Schneider 65mm f/8 Super Angulon (chrome barrel)

[Mark Schumann]

I came across a used Schneider 65mm f/8 Super Angulon (chrome barrel) in mint co ndition at a reliable camera repair shop. I like the (about $325) price on this lense. I would like to use it for 4 x 5 landscape photography using color trans parency film. However, I feel that it may not work that well because of it's ver y small image circle. I am concerned that I may get vignetting on the corners of my film. Even with no camera movement at all. These lenses are about half the c ost of a used 75 mm lense, but they are about the same price new. That is for th e current f/5.6 model. Does anybody have experience using this lense? Should I b uy it, or should I just forget it and save up for a 75mm or 90mm Super Angulon?

[Britt Leckman]

I have used this lens regularly in the past on 4x5, and I have always found it t o be one of my favorite lenses. However, it will just barely cover 4x5 full fra me. You will have very little in the way of movements. If you dont mind croping a bit when you print, then the lens should be fine. What is a problem though, is the light fall off from the center to the edges. This is especially true of the older Angulons. You can get a center graduated filter to match the lens, bu t this will cost as much, or a little more than the quoted cost of the lens. Ad ditionaly, depending on what camera you are going to put the lens on, you are pr obably going to need a recessed lens board, and it can get mighty tight to manip ulate the lens/shutter controls.

As I said, I loved this lens, and will recommend it highly, you just have to for give some of it's quirks and let it grow on you.

Regards,

[Mike Austin]

I bought a 65mmf8 Super Angulon with my Toyo about 7 months ago and love it. The sharpness is stunning to say the least, but while shooting a movie theatre interior for an Architect I found the image on the ground glass to be very very dark due to the f8 aperture. This light shortage makes composing the image a daunting task, especially while under tight time restraints. It is for this reason that I would recommend getting a lens with a maximum aperture of no smaller than f5.6. But on the other hand, if your only goal is to use your lens in well lit situations, then buy the lens!