Re: Rodenstock's iconic lenses
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Oren Grad
So I went rummaging through my literature collection, dug up MTFs for the Apo-Symmar and Apo-Sironar-S series, and picked a couple of focal lengths - 135 and 210 - for close comparison. Taking care to match working apertures and magnifications, they are indeed difficult to tell apart.
Back when I was shopping/geeking out, I made those same comparisons. The only difference I found was the the Schneider looked slightly better and infinity, the Rodie at 1:10. But these were the kinds of differences that you'd probably never see in real life. They could also be accounted for by differences in test methodology, or overshadowed by sample variation.
Re: Rodenstock's iconic lenses
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Oren Grad
So I went rummaging through my literature collection, dug up MTFs for the Apo-Symmar and Apo-Sironar-S series, and picked a couple of focal lengths - 135 and 210 - for close comparison. Taking care to match working apertures and magnifications, they are indeed difficult to tell apart.
I took another look at Rodenstock's published info and see that I was wrong about their widest angle designs being ready to drop into a tilt/shift enclosure. The 23mm and 28mm HR-S lenses, which I assume would be most in demand, have too short a lens–focal plane distance to work with a dslr. Rodenstock has eeked out enough distance to give full movements on a tech camera, but not enough to make room for a reflex mirror. So it makes sense this would be a big investment for them, just like it is for anyone else.
Re: Rodenstock's iconic lenses
Quote:
Originally Posted by
paulr
Back when I was shopping/geeking out, I made those same comparisons. The only difference I found was the the Schneider looked slightly better and infinity, the Rodie at 1:10. But these were the kinds of differences that you'd probably never see in real life. They could also be accounted for by differences in test methodology, or overshadowed by sample variation.
I own both Apo-Symmars and Apo-Sironar-S's and have a pretty good feel for how they actually look on B&W film. For my uses - mostly contact prints, occasionally modest enlargements from smaller formats (up to 4x5) - any residual differences in MTF are irrelevant. They do render OOF areas differently, and I happen to like the Rodenstock look. But in general, as far as I'm concerned, both series are very fine lenses.
Re: Rodenstock's iconic lenses
In the real golden age of Iconic lenses (we could argue about what that is forever) Rodenstock was nobody from nowhere...
Re: Rodenstock's iconic lenses
Quote:
Originally Posted by
paulr
I took another look at Rodenstock's published info and see that I was wrong about their widest angle designs being ready to drop into a tilt/shift enclosure. The 23mm and 28mm HR-S lenses, which I assume would be most in demand, have too short a lens–focal plane distance to work with a dslr. Rodenstock has eeked out enough distance to give full movements on a tech camera, but not enough to make room for a reflex mirror. So it makes sense this would be a big investment for them, just like it is for anyone else.
I meant this in repsponse to Bob, not Oren ... sorry for the confusion ...
Re: Rodenstock's iconic lenses
Quote:
Originally Posted by
paulr
I meant this in repsponse to Bob, not Oren ... sorry for the confusion ...
No problem here, it's a good observation. I guess it's not going to happen, but I too would have liked to see Rodenstock playing in the market for premium SLR lenses.