schneider kreuznach componon 135mm f5.6

[diversey]

I got a gift of Schneider Kreuznach componon 135mm f5.6 with a shutter of Synchro-Compur shutter. I was wondering if it can be used as a regular 4x5 135mm lens. I have mounted my 4x5 camera and it seemed ok. Any suggestions will be welcome.
Thanks, David.

[Peter Gomena]

I'm not sure how it will work at a distance, but using an enlarging lens as a close-up or macro lens is an old standby. You will have very little room for camera movements in a landscape shot.

[IanG]

Try it, I've seen a Sinar camera sold with a Componon and the dealer told me the lens & shutter had been sold like that by Schneider. They are in older shneider datasheets primarily sold as Macro lenses. It's not going to be the optimum performer at Infinity but you won't know without a test.

Ian

[Greg Bliss]

Great lens. Part of my traveling kit. Have done some excellent work with It

[Dave Gesell]

Related to this, a 240mm G-Claron enlarging lens has popped up on my local Craigslist for $80. I'm tempted to grab it because I'm sure I could get it mounted on a board, but I'd really like to mount it in a shutter since I prefer to use studio flash for my still life/closeup work. Does anybody know what I might be looking at price wise for installing it in a shutter (assuming I can source a used Copal #1 shutter)?

[Tin Can]

I would just buy it and worry later, however, I have three, not that beat up, Copal #1 shutters that have real bad slower speeds. Also, I think they be out of production. All my other Copal shutters work great.

Sounds cheap to me.

[Dave Gesell]

Randy, I like the way you think. Even without a shutter I figure that once I'm ready to shoot I'd just cap the lens, pull the darkslide, turn off the modelling lamps, uncap the lens, trigger the flashes with the radio transmitter, and replace the darkslide.

Also, it does seem awfully cheap. It looks to be in great condition, and the serial number dates it to likely early 1987. Nothing to do but contact the seller and have a look at it.

[Tin Can]

I have been shooting strobes that way for a while, especially with old lenses. I also found, I can hand trigger strobes turning a 1/2 second exposure.

Please report back. I never see a deal like that in Chicago.

[diversey]

Good suggestions，Thank you all! Will try my lens this weekend.

[Sdrubansky]

I've used the Componon-S 135mm in Copal 0 that came with my frst view camera for years.
It does very well in studio. Not an easy lens to find mounted in shutter but worth more than
the used market will admit.

Enjoy it!

[Dave Gesell]

Randy, I picked up the lens. Unfortunately it doesn't have a jam ring so I won't be able to do anything with it for a bit. I'm about to place an order with B&H so I'll add a jam ring to the list.

As for the lens, it's in very nice condition, it looks to be single coated, the aperture ring has subtle clicks at every half stop, and stops down to f/76. The iris is funky. It has 5 curved blades, but the outside of the curve is toward the middle of the lens, so at every aperture setting (even wide open the iris is visible), the iris forms a pentagon with slightly curved sides. Not likely to be a bokeh machine but I think it should serve well for shallow setups where the background is within the zone of focus (flowers on fabric etc).

[Tin Can]

Sounds good to me.

I have found Canadians seem to have equipment in very good condition. I rarely hesitate if a Northerner says something is VGC. The dry climate most likely helps.

Those jam rings can be difficult to find.

Good luck!





Randy, I picked up the lens. Unfortunately it doesn't have a jam ring so I won't be able to do anything with it for a bit. I'm about to place an order with B&H so I'll add a jam ring to the list.

As for the lens, it's in very nice condition, it looks to be single coated, the aperture ring has subtle clicks at every half stop, and stops down to f/76. The iris is funky. It has 5 curved blades, but the outside of the curve is toward the middle of the lens, so at every aperture setting (even wide open the iris is visible), the iris forms a pentagon with slightly curved sides. Not likely to be a bokeh machine but I think it should serve well for shallow setups where the background is within the zone of focus (flowers on fabric etc).

[Peter Yeti]

Dave, the iris you have in your lens is the standard for Schneider enlarging lenses. I have a bunch of Componon-S' in my darkroom and they all are superb. Bokeh doesn't matter in enlarging or you do something wrong. However, a G-Claron isn't really an enlarging lens, it's a repro or process lens. Same thing regarding bokeh, though. I use a Componon-S 5.6/150mm for close-up work and mounted it in a shutter for this purpose. So, the iris is the standard one of the shutter and bokeh is what you can expect from a modern plasmat lens. Single coating seems pretty standard for enlarging and process lenses.

