Tele-Xenar 5.5/500 on a Linhof 5x7

[NormaN]

Hello, everyone

I recently bought a Linhof Technika 5x7. Among other things, a Tele-Xenar 5.5 / 500mm was included.
An orchid served as a model for the first experiments. The image enlargement was approx. 1: 2. One photo with aperture 5.5 @ 1/4 sec., The second with aperture 11 @ 1 sec. Focusing was a bit difficult ....
In the picture taken with f / 5.5 a "glow" is visible at the edges of the orchid leaves (in the blurred areas?). I would be interested in how this effect shows up in portraits. Have any of you experience with this lens in portraits? And what is not clear to me: With the compound shutter, no cable release is used, but there is a nipple for a compressed air release. Are there standard products for this? Or just use a hose with a syringe?

Thank you for your tips

NormaN

[David Lindquist]

In your third picture the thingy sticking out from the circumference of the shutter as you go counter clockwise from the shutter speed dial, is that what you are referring to as the nipple? It should be threaded internally for a cable release.

David

[NormaN]

Thank you David!

How could I not look inside!
Because of the external shape, I thought of a hose connection ...
I like the shutter a lot, especially its "full" sound when it is released.

NormaN

[Delfi_r]

This is a Compound V shutter, a big and rare beast. Treat it nicely. Your lens is a beautiful example of how nice are the photos taken with a 15 or more leaf shutter.

[rawitz]

Hi NormaN,
your pictures at 5,5f and 11f is typical for this (kind of) lens. Soft wide open because of chromatic aberration (no APO lens) getting better stopping down. Maybe the same effect as a special soft-portrait lens, but not the same construction.
Stopped down to 22f you can use this lens even for 8x10, but clearly detoriating to the corners in sharpness and color fringing.
The compound shutter has continious times, so you can easely recalibrate the shutter times yourself.

regards
Rainer

[NormaN]

This is a Compound V shutter, a big and rare beast. Treat it nicely. Your lens is a beautiful example of how nice are the photos taken with a 15 or more leaf shutter.

Thank You Delfi_r
It is really a nice shutter in very good condition!
NormaN

[NormaN]

Hi NormaN,
your pictures at 5,5f and 11f is typical for this (kind of) lens. Soft wide open because of spherical aberration (no APO lens) getting better stopping down. Maybe the same effect as a special soft-portrait lens, but not the same construction.
Stopped down to 22f you can use this lens even for 8x10, but clearly detoriating to the corners in sharpness and color fringing.
The compound shutter has continious times, so you can easely recalibrate the shutter times yourself.

regards
Rainer

Hello Rainer

Thanks for pointing out the stepless shutter speeds! Did you somehow measure this on yourself?

Regards
NormaN

[Daniel Unkefer]

My repairman says that Compound shutters are the most consistent. Air pressure is pretty unchanging for the most part, I guess. A simple beautiful mechanism. It is good information that the Compounds have stepless speeds.

That is a beautiful rare lens. Enjoy it.

I am surprised it is so soft? My 360 Tele-Artons and Tele-Xenars are not so close up. But then I do tend to use them at F22

[rawitz]

I´m not telling second hands stories. I have this lens and worked with it up to my ULF cameras (9x15, but thats out of the limit).
Physically it´s not "softer" than other conventional (non APO) tele lenses as Tele-Artons or Tele-Xenars, the pic example here is not fair, but be aware the focal quotient, which detoriates IQ not linear but quare times the focal lenth.
In summary, its a perfect lens for my Linhof Technika 5x7, even better if you have a focusing-cam, which I have not.
For the calibrating issue, I like the practical approach, comparing the 1sec shutter to my practical measurement and calculate accordingly for the shorter times. Its important and not very known, that after tightening a compound shutter you have to wait some seconds (3 ore more) to complete the shutter air tension. Too fast releasing means to short exposure time.

regards
Rainer

[NormaN]

My repairman says that Compound shutters are the most consistent. Air pressure is pretty unchanging for the most part, I guess. A simple beautiful mechanism. It is good information that the Compounds have stepless speeds.

That is a beautiful rare and incredibly expensive (now lens). Enjoy it. A perfect match to that camera.

I am surprised it is so soft? My 360 Tele-Artons and Tele-Xenars are not so close up. But then I do tend to use them at F22

Hi Daniel

Could it be that the Linhof selected versions are more expensive? Mine is a "regular" Schneider...

or the softness: Unfortunately I have no comparison. Maybe because I didn't use a cable release (because I wrongly assumed that a compressed air release was needed) and the camera was mounted on the housing for this purpose. Maybe it would be better balanced if I had mounted the tripod on the open front "door".

I also struggled to focus with the aperture fully open ...

NormaN