Schneider 150mm f/5.6 Symmar Convertible in Linhof

[Csholl]

Hi,

I just bought a Schneider 150mm f/5.6 Symmar Convertible with the Linhof shutter, as an upgrade to my Wollensak 108mm. I have a graphic view camera, and since this is a convertible lens I'm guessing I will be able to adjust bellows to the 265mm conversion. I read in some posts the lens has to be situated properly first, because it does not focus in the corners, not sure if I have to do this. Also, I see it's not advisable to open the rear element of the lens to do this, and dust can get in. Is it possible, to do this outside, or should I just do it inside. Not sure if this is an exaggeration either.

[Mark Sampson]

The method for using the "convertible" Symmars is to remove the front group, and use the green f/stop numbers on the shutter. This does leave the shutter unprotected, but it never damaged any of those lenses that I used, nor have I heard of anyone else having troubles because of it.
It's also true that it will take more than 265mm of bellows to focus the converted lans at infinity; that's just a function of the optical design.
I do wonder why Schneider never supplied a cap for the rear of the front group, or a plano glass in a threaded mount to protect the shutter and allow easy filter use- but apparently 50-60 years ago they didn't concern themselves with such things.
'Situated properly", your lens should be mounted on a 4" square board to fit your Graphic View (a fine camera by the way).

[Keith Fleming]

I had the folks at S. K. Grimes make an adapter that takes (in my case) 52mm filters for the front of the shutter of my convertible lens. It allows me to use a filter and lens hood to protect the shutter from dust, etc. while I am using the lens. For black and white film, I can use a colored filter to control contrast like any other lens. Grimes also can make covers for both the front and rear of the lens element not being used.

[B.S.Kumar]

Grimes also can make covers for both the front and rear of the lens element not being used.

I made a set of lens and shutter protectors: https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?140154-New-Product-Lens-and-Shutter-Protectors

Kumar

[Csholl]

Hi,

thx for your reply, By chance will a 96x99mm board work as well - is that close enough in size?

[reddesert]

You need a 4" square board for the Graphic View. A 96x99mm board sounds like a Linhof Technika board. In addition to not being the right size, it probably won't have the right shape of rebates (stepped regions) on the back of the lensboard to fit, be retained tightly, and block light leaks.

[reddesert]

If your lens is in a Compur or Copal #1 shutter, the front thread is M40x0.75mm. Although 40mm is not a common filter size, it is now easy to buy a filter step up ring like 40 to 46mm or 40 to 49mm on ebay. This should screw into the front side of a Copal or Compur #1 shutter, allowing you to put filters on the front when the front lens cell is removed.

[Conrad . Marvin]

I think that a stepping ring to a filter size would be a good idea. I had a Zeiss protar set at one time and it helped the single cells out quite a bit to put a yellow filter on the shutter. (Lens on the rear was recommended to me at that time)