So I finally got round to trying it, with several temporary solutions to make the enlarger works (they seem to hold).
The short of it is that, for my level of proficiency, the symmar works perfectly well as an enlarger lens. on a 10x12 print of a cropped 6x6 negative, I almost can't see any difference with the componon 80mm. I say almost, as it seems to be less contrasty compared with the componon, and to achieve a similar result I jumped up from contrast filter #1 to #2. However, there seem to be some cloudiness in the symmar so perhaps it's that. I printed with condensers.
The long version comes with some caveats. I have not been printing for 10+ years, and this was my first (7hrs long) session since. I am back to square 1 learning.
The main takeaway for me is that I really should use a tripod. "I can hold 1/60" seems a tad delusional on my end.
I did get stubborn on this print, and even considering the paper I wasted there are a number of things I now see I could have done better or more carefully, and things I didn't even think of when I was printing.
The photo does not remotely deserve this level of attention anyway so there's that.
For example, I had to burn significantly (very significantly on the componon- like 1 third of the total exposure time, less so on the symmar - i guess because of contrast) the right hand side where the human figure is. In hindsight, I should have probably burnt even more on the right hand side rock, and possibly with an even lower contrast level. there's a shadow zone too where I would have liked to try "dodging" a bit instead to lift up the tone.
The below is a photo of the print and a bad one at that. The rocks on the left are roughly in zone 3 with details visible..I don't really know how to take pictures of prints.
On the left, a contrast 2 componon print of the scene (plagued by light leaks in the sky as the tape fell). on the right the symmar exposure test at contrast 2
This is the final print from the symmar - again, rocks are less dark on paper
Overall though, I had good fun. The lens is good enough for me (when I'll go beyond 6x6, that is). I find the contrast hardly manageable with condensers and the componon and I am a little perplexed so I will maybe try to use the colour head, although the timer caught fire last time I tried. Maybe I could also try to develop for condenser, if this is even a thing, but it sounds like complicating things. Also, I am shopping for a tripod.
Another shot on the same-ish spot, printed with the symmar, that I like a little bit better:
