I unexpected got the chance to bid an Schneider Xenotar 150mm the other week. A bit beaten up with some damages to the coatings and a scratch on the from element but otherwise in good shape.
To my surprise I got it for a more than fair price.
This being a truly large format only experience with a 35mm millimeter equivalent aperture of 0.8 (theoretically, but more on that further on, since the shutter will change that a bit) , and with a reputation of being super sharp I was somewhat thrilled.
Got the first four test shots back from the lab the other day, and thought I would share. It is a special lens.
There might be someone interested, at least I would be.
First, it came mounted in a barrel, so I re-mounted it in a Compur 2-/5/II that I took from a Symmar 240mm.
Doing this actually change the maximum aperture to 3.0 (as far as I could measure(. It's still very impressive but something you should aware of if you get one. To get the full 2.8 you would need a larger shutter I think, but I don't know if it ever came configured for that. In old catalogues it's listed with a Compur 2-/5/II .
Here are four test shots. To motives taken fully open at f/3.0 and at f/5.6.
All shot on my Chamonix 45H-1 with Ricoh RPX25 and scanned with a Flextight Precision III.
I've set the white and black point and some curves and contrast, but added no sharpening or clarity.
These are full resolution links. Right click and show in a new window/tab for the full image.
f/3.0
I focused on the chain on the wall
f/5.6
f/3.0
f/5.6
My own first thoughts are:
- Wide open it's very sharp in the center, but with a lot of spherical aberration, and with lower contrast at the edges. There is still a lot of detail. A lot of glowing character that you can either love or hate.
- Focus plane and depth of field is super thin. This will be a problem for portraits, where even a small motion forwards or backwards will ruin the shot (we are talking millimeters here)
- Bokeh is rather nervous wide open but becomes better stopped down.
- Stopped down it is very, very sharp al over. I love how it renders the statue att 5.6 with every scratch and mark visible.
This is definitely a specialist lens.
I'm a little bit disappointed with the bokeh rendering, being a bit nervous and not that smooth, at least wide open.
I will try a few portraits and see what happens.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks