symmar-s or apo symmar

[Austin Moore]

I'm in the market for a 210 and was wondering what the difference was between the schneider apo symmar and the symmar-s.

regards,
Austin Moore

[Doug Dolde]

The Symmar S may or may not be multicoated. APO Symmars are. You will like get a Symmar S for less money if that's a factor.

I doubt if there's much difference in sharpness...I had a 180mm Symmar S that was super sharp.

[Jeff Moore]

Austin, the Symmar-S is a multi-coated lens; its engraved right on the front element.

I have one that is in absolute mint condition that I am about to put on ebay in the next few days. If you are interested send me a private e-mail.

[Ted Harris]

One quick warning, not ALL Symmar-S lenses were multicoated. If they were then it is engraded on the barrel, ala Jeffrey's. If you are shooting color then you should get a multicoated one. Theoretically the Apo Symmar is a superior lens but you are not likely to notice any differences between it and the multicoated Symmar-S unless you are doing super critical color work and then only maybe and only with very large prints.
The Apo design by definition has the theoretical potential for higher resolution but in most instances it is that, theoretical.

[paulr]

The Apo Symmar has more coverage, and is better corrected off axis. Other than that, the differences are minor. I haven't compared them side by side, but have spoken with people who have used both, and to people at Schneider. My 210 Apo Symmar is an amazing lens--it also has more coverage than I can imagine using for 4x5. Chances are if I had the symmar s I wouldn't be able to tell the difference, at least 9 times out of 10. If you're doing photography that requires extreme movements, or are using it for 5x7, the apo symmar will have more compelling arguments for spending the extra money.

By the way, the multicoating issue has little to do with the lens's color rendition. I would expect any symmar-s to render color very well. Multicoating will improve overall contrast, and will greatly improve overall quality in high contrast light situations (unless you prefer the look of an uncoated lens ... then it will be the opposite ...), whether in color or black and white.