will settle with the existing plate camera and CLA the shutter (I tried, still the piston is stuck even after taking out the speed setting dial and a small pin there).

I also got a Rolleicord with a clean Triotar and working compur shutter. May be this camera is already capable of rendering the imperfections better than I can imagine.

Try to flush clean the piston with alcohol - after cleaning and drying it should work; do not use oil

 

[JPD]

Try to flush clean the piston with alcohol - after cleaning and drying it should work; do not use oil

It's best to be careful if the aperture blades are made of plastic or paper.

 

[baachitraka]

...aperture blades are stuck now. So it needs a complete CLA or I will flush the shutter with alcohol (any recommendations?)

I think I will stop chasing the magic bullet and settle down with Dagor (120, 130 and 168mm). Since this lens is capable of doing great job already.

 

[baachitraka]

It's best to be careful if the aperture blades are made of plastic or paper.

I always thought they were made from metal alloy.

 

[JPD]

I always thought they were made from metal alloy.

Some early Gauthier shutters used some kind of plastic blades. Most "dial-set" Compur shutters have a black paper iris. Some later ones have metal irises like the "rim-set" Compur and later. It's easy to tell them apart. The paper blades look evenly black and slightly grainy, like this: https://content.invisioncic.com/l32...7584.jpg.12182efde28d4674928dd0b8295d0d8c.jpg

Solvents can easily damage the plastic, and for the paper blades even water can destroy them, making them swell up and change chape.

 

[baachitraka]

Some early Gauthier shutters used some kind of plastic blades. Most "dial-set" Compur shutters have a black paper iris. Some later ones have metal irises like the "rim-set" Compur and later. It's easy to tell them apart. The paper blades look evenly black and slightly grainy, like this: https://content.invisioncic.com/l32...7584.jpg.12182efde28d4674928dd0b8295d0d8c.jpg

Solvents can easily damage the plastic, and for the paper blades even water can destroy them, making them swell up and change chape.

I feel a bit sad after reading this. I have used lighter fluids to flush the shutter without taking the aperture blades out. The blades did not swell but it got stuck.

 

[cramej]

Many dialytes can be screwed apart so you can clean all glass surfaces. I could do that with the 4,5/135 and 3,5/150 Eurynar, but not with the 5,4/135 version. I have one 5,4 Eurynar with haze inside that can't be cleaned. Just be sure that the lenses face the right way. I took pictures when I cleaned the Eurynars. Here is one of them I still have saved:

Regular toothpaste with a couple drops of water and a kimwipe or pec pad can polish off haze or fungus quite well without leaving 'cleaning marks', even on coated lenses. It also works to put toothpaste and couple drops of water on a flat bathroom counter and polish flat lens surfaces. I've used it with much success on lenses that wouldn't be any worse off having been cleaned this way.

 

[baachitraka]

Some early Gauthier shutters used some kind of plastic blades. Most "dial-set" Compur shutters have a black paper iris. Some later ones have metal irises like the "rim-set" Compur and later. It's easy to tell them apart. The paper blades look evenly black and slightly grainy, like this: https://content.invisioncic.com/l32...7584.jpg.12182efde28d4674928dd0b8295d0d8c.jpg

Solvents can easily damage the plastic, and for the paper blades even water can destroy them, making them swell up and change chape.

manage to find the details of this compound shutter. Seems it is not the standard one and may be its difficult to find a compur of this size.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

It's best to be careful if the aperture blades are made of plastic or paper.

Yes, my advice was restricted to cleaning the piston, not the whole shutter ;-\

manage to find the details of this compound shutter. Seems it is not the standard one and may be its difficult to find a compur of this size.

Why would you need a compur if you already have a compound?


Btw we are drifting from the OP's questions about the Syntor, therefore it would be better if he would start a separate thread on the shutter problems

 

[baachitraka]

yes, it has drifted a bit. Now I learned a bit about shutter sizes. In-fact much clear now and I have further question in this regard.

 

[lobitar]

It's best to be careful if the aperture blades are made of plastic or paper.

The germans called it 'hartgummi' which translates to hard-rubber.

 

[JPD]

The germans called it 'hartgummi' which translates to hard-rubber.

Thank you, I should have known that. Hard rubber or ebonite, a material I dislike because it turns matte and green or brown so easily that I stopped bothering with polishing my tobacco pipes' ebonite mouthpieces.

 

[outwest]

I just checked my lens list and found: 180 f/4.5 Dogmar which I use on 4x5; a 240 f/4.5 Eurynar which I use on 6 1/2x8 1/2 (a favorite); a 300 f/6.8 Syntor which I use on 8x10; and a 420 f5.5 Dogmar which more than covers 8x10. These lenses are also convertible such as the 420 Dogmar can also be used as 588 or 672. The little 180 Dogmar is quite nice converted.