Advice on purchasing a Schneider Lens 210mm

[Kaden Kratzer]

I am bit of a klutz. I just purchased a Schneider -Kreuznach Symmar-S 5.6/210 with
multicoating. No sooner did I get this beauty off the box, I dropped it on the floor and
damaged the area where I could attach a filter. I intended to use it with a ND filter.

Now I am left wanting to purchase another Schneider Lens. Which one would you
advise and why? Uncoated/Multicoated how much difference does it make, really?

Thanks for the words of wisdom, in advance.

http://www.pbase.com/dehl/pandoras_mix

[Ole Tjugen]

Why not get the one you have "un-dinged"? If the optics aren't damaged, repairing one piece of metal would give you a very good lens for not much money.

On coating: Uncoated makes a lot of difference, how much depends on the lens in question andd in particular how many air/glass surfaces there are. Single-coated or multicoated makes very little difference. Schneider kept their Xenar lenses single-coated right to the end of production, the 210mm f:6.1 was still single-coated (and a really nice little lens, too).

[Jim Galli]

The Schneider Symmar-S 210 is a really really great lens. Bummer that it got dropped but like Ole says it's doubtful you damaged it optically. After your stomach settles, get a rubber grip pad to protect the paint, and something with leverage like pliers and carefully un bend it. Then even though it's not as pretty, if you can thread a stepping ring like 77 - 82mm on, you'll have a good thread to use for filters. You only have to struggle the stepping ring on once, and it sort of covers up the damage too. Anyways, that's what I would do (:o have done).

[Kaden Kratzer]

The optics are fine. Where would I send to get it fixed. It does have a pretty good
"ding". :(

[Gene McCluney]

Most large camera repair facilities have the "dies" to knock out a ding in a front ring. It is something you learn how to do in "Camera Repair School" so to speak.

[Don7x17]

The Schneider Symmar-S 210 is a really really great lens. Bummer that it got dropped but like Ole says it's doubtful you damaged it optically. After your stomach settles, get a rubber grip pad to protect the paint, and something with leverage like pliers and carefully un bend it. Then even though it's not as pretty, if you can thread a stepping ring like 77 - 82mm on, you'll have a good thread to use for filters. You only have to struggle the stepping ring on once, and it sort of covers up the damage too. Anyways, that's what I would do (:o have done).

Jim
He should purchase a lens vise - its make specifically for the filter ring dings. Pliers alone, can put too much pressure on the glass.
I've used one on a friend's badly bent dinged lens to restore it to the point that filters would again screw in (it was a deep bend to start).
http://cgi.ebay.com/Hand-held-Lens-Vise-Removes-dents-on-a-Lens-or-Filters_W0QQitemZ130298769572QQcmdZViewItem

Note that I have no relationship to this ebay vendor. I'm just citing it because it had a nice image of the device.

do a search on "lens vise" and you'll turn up others.

[Don Hutton]

A guy like Paul Ebel in WI will charge you very little to remove a good filter ring ding - he has the pliers, vises etc and knows how to use them. Google him and send it - it's as good as other 210mm lenses and pretty handy if you have a set of 77mm filters.

[Brian Ellis]

I've had this kind of damage fixed by a local repairman so it can't be all that hard to do. But if your intended use was only with a ND filter, those filters don't need to be attached to the lens. I use 4" square ND filters and hold them in front of the lens with my hand rather than attaching them. I prefer to use them that way because it allows you to move the filter up and down to best correspond to the horizon line rather than having the "filter-non filter" part in a fixed position which may or may not be the best position for a particular photograph.

[ic-racer]

How bad is it. The rings on my Symmar-S 210mm MC were pretty stiff. My lens was only a little over $100, so I banged on them pretty hard to try and straighten them, but gave up. The lens works fine, otherwise.

[John Powers]

A guy like Paul Ebel in WI will charge you very little to remove a good filter ring ding - he has the pliers, vises etc and knows how to use them. Google him and send it - it's as good as other 210mm lenses and pretty handy if you have a set of 77mm filters.

Paul Ebel Lens Service
420 21st Street North Suite #2
PO Box 141
Menomonie WI 54751 tel: 651-335-8759 paulebel44@yahoo.com

I was very happy with his work and service.

John