Schneideritis - what's the newest lens to develop

[Frank Petronio]

I've seen Schneideritis plague many vintage Schneider lenses - I am wondering if it ever occurs with "modern" lenses and when people think the cut-off date would be, at least by serial numbers that tell the date of lens manufacture. For instance, would it ever happen on an XL or APO-Symmar series?

I know many people will say that it has no effect, but I simply don't want it on purely asthetic grounds! Although I suppose it can be beautiful, in a random dandruff way.

[Ralph Barker]

FWIW, none of my Schneiders, some purchased in the early '90s, have developed the internal paint-flaking problem.

[Jeff Moore]

Frank, I have six modern Schnieder lenses (58/5.6 SA-XL; 90/5.6 SA-XL; 135/5.6 APO-Symmar; 180/5.6 APO-Symmar; 210/5.6 APO-Symmar; and, 300/5.6 APO-Symmar), all purchased new within the last 2-7 years, and have never observed this phenomena on any of these lenses. I have a couple of LF buddies who have also purchased new Schneiders within the last 5-7 years and tell me that they have never seen this on their lenses as well.

[Ole Tjugen]

My oldest Schneider lens is from 1927, ny newest from 1978.

I have yet not seen "schneideritis".

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Frank,

I have not seen this on any of the newer Schneider lenses I own/have owned. This includes 80mm SS XL, 110mm SS XL, 120mm APO-Symmar and 210mm APO-Symmar (currently), and 120mm SS HM, 150mm SS HM and 180mm Symmar-s (past).

I have seen it on a lot of Symmars and a fair number of Symmar-S lenses from the 1960s and 1970s.

Ironically, the newest lens I've owned with Schneideritis was a Rodenstock 75mm f6.8 Grandagon-N from the late 1980's or early 1990s. It had four or five of the characteristic "tiny white bubbles". A collegue once emailed me a photo of his 1980s vintage 210mm Fujinon-W that suffered from a severe case. That's the only Fuji lens I have seen with this type of defect. I have never seen a Nikkor LF lens with this type of defect.

Kerry

[Ted Harris]

I own or have owned the following with no schneideritis at all evident: 90 Angulon, 120 SA, 75 5.6 SA MC, 65 Angulon, 150 Apo Symmar, 210 Apo symmar, 210 Caltar IIs, 480 Apo Artar, 240 Symmar S MC. I did see it on a 150 convertible I owned long ago.

[Gem Singer]

Hi Frank,

I once bought an older Fujinon 105SW that was diagnosed by S.K.Grimes as having a case of "Schneideritis". Needless to say, it went back to Midwest Photo Exchange, and Jim gladly exchanged it for another lens (maybe that's why they call it a "Photo Exchange"?). None of my other lenses have ever suffered from the malady, however. From what Steve told me at the time, in rare instances, the black paint that is used around the outer edge of the lens elements to prevent flare will flake off and lodge in the air spaces between the lenses. He said that the condition was relatively harmless, but it will possibly detract from the resale value of the lens.

[Frank Petronio]

So buying an XL lens sounds like a safe bet - thanks

I've had older Angulons and Super Angulons that never had it, but I've seen a lot of silver dial Copal shuttered Symmar-S lenses with it. So far nothing with a black dial.

Approximately when did Copal switch to black dials? And then to black aperture selectors?

[Christian Olivet]

I have a G Claron 240 with plenty of the black paint flaking off. I really don't care a bit since it does not affect performance.

[Donald Hutton]

I've definitely seen Schneider lenses with black Copal shutters and a little Schneideritis. So shutter color is not a good guide. But, it just doesn't matter....