PDA

View Full Version : Should I upgrade my 150mm Symmar-S?



ioingjorbor
13-Oct-2018, 07:57
Hello guys, I have a Schneider Symmar S 150mm and wanted to upgrade a little bit.
The thing is that I have a 450e budget, and I don’t know if I can do better with that money, or if the Symmar S is good enough and I should focus in other thing.

What do you guys think?


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

faberryman
13-Oct-2018, 08:01
The Symmar-S is a fine lens. It is unlikely an APO lens will improve your photography. I'd buy film instead.

chassis
13-Oct-2018, 08:27
To improve, shoot more or shoot different. More is more, different means shoot a different subject or with different lighting, compared with what you have done in the past. Try a wide lens and learn to shoot wide.

consummate_fritterer
13-Oct-2018, 09:09
I think the only reason for an upgrade is if you need a larger image circle. Do have other lenses in various focal lengths?

Alan9940
13-Oct-2018, 09:12
I've used older Symmar-S lenses for nearly 40 years and I'd be very surprised if you would notice, in a print, any difference between these lenses and the newest APO Symmar's. As others have already said, buy film and shoot more.

Pere Casals
13-Oct-2018, 09:36
I own a S 135...

A Symmar-S can be crazy sharp, APO Symmar-L 150 offers a some 20mm larger circle, but for 4x5 the Symmar-S circle should be way enough for most things.

Nobody knows if you will get a sharper lens if you upgrade your S because there is some remarkable variability from one unit to another one of the same model. Personally I would only think in upgrading an S if wanting a larger circle or if my unit had flaws.

If you tell what kind of photography you are doing and what other glass you own then it would be easier for you to get good suggestions.

jnantz
13-Oct-2018, 09:45
sure buy the lens if you have the money and can sell the other lens and it will make you want to shoot more !
whats money anyways .. can't take it with you ...
no point in doing stuff if you aren't having a good time.

good luck !
john

Bob Salomon
13-Oct-2018, 09:45
If you were to switch to an Apo Sironar S you will get a larger circle, less fall off, reduced distortion and greater resolution. But you would have to decide for your self,if you could see that difference with what and how you shoot and print!

Bernice Loui
13-Oct-2018, 09:56
Upgrade to ?

What specifically is lacking in the Symmar-S that needs improvement for your image making needs?


Bernice

Drew Wiley
13-Oct-2018, 10:07
If you are making very large color prints there might be a slight advantage to newer plasmat designs from all of the "big four" manufacturers in terms of contrast, apo correction, extreme detail, and nitpicky quality control. On the other hand, these newer lenses can be a bit over the top for certain applications. The Symmar S series had a bit more gentle rendering to it, which was not "soft" by any means, but somewhat less "clinically" hard-edged. For black and white work the difference is hard to detect. If your lens is still in good shape, why bother?

Jac@stafford.net
13-Oct-2018, 10:46
What do you guys think?

No need! Spend the money on film, and to travel.

ic-racer
13-Oct-2018, 11:03
The 150mm Nikkor is an appropriate upgrade if you need more image circle. It is, of course, big and expensive.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5858beb21b631b7e91e42591/t/5b157dc9f950b782f270c41a/1529510445469/

Luis-F-S
13-Oct-2018, 11:14
Hello guys, I have a Schneider Symmar S 150mm and wanted to upgrade a little bit.
The thing is that I have a 450e budget, and I don’t know if I can do better with that money, or if the Symmar S is good enough and I should focus in other thing.

What do you guys think?


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

Why, is there something wrong with it? You could take a photography workshop with the money. There's nothing switching your lens is going to do for your photography. L

ioingjorbor
13-Oct-2018, 11:21
Yeah, I’m quite happy with my Symmar-S, but I’ve never saw a work with another lens, so maybe I’m loosing something that I don’t know haha.
Also I forgot to say that showing the system to a couple a few weeks ago, accidentally I dropped the lens. I still don’t know if some element or something is not working correctly, or if it’s just aesthetic (I don’t use filters)
I’ll post a picture


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

ioingjorbor
13-Oct-2018, 11:28
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181013/a790430860088de5522798ecc535861c.jpg


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

Drew Wiley
13-Oct-2018, 11:28
If it were me and I had the itch to try another lens, I'd get one in a slightly different focal length. For example, a 180 would give you a slightly tighter angle of view plus a bigger image circle, whereas a 135 would give you a bit wider angle. And if you're on a limited budget, there are plenty of Fujinon plasmats out there barely used at tempting prices; they're every bit as good as the latest German lenses. One reason Schneider had to redesign their own lenses was due to the restriction the EU
imposed on the mfg of glass types based on toxic or radioactive elements.

interneg
13-Oct-2018, 11:30
Spend the money on film, printing, high end scanning - all of those will make a bigger difference than changing the lens.

Pere Casals
13-Oct-2018, 11:46
accidentally I dropped the lens.

Probably the lens was not damaged, you also have some finger prints on it...

Well, LF gear should be handled with care, in general it's robust Pro gear, but you should get parctice with it, those kinds of things should not happen to you.

