210mm Sironar-s, is it wonderful (like the 135mm)?

[spkennedy3000]

I have recently purchased a 135mm Sironar-s, and have been completely bowled over by it. It has such a lovely look to the images, a 3d rendering, is so sharp wide open focusing is incredibly easy, colour and contrast are superb etc etc, no news perhaps.

However this lens has made my 210mm Sironar-n MC look a bit shabby in comparison. While up until now I have been quite happy with it, now I am finding I need to spend some time in Photoshop trying to get the scans closer to the 135mm scans. The colour and contrast are just not quite there. I shoot mostly colour negative, Fuji 160, I shoot architecture almost exclusively.

What I want to confirm is that the 210mm has the same magic that the 135mm has. I would be very grateful if anyone could help?

Thanks a lot,

Simon

[Bob Salomon]

Yes it does. So do the other S series lenses.

[spkennedy3000]

I was hoping you would say that :)

[Brian K]

I have found in general that the S series Sironars are superior to the N series, especially when working with closer focus subjects like still life. However the N series is still an excellent series of lenses and the drastic difference you might be seeing could be due to it being a poor example of one, or it could be missing a spacer or have some other issue.

[spkennedy3000]

Depends what you call drastic :)
My sample is fine but optically the S is a different league to my eye.
The difference I am seeing is a bit like a Zeiss lens compared to a non-Zeiss lens in 35mm. YMMV.

[vinny]

I recently got the 135 mm S as well. Noticebly sharper by eye than my old 135mm just looking at 4x5 transparencies.

[Noah A]

I don't have the 135mm Apo-Sironar-S, but I do have the 150mm and 210mm versions of the Apo-Sironar-S line and they are both equally superb. The 150mm has quite a reputation of being a stellar lens in that focal length. And while I think it deserves the reputation, the 210mm is every bit its equal.

It's one of my favorite and most-used lenses (second only to my 115 Grandagon).

[Ivan J. Eberle]

My 135mm Caltar IIN (AKA Sironar-N) is so good that I'd expect it's hitting diffraction limits across the field at normal taking apertures of f/16 to f/22.

[Steve Hamley]

I don't have the 210mm, preferring the 180mm focal length, but the 180 S is everything you'd want in a lens.

Cheers, Steve

[Leigh]

Are you talking about the APO Sironar-S?

I've never found an authoritative reference that mentions a non-apo Sironar-S lens.

- Leigh

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Everything I've read on the subject suggests that the Rodenstock Sironar-N/Caltars IIN and the Sinaron version of the same lens are all APO, too (and that "APO" was merely a name change, a marketing move.)

[Leigh]

The Rodenstock literature I have says the Sironar-N was an APO design without the Apo name.

The Apo designation was added on the lens, with no change in the Sironar-N design, after Schneider started marketing their Apo lenses.

But that's not the same as the APO Sironar-S series.

- Leigh

[Ivan J. Eberle]

I'm sure the S series are amazing.
But so are some examples of the Sironar-N, as well.
I happen to also have a 210mm Caltar IIN that is stellar--that has a huge image circle-- and which folds up inside my Meridian 45B (on a slightly recessed board).

[spkennedy3000]

Thanks very much all for the helpful comments. I just ordered one from Robert White - good price actually.

Cheers,

Simon

[Noah A]

I'm sure you won't regret it. I'm constantly impressed when I see photos from this amazing lens.

[Ken Lee]

I suspect that where you'll see a difference between the N and the S, is towards the limits of the image circle.

The S provides more coverage, and probably better coverage all the way out.

That being said, within its circle of coverage, an N will be a stellar performer. If you need a lens for Architectural work - or something where extreme movements are required - that's another story: a W lens is probably best.

My 210 Macro Sinaron is an N: It's scary sharp and has the same clarity and fidelity of my 150 Sironar S.

If you have a 210 N that you'd like to give me, I'll gladly take it :)

[spkennedy3000]

Well now I have an extra one so you can make me an offer if you like :)