Super Large Format Schneider

[Kevin J. Kolosky]

I am curious if anyone here has had a chance to shoot with the Symmar XXL lenses.

If so, how did they perform for you.

[Jan Pedersen]

Indeed, I have the 150 f5,6 SSXL and it is a very fine 8x10 wide angle lens.
Don't use it often but if it comes to critical edge to edge sharpnes without an extreme high contrast as many other MC lenses there are no other 150mm lenses that will cover 8x10 with the same performance.

Nikon's 150 SW does on paper have a little larger IC but is also larger so it is a trade of.
I know that mine is not for sale.

[Kevin J. Kolosky]

I was referring to the XXL lenses, not XL. They are called the Fine Art lenses.

[Tracy Storer]

I believe Sandy King and Monty aka Zebra have both shot the 550 on 20x24 and gave enthusiastic thumbs up.

[Jan Pedersen]

Sorry, i am not into fine art! :)

[sanchi heuser]

These ones ?
http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/neuheiten/fine_art_xxl_e.htm

[Monty McCutchen]

Kevin,

Tracy is correct in that I have one to shoot with my 20 x 24. If I am shooting film it the lens that I use for 90 percent of my photos in that format. I could not speak more highly of the lens. Of course at the prices they sell for you would expect it to be spoken of highly!! It has great contrast, with ample movements even on the 20 x 24 format. If you were shooting smaller formats the movements would be huge. I have posted this image a number of times but it is the one I keep on this work computer and is easiest to show so here is an example of the lens shot wide open at f11. Pt/Pd Gumover print.

If you have any further questions please feel free to pm me. Be advised though that there are many others much more technically proficient than myself. I don't know resolution lines etc. I either like/love a lens for the image it produces or I don't. The Schneider XXL 550 I love.

Monty
aka Zebra

[johnielvis]

I'm currently using the 44" xxl

the only pain thus far is the waterhouse stops are only FULL stops apart--so if you're using a strobe metered at f19, you're out of luck--move the lights back or forth or put in a neutral filter (EXPENSIVE in that size). AND changing stop is a pain--you have to find a way to keep them organized---and have the stop box to drag around...shutter it's all built in.

otherwise it's got more coverage than anything I've ever seen and has not disappointed in the image quality department (my own mistakes excluded, of course).

you CAN get this in a shutter but lose a stop BUT it allows center/balanced mounting on a smaller board---the bbl config needs at least a 6" board (even that's pushing it) but gains a bit in extension over the shutter---AND needs a sturdy front standard....and packard shutter. Shutter allows sync out of the box and variable aperture----too late for me to do any second guessing though