Symmar-S 150/5.6 - is it possible to transplant from Sinar board to Copal 1?

eumenius · Feb 6, 2006

Hello friends,

today I've seen a nice Symmar-S in Sinar DB board, 150/5.6. It's about $150, apparently single coated, with mild Schneideritis.... maybe it's a good deal? I've got 210/5.6 Fujinon in old style Copal 1, with front thread about 39.5mm and back thread 36mm (approximately). Looks like I can put the Symmar cells in this shutter - physically they should fit. Well, the question is simple - would it be OK to use one shutter for 150 Symmar and 210 Fujinon cells, is the Symmar-S worthy $150 and purchase, and would the aperture scale on my Copal (beginning from 5.6, yes) be valid for Symmar? Please, let me know about it - I'm just a beginner in LF. I think that the plasmat lens would be a nice addition to my 150/6.3 Fujinon (I'm not saying that it doesn't work okay, though ). What can you say about this lens, too?

Cheers,
Zhenya

Steve Hamley · Feb 6, 2006

I'm a bit confused why you would want two 150mm lenses, already having a 150mm Fujinon. I would pass on the single coated Symmar with Schneideritis for $150.

The aperture scale for the 210mm will not be correct, and will probably not be exactly correct for a 150mm tessar (Fuji) versus a 150mm plasmat (Symmar), although the scales may well be close enough.

The Fuji is likely a tessar design which will not have the coverage of the Symmar (listed image circle is 198mm for the Fuji and 210mm for the Schneider), although the Fuji should be fine for most 4x5 use. The Symmar likely has a larger usable image circle than Schneider lists, they were often very conservative. But I wouldn't pay $150 extra for a single coated Symmar over the Fuji; it would be far better IMO to put the money into a different focal length or at least a more modern, multicoated 150mm.

http://members.aol.com/subgallery/byfl.htm

http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/vintage_lens_data/large_format_lenses/

Steve

jimgalli · Feb 6, 2006

Zhenya, the Symmar is a Copal 0 lens. It won't fit in the Copal 1. It would however fit in the shutter with the 90mm that is on the way. Aperture is another question. When the 90 scale is telling you it is f8 the 150 would actually be at f14 or f 11 2/3. It sounds like a good buy at $150.

eumenius · Feb 6, 2006

Steve,

150 Fujinon works fine, and I sincerely don't like to pay much money for another 150mm lens - that's my first steps in LF minefield, so I just was confused and though that this Symmar would be a better choice due to its bigger coverage. Wrong I am, just having thought about it again

The aperture scale for Fujinon-W 210/5.6 (definitely plasmat type) should work for 150/5.6 Symmar (plasmat again), no? That's my Fujinon 150/6.3 that is Tessar, and it comes in old but fine Seiko shutter.

The lens is already there for six months, and no one seems to like it - so perhaps it will be there for some more time, while I'm deciding if I would waste money on an another standart lens

Cheers, Zhenya

Steve Hamley said:
I'm a bit confused why you would want two 150mm lenses, already having a 150mm Fujinon. I would pass on the single coated Symmar with Schneideritis for $150.

The aperture scale for the 210mm will not be correct, and will probably not be exactly correct for a 150mm tessar (Fuji) versus a 150mm plasmat (Symmar), although the scales may well be close enough.

The Fuji is likely a tessar design which will not have the coverage of the Symmar (listed image circle is 198mm for the Fuji and 210mm for the Schneider), although the Fuji should be fine for most 4x5 use. The Symmar likely has a larger usable image circle than Schneider lists, they were often very conservative. But I wouldn't pay $150 extra for a single coated Symmar over the Fuji; it would be far better IMO to put the money into a different focal length or at least a more modern, multicoated 150mm.

http://members.aol.com/subgallery/byfl.htm

http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/vintage_lens_data/large_format_lenses/

Steve

eumenius · Feb 6, 2006

Jim, believe me or not, but this specimen of Symmar-S apparenty has a M39x0.75 thread on a front element, and M36x0.75 thread on rear element (numbers are within 1 mm tolerance, I measured it with a simple ruler). So that means Copal 1 and not 0, right? I took my Fujinon's Copal home, so I can try and fit those Symmar-S cells in it. Maybe for Sinar DB stupid boards Schneider made it in a Copal 1 size??

Both Fujinon-W 210/5.6 and this Symmar-S 150/5.6, if it's Copal 1, should work fine with the same shutter if it's marked beginning from f/5.6, no? Both are plasmats, so...

Thanks for your fast mailing out the lenses - I'm all expectation

Cheers, Zhenya

jimgalli said:
Zhenya, the Symmar is a Copal 0 lens. It won't fit in the Copal 1. It would however fit in the shutter with the 90mm that is on the way. Aperture is another question. When the 90 scale is telling you it is f8 the 150 would actually be at f14 or f 11 2/3. It sounds like a good buy at $150.

jimgalli · Feb 6, 2006

Zhenya, even if it fits (probably has threaded bushings for use in Sinar board) the aperture scale is different. When your 210 scale says f11 it is telling you 11X that size hole = 210mm. That is about a 20mm hole. 20mm hole for a 150mm lens is 7.5X or f7.5. You need a new scale for each focal length. Also your 150 f6.3 Fuji is a fantastic lens. The Symmar would fit into the Seikosha shutter when the bushings are gone. Then the scale would be "close enough"

Symmar-S 150/5.6 - is it possible to transplant from Sinar board to Copal 1?

eumenius

Steve Hamley

jimgalli

eumenius

eumenius

jimgalli

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