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JoshuaT
17-Sep-2017, 03:09
Hello all,

Does anyone have any experience with this lens? I want to buy a standard lens for 4x5 and I'm looking for high quality glass that is affordable.

Are there any recommendations for lenses or examples of images with these lenses you'd be happy to share?


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Doremus Scudder
17-Sep-2017, 03:18
A Schneider APO-SYMMAR (not Summer...) is the latest incarnation of Schneider's Symmar lens line and a top performer. You can't really go wrong with this or any other relatively modern 150mm Plasmat-design lens from any of the major manufacturers. 150mm is considered a "normal" focal-length for 4x5, approximating the angle of view of your eye.

See here for specs: http://www.ground-glass.net/large-format/schneider-apo-symmar-150

Best,

Doremus

JoshuaT
17-Sep-2017, 03:32
Hello all,

Does anyone have any experience with the Schneider Apo Symmar 150mm f/5.6 lens? I want to buy a standard lens for 4x5 and I'm looking for high quality glass that is affordable.

Are there any recommendations for lenses or examples of images with these lenses you'd be happy to share?

Corran
17-Sep-2017, 03:47
The 150mm APO Symmar is a very good lens, and available very inexpensively. It was my first 4x5 lens and I still use it. I use a few different 150mm lenses - the APO Symmar doesn't have a lot of "character" but it can't be faulted on quality.

Here's a couple of photos from my 150mm APO Symmar:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-axLITcfQYZ0/Vdf4CEK6TfI/AAAAAAAAIa8/Z8w0CNgke8s/s800/canoe2-2073s.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tQRlZ_gRev0/TzGdBsGLpoI/AAAAAAAAAhE/3x7Meee8J7Q/s600/0176.jpg

JoshuaT
17-Sep-2017, 03:52
When you say character, what are you referring to?

Thank you for the feedback and images!

Corran
17-Sep-2017, 03:59
Other 150mm lenses I have include the APO Lanthar and Xenotar lenses, which have a lot of character - be it from contrast, spherical aberrations, out of focus rendering, etc. The APO Symmar is just a normal, sharp, high-quality lens that doesn't have any "standout" characteristics in my opinion. It's still great, and really as you can see above the out of focus is still nice and smooth. I would say the APO Lanthar has a nicer out of focus rendering in some harder situations and has a beautiful soft contrast unlike the Symmar, and the Xenotar has a shorter DOF when shot wide-open and has a "glow" to it when shot at those wider stops. So they all have their place and unique look. Nothing wrong with the APO Symmar though!

JoshuaT
17-Sep-2017, 04:09
Ah I understand, character is not something that I'm looking for in a lens, just something that is sharp and reliable as I don't often work with DoF. This is how I like to shoot - https://www.instagram.com/p/BY6M7PSAG7o/?taken-by=joshua.turner_

Steven Tribe
17-Sep-2017, 04:43
The Original Poster (OP) might want to delete the other two duplicate threads!!!

JoshuaT
17-Sep-2017, 04:51
Currently trying to figure that out.


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Corran
17-Sep-2017, 05:14
Ah I understand, character is not something that I'm looking for in a lens, just something that is sharp and reliable as I don't often work with DoF. This is how I like to shoot - https://www.instagram.com/p/BY6M7PSAG7o/?taken-by=joshua.turner_

Then I think the APO Symmar would be just the ticket. They also made the "L" version - I don't really remember the difference. I bought my 150mm APO Symmar for all of $350 back 6 or so years ago, and have seen them selling for much cheaper, so that's a real bargain of a lens.

As for your duplicate threads, just use the "report" function to alert an admin to delete them. You can't delete yourself.

JoshuaT
17-Sep-2017, 05:20
That's what I'm thinking. Though I have also found a Rodenstock Apo 150mm f5.6 sironar - N, this is more expensive but I've heard it's sharper; further searching will be done.

I've reported now, I wouldn't have figured that out so cheers!

Corran
17-Sep-2017, 05:37
Supposedly the Sironar-S is the sharpest of the modern 150s. What differences will be apparent on the negative/print is a different question. The oft-cited LF lens test HERE (http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/testing.html)shows the APO Symmar having better resolution in the corners than the Sironar-N at wider stops. Interestingly it shows the older Symmar-S besting both at f/22, and even edging out the Sironar-S! IMO it's all splitting hairs and shooting test charts at close distances is pretty irrelevant to real-life photography. The above portrait was shot at f/11 and it is definitely extremely sharp so yeah I guess I can see the APO Symmar's excellent performance at middling f/stops. You can't go wrong with any of them. I also have a featherweight G-Claron 150mm that is impressively sharp and a good option for ultralight hiking, and was the cheapest 150 out of all of them - $75 in a Copal Press shutter. It's all up to your wallet at a certain point.

12pmc
17-Sep-2017, 05:45
JoshuaT

I have the Schneider 150 APO lens and its excellent, in my experience produces very good results. It is small and light and readily available on ebay get one!

Peter

Bob Salomon
17-Sep-2017, 05:46
Supposedly the Sironar-S is the sharpest of the modern 150s. What differences will be apparent on the negative/print is a different question. The oft-cited LF lens test HERE (http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/testing.html)shows the APO Symmar having better resolution in the corners than the Sironar-N at wider stops. Interestingly it shows the older Symmar-S besting both at f/22, and even edging out the Sironar-S! IMO it's all splitting hairs and shooting test charts at close distances is pretty irrelevant to real-life photography. The above portrait was shot at f/11 and it is definitely extremely sharp so yeah I guess I can see the APO Symmar's excellent performance at middling f/stops. You can't go wrong with any of them. I also have a featherweight G-Claron 150mm that is impressively sharp and a good option for ultralight hiking, and was the cheapest 150 out of all of them - $75 in a Copal Press shutter. It's all up to your wallet at a certain point.
Not a valid test and does not include more recent lenses. The results of this test has so many variables that no two testers can duplicate the results. Lens manufacturers and serious publications stopped using this test protocol decades ago. Furthermore the test target is not the type of subject most of the test lenses were optimized for which further diminishes the test result. Go compare MTF, fall off, color and distortion curves to accurately compare lens performance.

Corran
17-Sep-2017, 05:50
As I stated, I don't find the test useful with regard to real photographic outcomes. Just pointing out that it exists. The point I am making is that all of the modern 150mm lenses, including those from Nikkor and Fuji as well that have not been mentioned, are excellent lenses and they can all be used successfully to make sharp images. So the OP should buy whatever fits his wallet, and perhaps consider things like size/weight, filter size, etc. within his LF kit.

rdenney
17-Sep-2017, 06:28
Threads merged. OP, only one thread is needed. Ask us to edit the title if necessary.

Rick "cleaning up" Denney

JoshuaT
17-Sep-2017, 06:32
Nah this is good, thank you.


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David Karp
17-Sep-2017, 12:15
A Caltar II-N is a great deal. It is a rebranded APO Sironar-N. Another good choice is a Fujinon NW.

1erCru
19-Sep-2017, 09:21
If you can, go for a Rodenstock APO Sironar S. More expensive but you'd likely never sell it.

Just took a shot with it from 2 feet and it's the sharpest image I've ever printed. I thought from that close there would be some issues but I can't see any.