Get practice with your present gear and this will tell you when you have to upgrade your glass or not. If you don't know if you have to upgrade your glass (owning that excellent lens) this is because you still don't have a solid criterion to know what you should purchase.

Rather upgrading your 150mm you would better get a 210 for portraits or a 90 for landscapes, but before that I'd get a solid learning with that excellent 150, that's also a very good focal to start with.

BrianShaw
13-Oct-2018, 13:39
Why? If you aren’t happy with its performance then there is likely something else to consider improving.

Oh, sorry. I just saw the damage from the drop. That wouldn’t bother me if the pictures still look good. I’d worry about those fingerprints more.

jnantz
13-Oct-2018, 15:04
Why? If you aren’t happy with its performance then there is likely something else to consider improving.

Oh, sorry. I just saw the damage from the drop. That wouldn’t bother me if the pictures still look good. I’d worry about those fingerprints more.


if it was me i'd drop ALL my lenses so i had a matching set
and then use that to advertise the photographs that you sell
" perfectly damaged lenses that yield these special images"
it'll be like dizzie gillespie's trumpet.

BrianShaw
13-Oct-2018, 15:32
Maybe a better option would be to just drop on the rear element. How appropriate for a symmetrical lens!

Gary Tarbert
13-Oct-2018, 17:26
I have a 180 Symmar - s Very happy with it actually used it yesterday morning.Have made some very large prints (50 inches)from images shot on this lens. As others have suggested 450 euros buys a fair bit of film .

Louis Pacilla
13-Oct-2018, 19:44
Maybe a better option would be to just drop on the rear element. How appropriate for a symmetrical lens!

FUNNY Brian!:D

ioingjorbor
14-Oct-2018, 02:45
You guys are right, thanks.
My birthday is coming and I thought about the Lens.
Maybe I’ll try the 210mm Rodenstock Sironar N


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

chassis
14-Oct-2018, 06:27
ioingjorbor, did you say what type of photography you practice? In my view, a 210mm lens is very close in focal length to the 150mm. I don't see a large difference in perspective that you will achieve with the 210 vs the 150. A suggestion is to think about which subjects appeal most to you, and select the next lens based on this. If portraits, I enjoy the longer focal lengths, such as 300mm on 4x5. If landscape or architecture, 90mm is useful. I prefer a wide view with architecture and use mostly 58mm.

ioingjorbor
14-Oct-2018, 07:36
ioingjorbor, did you say what type of photography you practice? In my view, a 210mm lens is very close in focal length to the 150mm. I don't see a large difference in perspective that you will achieve with the 210 vs the 150. A suggestion is to think about which subjects appeal most to you, and select the next lens based on this. If portraits, I enjoy the longer focal lengths, such as 300mm on 4x5. If landscape or architecture, 90mm is useful. I prefer a wide view with architecture and use mostly 58mm.
Hi, thanks for responding. I’m into Documentary Photography, Alec Soth kind of vibe, some of the new topographic kind of approach too.



Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

consummate_fritterer
14-Oct-2018, 08:20
I see a very significant difference in 'perspective' between 150mm and 210mm, not to mention there will probably be times where changing distance isn't entirely effective for composition, requiring significant cropping. I try to avoid cropping. Why shoot 4x5" if you crop to 6x7cm?

chassis
14-Oct-2018, 08:21
Looking through some of his images, I would lean wide than long. In a few articles online, he talks about a 300mm ("normal") lens on 8x10. I see a wider perspective in his images.

Consider something in the 100-135 range to add to your 150. The 135 isn't much different than the 150, so 100 or 120 is a suggestion.

Pere Casals
14-Oct-2018, 09:51
Alec Soth kind of vibe, some of the new topographic kind of approach too.

hmmm... Soth have some shots sporting a remarkable LF footprint, with nice movements.




Maybe I’ll try the 210mm Rodenstock Sironar N


A Sironar N is excelent, the Sironar N and the APO Sironar N are near the same, but early Sironar N lenses that not MC stamped are not multicoated.

Luis-F-S
14-Oct-2018, 10:43
Maybe a better option would be to just drop on the rear element. How appropriate for a symmetrical lens!

++1

Doremus Scudder
14-Oct-2018, 10:46
Keep your 150mm and get another lens. Get one that's not close to the 150mm focal length (heck, a small crop of a shot with 150mm and you have 210mm...). I'd look at a 90mm if you want to go wider or a 240-250mm(or even 300mm) lens if you want to go longer. The Fujinon A 240mm lens is really sweet.

Best,

Doremus

ioingjorbor
14-Oct-2018, 14:13
Keep your 150mm and get another lens. Get one that's not close to the 150mm focal length (heck, a small crop of a shot with 150mm and you have 210mm...). I'd look at a 90mm if you want to go wider or a 240-250mm(or even 300mm) lens if you want to go longer. The Fujinon A 240mm lens is really sweet.

Best,

Doremus

Yeah I have a Schneider Super Angulon 90mm, it’s a huge beast.
Finally I decided to upgrade my Variosix F, to a Sekonic L-608.
I’ll save money for prints :)

Thanks all


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk