Schneider 80mm f4 vs. 5.6

[images39]

Is there a difference between the Schneider Componon S 80mm f4 compared to f5.6 (besides being one stop faster)? Is there any significant difference in construction or optical performance? I have the 80mm f4, but have an opportunity to buy a 5.6.

Thanks,
Dale

 

[jjphoto]

Are you referring to the WA-Componon 5.6/80 or possibly an older componon from the 50's or 60's?

The WA-Componon 5.6/80 is also a 6 element 4 group lens, like the 4/80 Componon-S, but it is a wide angle lens with a larger image circle. I'm fairly sure the Componon-S is the technically 'better' lens but can't be certain.

There's technical info about them here: http://photocornucopia.com/1061.html

 

[Ian C]

The 80 mm f/5.6 version was a standard 6-element 4-group enlarging lens. I’ve not used one. I’d expect similar performance to other 6/4 lenses. It was replaced by the faster f/4 version.

There are 5 photos of the elusive 5.6/80 Componon-S in the following link:

https://picclick.com/Schneider-Kreu...larger-lens-in-183738938752.html#&gid=1&pid=1

One on eBay from Sweden, Schneider product code 13692 visible on the label on the product box:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Schneider-...nlarger-lens-Made-in-Germany-VGC/323914662932

 

[images39]

The 80/5.6 Componon S that I have must be a later version, as it has the aperture lever (it's not a WA-Componon). Interesting to hear that the 80/5.6 is elusive, I wasn't aware of that. I'm planning to buy the 80/4 version today, after which I will probably sell the 80/5.6. Still wondering if there's any difference in performance. My main reason for getting the faster version is that I use an LPL 4500 enlarger with VCCE head, which means that my exposures can be quite long. The faster lens will allow me to cut exposure times in half. I make enlargements with my current lens at f8, with the faster lens I'll use f5.6 (avoiding full aperture in both cases.

Dale

 

[Huub]

You could do some testing yourself if you have both lenses of course. What i would expect is that, even when one of the lenses might be slightly better in a general sense, the performance will depend as much on the individual sample. When you buy a pre-used lens, you never know how it was treated, even when it looks prestine. It might haven been dropped or it might have other issues that don't show when looking at it. Only some testing will tell you. The other reason is that even when these lenses were new, they showed small production tolerances. If i remember correctly, it was Ctein who concluded after careful testing that differences between various samples of the same lenses are sometimes bigger then the differences between lenses of various makers..

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Investigating this lens, FWIW, it appears that the 80mm f/5.6 Vivitar VME enlarging lens is identical to the Componon-S.