Schneider Xenar 210mm f/4.5 Quality

[Toby Chey]

I bought this lens (with a copal 3 shutter) together with a Horseman LB 4*5 for $1500 CAD. Any comments on this lens? Is it coated? Is it a great piece of glass ?

[Ron Shaw]

The xenars are nice performing lenses. They are not an exotic lens formula, so a ngle of coverage is narrower then more modern formulas, but at 210mm should have plenty of coverage for 4x5. They are probably capable of sharpness that exceeds your film plane accuracy. Whether its coated or not, it depends on its age. Mos t pre WW2 lenses were not coated. The best way to tell is to look at reflections of bright objects in the lens surface. Non coated lenses will have no color cas t to them at all. Single coated lenses will have a (sometimes faint) light blue color cast. Multi coated ones will look like todays 35mm lenses, with a heavy co lor cast. Even old uncoated lenses can give great results for most shots, so giv e it a try anyway.