Schnieder Symmr 100mm

[glrerun]

Schnieder Symmar 100mm (older lens). Will this lens coer a 4x5???

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Schneider Symmar 100mm (older lens). Will this lens cover a 4x5???

Hi !

In short: no, except for close-up.
This lens was designed for the 6x9 cm / 2"x3" format.

In details: when stopped down to f/22 this kind of lens will cover an image angle of 70°
This corresponds to an image circle of about 140% of the focal length, here the 100mm symmar will cover approx 140 mm for distant objects. You need 150 mm and above to work in 4x5" with some movements.

In close-up, the image circle increases, so you could use this lens at the magnification ration 1:2 for example.

[Dan Fromm]

Hi, Emmanuel. Schneider propaganda may have led you astray. https://www.schneideroptics.com/info/vintage_lens_data/large_format_lenses/symmar/data/5,6-100mm.html says that the lens covers 70° at f/16 but symmar_1964.pdf, which can be downloaded from http://web.archive.org/web/20100922053809/http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/archiv.htm, says it covers 149 mm @ f/22. Minor difference, doesn't change the good advice you gave.

OP, in alphabetical order Fuji, Nikon, Schneider and Rodenstock all made lenses that are functionally equivalent to the 100/5.6 Symmar you asked about. The only ones that are even marginally usable on 4x5 are the 105/5.6 Fujinon-NW and Fujinon CM-W, claimed coverages at f/22 162 and 174 mm respectively.

If you're looking for an inexpensive 100 mm or so lens for 4x5, your best bet may be an off-brand lens. Post WW-II coated Meyer Weitwinkel Aristostigmat in shutter, not in barrel. The ones in barrel have cells that aren't direct fits in a standard shutter. Or a Leitmeyr Weitwinkel Anastigmat. On brand, 90/6.8 Angulon or Wollensak Raptar/Optar. In this case, Optar is a Raptar rebadged by Graflex Inc.

[Mark Sampson]

Or, possibly, a Kodak 100/6.3 Wide Field Ektar. But there are so many excellent 90mm lenses out there that it would make sense to look for one of those instead.

[Huub]

You could have a look at the Fuji SW 105mm F8. They are a full stop slower compared to the symmars and the likes, but they come with an image circle of 25 cm, which is more then plenty on 4x5 IMHO. And pricewise they are not that expensive on the well known auction sites.