Which are the fancy lenses??

[AdamD]

Actually I might go with that 115mm first because it's the widest lens I can use with my bellows. The 90 would require a WA bellows. The 115/150 combo can use the same bellows.

[Dan Fromm]

Adam, if you are still using a Cambo SC -- I've completely lost track of what you have -- a bag bellows will cost less that the 115 of your dreams.

[Fr. Mark]

Sounds like a reasonable approach. Once you get going in 4x5 you might want bigger contact prints and then those lenses will seem a lot "shorter." I got to borrow a 75mm (I think that was it) for a 5x7 of a crowded photography store shelf and was astonished at how much it pulled in and how sharp the negative is! There's so much info there I almost hated to contact print it, but I'm not ready to get into truly enormous enlargers. Most of the time 90 on 5x7 has been plenty for me. Depending on what 210 or 240 you get it might be useful on 8x10, too. And, if you like close-ups with the bellows extended more, then the lens coverage goes up, too, so lenses that don't cover at infinity just might do the trick on those flower or lichen portraits on larger formats.

[BrianShaw]

Adam, if you are still using a Cambo SC -- I've completely lost track of what you have -- a bag bellows will cost less that the 115 of your dreams.

... and that is likely true even adding a recessed lens board to the bag bellows buy.

[Embdude]

75mm Zeiss Biogon
135mm Zeiss Planar
150mm Schneider Xenotar
250mm Zeiss Sonnar

These were the top of the 4x5 LF world in 1956... still well thought of today...

[AdamD]

Ok here’s an example of a fancy lens. What is going on with the Schneider Super-Symmar HM 120mm f/5.6?

This thing costs an arm and a leg yet the Schneider APO-Symmar 120mm f/5.6 is pretty reasonable. What’s the difference and why would I drop nearly 2 grand on a lens that the $500 version just won’t or can’t do?

[Oren Grad]

Ok here’s an example of a fancy lens. What is going on with the Schneider Super-Symmar HM 120mm f/5.6?

This thing costs an arm and a leg yet the Schneider APO-Symmar 120mm f/5.6 is pretty reasonable. What’s the difference and why would I drop nearly 2 grand on a lens that the $500 version just won’t or can’t do?

The difference between the lenses is coverage: 211 mm at infinity focus and f/22 for the SS HM, 179 mm for the Apo-Symmar.

As for price, kindly check eBay listings for actually-sold items before freaking out about an asking price that you've spotted.

[Bernice Loui]

Previously discussed.
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...mmar-HM-series

Tested, made images and considered the 150mm SSHM for 5x7 decades ago. Decided NO, did not make the images any better than other similar lenses.
And yes, there was a time when this LF stuff was really cheap with the used market completely flooded with stuff like this.


Bernice

Ok here’s an example of a fancy lens. What is going on with the Schneider Super-Symmar HM 120mm f/5.6?

This thing costs an arm and a leg yet the Schneider APO-Symmar 120mm f/5.6 is pretty reasonable. What’s the difference and why would I drop nearly 2 grand on a lens that the $500 version just won’t or can’t do?

[Oslolens]

Ok here’s an example of a fancy lens. What is going on with the Schneider Super-Symmar HM 120mm f/5.6?

This thing costs an arm and a leg yet the Schneider APO-Symmar 120mm f/5.6 is pretty reasonable. What’s the difference and why would I drop nearly 2 grand on a lens that the $500 version just won’t or can’t do?

The closest to the 120mm SS HM is a 125mm f5,6 CM Fujinon-W, with just a tiny bit smaller circle, and the same big, nice 67mm filter ring. Next in line is a 125mm Fujinon-W with smaller 58mm? filter threads. The smallest threads are not so good when stacking filters.
I have a belief my 120mm has an edge at larger apertures, f8 to f11 off centre, and that suits me well.
My 120mm is more used than my 150mm.

Sent fra min SM-G975F via Tapatalk

[Greg]

75mm Zeiss Biogon
135mm Zeiss Planar
150mm Schneider Xenotar
250mm Zeiss Sonnar

These were the top of the 4x5 LF world in 1956... still well thought of today...

Around 1980, my boss had a Linhof outfit with 3 of these lenses (less the 150mm Schneider Xenotar at the time, but I believe that he bought this same lens later on) and a 210mm Apo-Lanthar. Whole outfit was in a gorgeous (probably OEM Linhof) case. I used the outfit a few times and it was indeed amazing. But... was shooting chromes of several pieces of artwork and stopping down to probably f/16 along with some outside B&W handheld shots again at probably f/16. He bragged about the quality of the 4x5 chromes and how contrasty the B&Ws were. To this day believe that he was just trying to justify the cost of his outfit. Ironically I never remember him using the outfit to shoot anything.