Best lens for Macrophotography ?

[Thalmees]

Hi all,
Sorry if this quistion was repeated & thanks for any contribution here.
I'm using the following 4 lenses:
1) Rodenstock Apo Ronar 300mm f/9.0
2) Schneider Apo-Symmar 210mm f/5.6
3) Sinar Sinaron S 150mm f/5.6
4) Sinar Sinaron W 90mm f/4.5
mostly in landscape photography.
But I would like to chose the best of these lenses for Macrophotography. The intended magnification, will be somewhere between 1:4 to 2:1.
Bellows extension on my camera, can reach up to 600mm without a problem.
Which lens among the previous four, should give the best results in resolution and enlargibility ?
Thanks in advance.

[Donald Brewster]

Well, it depends on what you are shooting and how important having even minimal depth of field is. The Ronar will have some claim as a macro lens since often used for flat field/process camera applications. However, if you are using on a 4x5 camera, it might be a bit on the long side for most applications. In that format my guess is you would probably have the best luck using the 150mm Sinaron (aka Rodenstock APO Sironar N). The best thing is probably to just play around and see what works (ain't that always the way it is?). Maybe look and see if you have a G-Claron or Fuji-A floating around in your closet somewhere.

[Ole Tjugen]

The original Symmars were designed to give acceptable resutls all the way to 1:1, and after swapping the lens cells around, for any enlargement.

The Sinaron-S is a Symmar-S under a different name, isn't it? I would use that until you get to 1:1, and after that whichever lens is in a shutter with the same size threads on both sides so you can swap the lens cells.

[Donald Brewster]

The 150mm Sinaron S is a rebadged (and allegedly quality picked) Rodenstock APO Sironar N. Ole is otherwise correct about the performance of the Symmar.

[Ted Harris]

One correction to Ole's ... the Sinaron S is a rebadged Sironar, depends on the age as to Apo or not Apo, although IIRC it will say Apo in front if it is tne Apo Sironar.

Now, if you mean real macrophotography, that is reporduction ratios of lifesize or larger of three dimensional objects then you will get your best performance with lenses specifically designed to operate at these ranges. They are available in focal lengths ranging from 80mm to 180mm from Schnedier and Rodenstock (Rodenstock also used to make a 300mm macro). I use the 180mm Rodenstock and I have tested it side-by-side with an Apo Sironar N of the same focal length. You will see no difference in the image until you get to 1:1 after that there is a definite difference, especially near the edges of the image where you will see marked improvement in the resolution of the macro over the standard plasmat.

[Oren Grad]

One correction to Ole's ... the Sinaron S is a rebadged Sironar, depends on the age as to Apo or not Apo, although IIRC it will say Apo in front if it is tne Apo Sironar.

Sinar used the "Apo" prefix only for its rebadged Apo-Ronars ("Apo-Sinaron"). The relabeled Sironar types have always been just plain "Sinaron", with the letter suffix to indicate the series:

Sinaron-S = (Apo-)Sironar N (72 degree coverage)
Sinaron-SE = Apo-Sironar S (75 degree coverage)
Sinaron-WS = Apo-Sironar (W) (80 degree coverage)

[Ole Tjugen]

I was a bit too hasty there...

Let me just add that I've used my Symmars (150, 180, 240 and 300) at all possible reproduction ratios, and there really is a difference when you swap the elements on greater than 1:1. I've also found Symmars to be preferrable to just about anything else at "close range" - say 1:4 to 1:1.
No, I do not own a true macro lens, so I have no way of comparing macros to Symmars. But I'm considering picking up a cheap Symmar 135mm just for macro work.

[Renee Galang]

I've only got one lens at the moment and it is the macro sironar 210. It is awesome lens, get one if you can. I used it for my 4x5 that I traded in for a cambo 11x14. Gosh, imagine a macro 11x14! I can't wait until I start making images in 11x14. I've ordered Tmax11x14 form J and C, it will come soon.

[Thalmees]

Hi all. I'm late, I know :o
Donald Brewster
Ole Tjugen
Ted Harris
Oren Grad
Renee Galang,
THANKS ALL FOR THE VALUABLE INFORMATION.
.
What I understood is, the best in order:
1) Schneider Apo-Symmar 210mm f/5.6, THEN,
2) Sinar Sinaron S 150mm f/5.6, THEN,
3) Rodenstock Apo Ronar 300mm f/9.0
that goes with my expectation, specially the symmar.
Another question(if you donot mind:)): Which should be(@ least theoritically and in general) better in Macrophotography, the SHUTTERED lenses or the DB/DBM lenses ? or there should not be any defference ?
Thanks again.
Best wishes.

[Brian K]

If you're going to work macro with one of those 4 lenses your best bet would be to use the 300mm APO Ronar. It is designed for 1:1 type work. The other lenses are most probably optimized at 1:20 or 1:10. The only problem in using the 300mm Apo Ronar is going to be bellows. You state that you have 600mm of bellows, well that will take you to 1:1 with the 300mm Ronar and no larger. The other lenses you have should work well until they get to about 1:3 and then they will clearly be inferior to the ronar. If you intend on doing a lot of macro work your best option is to buy a real macro lens.

[Thalmees]

Thanks Brian K.
Valuable information. Appreciate it.
Magnification of 1:1 on 4X5 is worth the trial, although stability @ 60cm extension is questionable.
Thanks again, Best regards.

If you're going to work macro with one of those 4 lenses your best bet would be to use the 300mm APO Ronar. It is designed for 1:1 type work. The other lenses are most probably optimized at 1:20 or 1:10. The only problem in using the 300mm Apo Ronar is going to be bellows. You state that you have 600mm of bellows, well that will take you to 1:1 with the 300mm Ronar and no larger. The other lenses you have should work well until they get to about 1:3 and then they will clearly be inferior to the ronar. If you intend on doing a lot of macro work your best option is to buy a real macro lens.

[Rob Vinnedge]

I wholeheartedly agree with Renee. The Rodenstock Macro Sironar 210mm lens is excellent at close up work. I use it for most table top views in my studio. Rodenstock also makes a 300mm macro lens, which I would love to get my hands on.

[Brian K]

Rob, I have the 300mm Macro Sironar, it was my bread and butter lens for a long time. I also have 240mm, 300mm,360mm and 480 APO Ronars as well as the 180mm Macro sironar. When I did 4x5 I mostly used the Ronars, for 8x10 the 300mm macro and longer ronars. If you have enough bellows you can't go wrong with any of them.

If you need to go to higher magnification, like 5;1 or greater, an inverted enlarging lens does a great job.

[Bob Salomon]

" Rodenstock also makes a 300mm macro lens, which I would love to get my hands on."

Made not makes.

The 210 and 300 macro have been out of production for several years.

Currently avaiable are the 120 and 180 Apo Macro Sironar and the 120 Apo Macro Digital Sironar. None of the current ones require element swapping as the 210 and 300 did.

[Thalmees]

Bob Salomon,
Rob Vinnedge,
Thanks alot.
It looks to me that the Symmar 210, may be better allover, though the Ronar may give better results. The difference in extension is 18cm.
Anyhow, I'm using both now.
Thanks all. Appreciate the great help.
Best wishes.