Best 90mm for Horseman 45HD (Schneider vs Rodenstock vs Nikon)

[fraiser crane]

I'm restricted by the rear diameter of some lenses for the Horseman. This leaves me with the following options:

- Schneider Super-Angulon MC90mm F8

- Nikkor SW90mm F8

- Rodenstock Grandagon N 90mm F6.8

- Rodenstock Apo-Sironar Digital 90mm F5.6


- Rodenstock Grandagon N 90mm F/6.8

I like having 6.8 to focus at in poor lighting conditions. If anybody has other suggestions please let me know.

[Tin Can]

I prefer Horseman lenses that fit folding inside

Buy them from Japan

[fraiser crane]

I already have a lens I take on and off I don't mind that extra step. I'd rather have nicer glass. Thank you though

[Vaidotas]

Parallel thread about 90 mm is going on right now.
And there is Super Angulon 90/5.6 if you in to f/5.6.

[Mark J]

The Apo-Sironar Digital only covers 6x12cm without movements, that's 15mm short of 4x5".

I haven't checked, but does the Schneider 90/5.6 have any sort of protective ring around the rear element that can be unscrewed with the lens cap ? I only ask because I use a 75/5.6 Schneider on the Horseman VH, and it only fits through the hole and into the bellows without this ring, but in practice it doesn't take more than a few extra seconds to remove it each time you use the lens. The diameter is quite a bit less without the screw-on ring.

[Doremus Scudder]

Of the lenses you list, the Nikkor SW 90mm f/8 has the largest image circle, at 235mm, if that makes a difference for you.

Otherwise, any of them will deliver good quality images. If size is an issue, you'll have to get specs for all of them and compare.

FWIW, I own a Schneider SA 90mm f/8 and a Nikkor SW 90mm f/8. Both are fine performers. I take the Nikkor with me when I need coverage, but the Schneider when I need compact, since it's a tiny bit smaller. Both take 67mm filters.

Best,

Doremus

[fraiser crane]

The Apo-Sironar Digital only covers 6x12cm without movements, that's 15mm short of 4x5"

Damn. Thank you for letting me know.


Parallel thread about 90 mm is going on right now.
And there is Super Angulon 90/5.6 if you in to f/5.6.

Schneider Super-Angulon XL90mm F5.6 will not fit due to the rear lens diameter unfortunately.


Of the lenses you list, the Nikkor SW 90mm f/8 has the largest image circle, at 235mm, if that makes a difference for you.

Otherwise, any of them will deliver good quality images. If size is an issue, you'll have to get specs for all of them and compare.

FWIW, I own a Schneider SA 90mm f/8 and a Nikkor SW 90mm f/8. Both are fine performers. I take the Nikkor with me when I need coverage, but the Schneider when I need compact, since it's a tiny bit smaller. Both take 67mm filters.

Best,

Doremus

Thank you for your informative response

[Mark J]

What's your dia. limit ?
Unfortunately I can't see any detachable ring on the 90/5.6 Schneider's I've checked.
The Fuji 90/5.6 SWD/S ones look pretty big at the back, unfortunately. Shame because the lens element is quite a bit smaller than the mount.

[fraiser crane]

What's your dia. limit ?
Unfortunately I can't see any detachable ring on the 90/5.6 Schneider's I've checked.
The Fuji 90/5.6 SWD/S ones look pretty big at the back, unfortunately. Shame because the lens element is quite a bit smaller than the mount.

2.5"(63mm)

[Mark J]

Super Symmar XL 80/4.5 ? That's nice & small at the back ( also the 110mm )
There is one on EBay atm for $700, with 'some haze at edge of middle element' which the seller says correctly would not affect the picture when stopped down.
Have a look. Otherwise they are $1000 or a bit more.

[Vaidotas]

An older Schneider Super Angulon 90/5.6 MC with Copal 0 will definitelly fit your camera.

[Drew Bedo]

My guess would be a brand new Schneider APO aspheric as the "best" lens currently out there today.

[Tin Can]

I forget which lens, but one I put on Horseman HD required unscrewing the rear element removing GG and then reverse

Of course the camera could not be closed

[B.S.Kumar]

For a list of lenses usable with Horseman cameras see this: https://www.kenko-pi.co.jp/horseman/e/lens_list.pdf

Kumar

[fraiser crane]

My guess would be a brand new Schneider APO aspheric as the "best" lens currently out there today.

b&h link?



For a list of lenses usable with Horseman cameras see this: https://www.kenko-pi.co.jp/horseman/e/lens_list.pdf

Kumar

Thank you for posting this.

How is the Rodenstock 90mm f/6.8?

[CatSplat]

I have been quite happy with my 90/6.8 Grandagon-N on 4x5 and 6x17, it's a nice compromise between size and max aperture. It was also available branded as a Caltar-IIN, they are typically a bit cheaper.

[fraiser crane]

Would i need a center filter? Do you find it to be sharp at the edges?

[Mark Sampson]

You won't need a center filter.
It's unlikely that you will get anywhere near the edge of coverage with the physical limitations of your camera.
Remember that all the lenses mentioned here are top-of-the line professional optics, meant to serve a demanding clientele, and were in production long enough to prove their value.
Given equivalent physical conditions, here are no bad ones in the bunch.
The differences between them are minor at best, and might or might not show up in a careful A-B comparison test.
f/8 is no problem for focusing.
Buy one that fits on your camera and go make pictures!

[fraiser crane]

Am I more likely to get vignetting with the Rodenstock f/6.8 as opposed to the Nikon f/8 since the Nikon has a larger image circle?




Buy one that fits on your camera and go make pictures!

Thank you for this. I’m excited

[Drew Wiley]

Some of the earlier Symmar aspheric 80's and 110's suffered from the wrong kind of experimental lens sealant. It's not common "Schneideritis" but a distinct defect which they subsequently corrected, along with a finite lens replacement period for affected purchasers. They listed the affected serial numbers and that might be retrievable somewhere on their data base. Or there might very well be past threads on the subject on this site. But I can't imagine a Horseman HD folding up with one of these in place anyway.

[Mark J]

Am I more likely to get vignetting with the Rodenstock f/6.8 as opposed to the Nikon f/8 since the Nikon has a larger image circle?

I believe they will both be almost exactly the same, once stopped down below f/11
The f/6.8 on the Grandagons is just achieved by slightly bigger lenses in the middle near the stop, and slight tweaks to the design, but it's really only a focusing aperture, and the size/specs etc suggest to me that they will have near-identical fall off once stopped down.