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sebastien
24-Mar-2004, 14:50
Hi i am hesitating buying a Schneider Super-Symmar XL 110mm or Super-Symmar XL 80 mm for my F2 sinar (4X5)

could give me some advices to choose between thes two lenses ?

thanks a lot

sebastien

Michael S. Briggs
24-Mar-2004, 16:11
The 110 mm SS-XL "feels" to me like a moderate wide on 4x5. It has huge coverage (288 mm diameter) allowing large movements on 4x5. At least to me, below 90 mm "feels" very wide. While both lenses have the same angular coverage, the diameter of coverage of the 80 mm is smaller (212 mm diameter) because of the shorter focal length. It depends on what field-of-view you want: moderate or very wide, and perhaps on what lenses you already have.

John D Gerndt
24-Mar-2004, 16:13
Comon' Sebastien, your worried about which of the world's best lenses is better than its neighbor? Pick a focal length and enjoy.

CXC
24-Mar-2004, 16:17
They are both superb lenses that will treat you well.

I have the 110mm, which is a wonderful lens, that I use on 4x5, 5x7, and even 8x10. I wish I had the 80mm, which generously covers 4x5, and barely covers 5x7,instead of my SA 65mm, which just barely covers 4x5, and is so wide that it is really a specialty lens (but I do use it, cuz I am a wide-angle freak sometimes).

You can get by with the 110 with no center filter on 4x5, but might need it for the 80, there's another $300.

Three questions for you:

1. What other lenses do you have, which of these two will provide the larger addition to your range? I had the 65 and a 180 already, so the 110 was best at splitting the difference. If your smallest lens was 135, then maybe the 80 makes more sense for you.

2. Do you shoot architecture, or something that requires lots of movement, especially rise/shift? Then the 110 is desireable, because of its substantially greater coverage. Added bonus is the sufficient coverage for larger formats.

3. Are you a wide angle guy? Then go with the 80.

If you are both 2 & 3, go with the 80. With a wider lens, you can in effect get indirect rise by cropping, leave the lense vertical and only use the top portion of the image (which will cover some of the territory that the larger lens gets only with greater rise). With the longer lens, you can never go wider in the camera, only by walking backwards.

Regards,

Doug Dolde
24-Mar-2004, 22:29
My advice if you aren't sure is to go with the 110mm. I think it's more versatile as it isn't so wildly wide. I love mine.

Leonard Metcalf
25-Mar-2004, 01:49
I have both, and tend to use the 110mm more than the 80mm - but it does depend on your own style / uses...

Michael Chmilar
25-Mar-2004, 15:39
Get both! I did.

I use the 110mm much more often, for landscape work. Your style may vary. The 80mm is very wide. When "wide" is needed, the 80mm is extremely useful.

sebastien
28-Mar-2004, 15:13
I really appreciated all your answers and advices. i definitely will choose the 110 mm.

thanks a lot

sebastien