[Dave Gesell]

Peter, thanks for the information. It's been a while since I've done any wet printing, but I now recall that a lot of enlarging lenses had irises like this. The fact that it's a modern lens that doesn't have an illuminated aperture scale should have twigged me to it being a repro/process lens, not an enlarging lens.

I did some futzing about and discovered that I can use the lensboard and retaining ring (Copal #1), from my Nikkor W 210mm, so I could've used it today. Doh! I don't think I'll end up getting a board and retaining ring for it since it just takes a few minutes to change over. Just need to get a couple of push on caps. A 51mm for the rear and 54mm for the front should work.

[paulMD]

Related to this, a 240mm G-Claron enlarging lens has popped up on my local Craigslist for $80. I'm tempted to grab it because I'm sure I could get it mounted on a board, but I'd really like to mount it in a shutter since I prefer to use studio flash for my still life/closeup work. Does anybody know what I might be looking at price wise for installing it in a shutter (assuming I can source a used Copal #1 shutter)?

G-clarons will probably work better than an actual enlarger lens (note: process lens != enlarger lens).

It's probably not worth the effort for anything except macro, given that lenses designed for long-range shooting (or even process lenses like the G-claron) are a dime a dozen these days (and come already mounted).

[Tin Can]

Dime a dozen! OK, I have a dollar, please send me 10 lenses.

[Ian Greenhalgh]

I use a Componon-S 5.6/100 on my Century Graphic 23 often, cells go straight into a #00 shutter. It shoots better at distance than either my Xenar 3.5/105 or Xpres 3.8/105.

[JohnJ]

Randy, I picked up the lens. Unfortunately it doesn't have a jam ring so I won't be able to do anything with it for a bit. I'm about to place an order with B&H so I'll add a jam ring to the list.

As for the lens, it's in very nice condition, it looks to be single coated, the aperture ring has subtle clicks at every half stop, and stops down to f/76. The iris is funky. It has 5 curved blades, but the outside of the curve is toward the middle of the lens, so at every aperture setting (even wide open the iris is visible), the iris forms a pentagon with slightly curved sides. Not likely to be a bokeh machine but I think it should serve well for shallow setups where the background is within the zone of focus (flowers on fabric etc).

Schneider aperture blades from approx. after the 70's, although this ones on a Xenotar, they are pretty much all the same.

http://photocornucopia.com/images/Lenses/Xenotar/g_036_400.jpg

http://photocornucopia.com/images/Lenses/Xenotar/g_034_400.jpg

And if used as a taking lens (which the Xenotar is anyway) the aperture does have a negative effect on the bokeh but you can also use it to your advantage if you want.

[Tin Can]

Good thing I read that 3 times. A good idea, i think I can do with equipment on hand!


I use a Componon-S 5.6/100 on my Century Graphic 23 often, cells go straight into a #00 shutter. It shoots better at distance than either my Xenar 3.5/105 or Xpres 3.8/105.

[Ian Greenhalgh]

I just stuck my Componon is a Prontor I salvaged from a broken Balda folder, it used to have a 2.9/75 Baltar triplet in it and I haven't re-scaled the aperture yet, but it shoots well. I keep meaning to find a more suitable shutter for it as this Prontor sadly lacks a cable release socket.

93642

[Tin Can]

Is a prontor hole the same as a Copal 1 hole?

That look big!


I just stuck my Componon is a Prontor I salvaged from a broken Balda folder, it used to have a 2.9/75 Baltar triplet in it and I haven't re-scaled the aperture yet, but it shoots well. I keep meaning to find a more suitable shutter for it as this Prontor sadly lacks a cable release socket.

93642

[Ian Greenhalgh]

That one is a #00 size as you find on most 6x9 folders. It's on a Century Graphic 2x3, not a 4x5, hence it looks big.

[Tin Can]

I knew it was 2x3, I am fiddling with them all night. I am soon going to try a Pronto shutter with a Meritar f4.5 F=105 with front cell focusing that must have come from a folder. With PC flash. I wish these lens boards were easy to make...



That one is a #00 size as you find on most 6x9 folders. It's on a Century Graphic 2x3, not a 4x5, hence it looks big.