Tele-Xenar 5.5/500 on a Linhof 5x7

[NormaN]

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-curve, 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

Hello Rainer

Thanks for the info regarding the shutter speed. The previous owner told me that you have to wait a bit after cocking the shutter.

Unfortunately, I didn't understand the focal quotiont / IQ ....

NormaN

[Daniel Unkefer]

NormaN,

I think this is a fantastic lens and I have wanted one for a long time. I have two 360mm black barrel Tele-Xenars, (one Plaubel Makiflex 9x9cm auto aperture and one in barrel), and presently looking for a third one for my TLR project. Much fun ahead.

This one appeared on Ebay so just now I bought it. It also has the Compound shutter and the original hood. I think you might want to reshoot with a long cable release and use a magnifier for fine focus? Hope these are helpful suggestions. Yes if you can center the weight of the camera I think you might like the result

I'll be testing mine with 5x7 Sinar Norma and possibly 9x9cm Plaubel Makiflex

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17474610290...53.m2749.l2649

[David Lindquist]

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

Good, glad that worked out. Deckel used that style of cable release on the dial-set Compurs also.

1966 and 1970 (dates based on what I take to be date codes) Schneider brochures I have show the 500 mm Tele-Xenar covers an image circle of 312 mm at f/16 and is recommended for maximum format of 18 x 24 cm. I calculate the diagonal of 8 x 10 inches to be 325mm while that of 18 x 24 cm is 300 mm.

I'd forgotten that there was a 1000 mm Tele-Xenar. The 1966 brochure shows only an f/8 version; it was not available in a shutter. The 1970 brochure adds an f/10 version. It was available in a 5 FS shutter. I think that's the electronic No. 5 Compur. Other Schneider lenses in this brochure taking a No. 5 shutter are also shown using the 5 FS.

On edit: The 5 FS is the electronic No. 5 Compur. In the 1970 brochure lenses formerly mounted in the No. 4 Compound are among those now mounted in the 5 FS.

Both the f/8 and the f/10 1000 mm Tele-Xenars have the same coverage as the 500 mm, an image circle of 312 mm.

David

[NormaN]

Good, glad that worked out. Deckel used that style of cable release on the dial-set Compurs also.

1966 and 1970 (dates based on what I take to be date codes) Schneider brochures I have show the 500 mm Tele-Xenar covers an image circle of 312 mm at f/16 and is recommended for maximum format of 18 x 24 cm. I calculate the diagonal of 8 x 10 inches to be 325mm while that of 18 x 24 cm is 300 mm.

I'd forgotten that there was a 1000 mm Tele-Xenar. The 1966 brochure shows only an f/8 version; it was not available in a shutter. The 1970 brochure adds an f/10 version. It was available in a 5 FS shutter. I think that's the electronic No. 5 Compur. Other Schneider lenses in this brochure taking a No. 5 shutter are also shown using the 5 FS.

Both the f/8 and the f/10 1000 mm Tele-Xenars have the same coverage as the 500 mm, an image circle of 312 mm.

David

Hi David

Thank you for the infos
Found this Catalogue from 1961 with some data....

https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/00896/00896.pdf

NormaN

[David Lindquist]

Hi David

Thank you for the infos
Found this Catalogue from 1961 with some data....

https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/00896/00896.pdf

NormaN

Thank you for this, led in part to my editing my post #13.

David

[rawitz]

Hello Rainer

Thanks for the info regarding the shutter speed. The previous owner told me that you have to wait a bit after cocking the shutter.

Unfortunately, I didn't understand the focal quotiont / IQ ....

NormaN

If you compare the MTF-curves of any series of LF-lenses, like Super-Angulon, Symmar-S and also Tele-Xenar, the optical performance detoriates if the focal length becomes larger. So a Tele-Xenar 500 IQ is worse to a TX 360 or 270, even if its the same lens construction, the same with SAngulons or Symmar-S.
If you double the focal length of the same lens construction, you also double the residual optical lens errors, everything else being equal. An unsharp-circular area with doubles in x and y dimension, results in a square unsharp-circular area.
I apologize for my excursion, but there was a question I had to answer.

regards
Rainer

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Sold mine long ago..., never got tack sharp pictures out of it

[Tin Can]

I have used Tele 360 on 2X3 portraits

Tack sharp was not my goal

[Daniel Unkefer]

I have found that my two 360mm Tele-Xenars I have always found to be sharp enough for my uses, on par with my 360mm Tele-Artons.
Without going too far off track here is a typical example from the little brother of the 500mm. What is relevant to me is that I have often had to crop the 6x9 negs, just not enough magnification. So the idea of the 500mm is worth investigating. If it covers 18x24 I can shoot XRAY Mammo in that size which will be fun.

Hill Rd Statue Makiflex Auto 360mm f6.8 TeleXenar by Nokton48, on Flickr

Plaubel Auto Makiflex with 360mm f5.5 Schneider Tele-Xenar in Plaubel Makiflex auto-iris mount. My first test of this new to me lens. A nice compliment to my 360mm Tele-Arton, which is bigger and faster. Ilford FP4+ in 120 Plaubel 6x9 Makina Back, ADOX Borax MQ Dev Aristo #2 5x7 RC Multigrade dev

[Bernice Loui]

Given how many decades the Schneider 360mm Tele Xenar was produced and all of it's variations, no wise to form an impression of ALL 360mm Tele Xenars based on a single or limited lens sample. At one point, had three 360mm f5.5 Tele Xenars of the same 1980's vintage on hand to check out. All three were consistent and optically good to being very close to each other. These are black barrel and likely multi coated.

Performance at full aperture of f5.5 was good, good as it can be at f8. Image degraded past f16.

Not too long ago, the collection included a 500mm f5.5 Tele Xenar, this sample proved to have similar optical performance to the 360mm f5.5 Tele Xenar.

While the optical performance was not ideal or absolutely excellent at f5.5, once the aperture is at f8, the optical performance was more than GOOD. Some would dis-like the lower contrast rendition compared to a modern design such as the Tele Nikkor. Primary difference being contrast rendition, NOT "sharpness"..

Keep in mind the design goals of a LF "tele photo lens" design is to reduce camera and bellows extension for view cameras with limited camera and bellows extension and they tend to be optimized for images made at or near infinity focus. Not the ideal choice for close up images as there are FAR better lens choices for images like these.


Bernice