Schneider Super-Symmar HM 120 5.6

[james pogson]

I've been after a 120mm lens for my Wista field camera for a while now. It seems there's none on the UK second hand retail market, so I've been searching ebay. I've come across the lens, which may seem ideal, although there's some scratches on the rear coating. Here's the item:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Schneider-KREUZNACH-5-6-120mm-Lens_W0QQitemZ230316714296QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCamera_Lenses?hash=item230316714296&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

If anyone has any thoughts, I'd greatly appreciate your help and advice.

Cheers,
James

[dwhistance]

I've got the Super Symmar HM 150 which is fantastically sharp and gives considerably more movement than a "standard" 150 5.6. Its not a lightweight/small lens though so not for backpacking. There is a mint 120 for sale on Ebay UK at the moment, albeit for a considerably higher price, however I suspect that this one will also fetch much more unless everyone is put off by the scratches.

David Whistance

[BennehBoy]

What does the HM designation mean? Optimised for macro?

[james pogson]

to be honest Ben, I'm not quite sure. Checked out your site and saw you're from Leeds also. At the moment im in Scunthorpe(christmas/newyear stuff), but live in Leeds. Good to see some northerners on here!

[Ken Lee]

High Modulation, as in MTF (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-mtf.shtml), or Modulation Transfer Function

[drew.saunders]

Kerry Thalmann writes about the 120HM in his "future classics" page, http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/future.htm which, being that it was written about 8 years ago, I guess the future is now? He likes it, but it is a very large lens compared to the 120 APO Symmar, 125 Fujinon or 120 APO Symmar L, all of which have less coverage than the HM, but the Fuji, at 204mm vs. 211mm, is quite close. I have the older APO Symmar and its 180mm or so of coverage does occasionally present a problem (or an artistic "opportunity," see http://www.flickr.com/photos/drew_saunders/3101358367/in/set-72157611038107688/)

Keh.com in the US has about 4 of the older non-L APO Symmars ($485 to $645) and 3 Fuji's ($275 to $364) on sale now, and Robert White on your side o' the pond carries the APO Symmar L new: http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=1230&PT_ID=370

Drew

[Sheldon N]

I've got one and it is a very good, sharp lens. More coverage than other 120mm lenses, but also a little larger, more along the same size as the 90mm f/8 lenses.

[Eric Woodbury]

It looks pretty good except for those scratches. You probably won't notice the scratches unless you shoot right into bright lights or the sun all the time. Somebody should have put a rear cap on it, but then the price would be higher (I'm guessing). If you can get if for a song, then go for it. Otherwise, there is the SA 121 or the SS XL 110 that have lots of coverage. Both cover 8x10. The 121 can be found for pretty cheap, but it's a big lens and the 110 is not cheap and is not bad in size.

[neil poulsen]

I have the 121mm S.A., and I've enjoyed using it. But some day, I have it in mind to swap it out for it's multi-coated sibling, the 120mm S.A. (The 121mm is single-coated.)

At the time that I got, I figured that, if it was good enough for Ansel Adams, it was good enough for me. I haven't been disappointed.