These lenses any good?

[Amund]

I`ve been offered two Linhof Schneider lenses, a S-Angulon(Super Angulon?) 90mmf/8 and a Symmar 150mmf/5.6. Singlecoated from around `65-70.
Shutters need a cleaning... How good are these?

My dilemma is : buy these to at a reasonable price or go for a new Rodenstock APO-Sironar-S 135mm f/5.6?
I`d rather have one supergreat lens than two "dogs"....

I have a 127mm Ektar on my Crown Graphic now, and I`m minutes away from ordering a Shen-Hao....

 

[Eric Rose]

Can't speak to the 150, but I have a 90 SA F8 and it's an awesome lens. Very sharp and constrasty.

 

[jimgalli]

Those are both competent performers and likely the best available in those years but shutter CLA's can eat into $$ saved quickly and you can study Chris Perez and Kerry Thalmann's lens performance tests to see about what the differences might be. A new Shen Hao and a New Sironar S would be a sweet combo.

 

[Neal Shields]

I have both those lenses and am happy with them. I use the 90 a lot because it has way more coverage than my 75.

I suspect that the 150 is the convertible which makes it a single element 270.

I think with single coated lenses you need to have a little better discipline about using lens hoods but otherwise I think you will like them.

I wouldn't use the 150 as a 270 for anything but B&W and then use a yellow filter because the single element isn't corrected for cromatic aberration.

 

[Ole]

Amund, there are no "dogs".

The 90/8 Super Angulon may be single coated, but that doesn't harm it in any way. Very nive very sharp lens which covers 5x7" with a little movements if you ever decide to move up. I have one and love it - for 9x12cm, 4x5", and 5x7".

The 150/5.6 Symmar convertible is a lens which many people seem to believe is less sharp than more modern lenses with more letters in the name. It just isn't so! It is an excellent performer, and can be used on 5x7" too in a crisis. Slightly soft corners at that size, but very sharp all over on 4x5". The difference in sharpness between this and the later -S, APO- etc. Symmars can only be seen by microscope examination of test target negatives. I had one until recently, but sold it because I had too many 150mm lenses. I kept an APO-Lanthar, but it was a difficult decision. And then I went and bought a 240mm Symmar for my 18x24cm camera...

 

[Amund]

Thanks you all for your response.
I haven`t heard from the seller yet, but I hope to buy the 90mm super Angulon. A Rodenstock Sironar-N 150mm is the new lens I`ll buy. Haven`t found any used Sironar-S 135mm or 150`s and it`s a bit too expensive new....
But I guess the Sironar-N will do fine....
A Satinsnow GG and a 5x7 Blackjacket is ordered too.

 

[Amund]

UPDATE: I`ve been shopping!

Just won a Fujinon-W f/5.6 150mm on eBay(3876288825)
and I found A Nikkor 90mm f/8 here in Norway.
I`m really exited now! Now I just need those guys in China to deliver the Shen-Hao to me

 

[Ole]

Congratulations, Amund!

I just picked up my Gandolfi 5x7" at the post office - I see I'll need a new lens too...

 

[Claire Senft]

Get the Schneiders

As has been pointed out earlier the single coating will have reduced light transmission and increased flare. So as previously stated a lens hood is in order...which in my opinon is also true for multicoated optics. If you are using these lenses stopped down from anywhere from F22 thru F45 any lens made in the last 100 years that is undamaged should give very similar performance to later, upgraded versions of the "same" formulas. The combination of a 90mm and 150mm lenses far exceeds in potential the versatility of a new 135mm. If you feel that the single coated lens you now own is decent from a flare standpoint then you will probably feel the same about the Schneiders.

Of course having a 10 or 15 day return priviledge would be very helpful.

 

[Paddy]

I've got two Symmar 150mm's. A '66 Technika "select" Symmar, and a more current Symmar-S. I concur with what's been stated above, and wish that I'd known more, when as a newbie, I was convinced that I must have a more modern lens.(i.e. superior) In fact for the majority of my work( b&w), the ever so slightly lower contrast - older- Symmar is preferred for use. As for the colour images, with films like Velvia, etc,...obtaining totally saturated colours will never be a concern.

A colleague of mine, who shoots for clients such as Architectural Digest, still regularly uses his mid 60's 150mm Symmar, with excellant results.

Certainly, if one requires extreme coverage, and apochomatic correction, then by all means go for the most current offerings, but be prepared to dig very deep into your line of credit.

 

[Amund]

Claire, you`re right(and others have pointed it out too), but I think I got the best option with the Fujinon 150mm and Nikkor 90mm, both are modern and have multicoating, and cover up to 5x7 in case I`ll ever move up. And for less than a new Sironar-S
They didn`t cost me much more than the Schneiders + CLA would have added up to either...

Now I have removed the "what if?" factor and any old lens I`ll find will be a pleasant surprise

 

[Amund]

Congratulations, Amund!

I just picked up my Gandolfi 5x7" at the post office - I see I'll need a new lens too...

Congratulations to you too! You bought a new one?

 

[Ole]

No, a 1950's one with scuffed black paint. They (Gandolfi) made the mistake of selling it on ebay, which means I got it super-cheap. The seller (the boss himself, Edward Hill) had only one feedback, from the sale of a bicycle some years back. Sometimes bidding on that sort of thing can give really nice things at very low prices!

There's a similar one for sale at www.gandolficameras.com for GBP 1100 - I paid a third of that.

 

[Ole]

BTW, I will use a 240/420 Symmar convertible, and a 165 Angulon on this one. At least until I get another lensboard to fit the 90/8 and 121/8 Super-Angulons.

 

[Amund]

First few sheets exposed!
Wow, I`m going a bit crazy with movements now, but the camera is a dream to use and the Nikkor SW 90mm is great!

I tried Pyrocat HD with the JandC Pro 100, wow that`s a great combo!