Schneider Symmar 360mm F5.6?

[Eric_6227]

Hello,

I am considering buying an 8x10 Sinar Norma. The package includes a Schneider Symmar 360mm F5.6 lens. The lens is a barrel lens (correct term?) but there is a Sinar shutter with the camera. I can't find any information on this lens. Can anyone tell me if it is a good lens? Or am I better off finding something more modern? From the serial number, it looks like it was manufactured in the late 1960s. I will be shooting mainly black and white but also some color.

Also, does anyone have experience with Sinar shutters and barrel lenses? The package also includes an APO Nikkor 480mm f9 process lens and I'm wondering if this is a good way to go.

Thanks!

[neil poulsen]

You can call Schneider Optics, speak with their LF technical support person, and find out if the lens is a direct fit to the shutter, or to any shutter.

[Richard Wasserman]

I have a 360mm Symmar convertible lens that is a 620mm when the front element is removed. Is this the lens you are refering to? If it is it will not fit in a modern shutter. Mine is in a Compound shutter that is much larger than a Copal 3. You could probably use a Packard, but I don't know if you want to go that route. Good luck.

[Eric_6227]

Thanks. The camera that it comes with includes a seperate Sinar shutter. So it would be usable as is. I guess I'm really wondering about the quality of the optics. I haven't used a Symmar lens of that era before.

[Richard Wasserman]

I only shoot B&W and find this to be a very good lens. It's very sharp with a nice look to it; not quite as contrasty as a newer lens, which I like. It is also quite big and heavy. I'm not sure it's the best choice to use outside a studio, although I do. There are other good lenses in this focal length that are easier to carry such as the G-Clarons.

[Uusilehto]

While I have no experience with the actual lens or 8x10 format, I do have the Sinar Auto-Aperture shutter which I think Eric is referring to. I have the green Norma-style mechanical version where the aperture is chosen lensboard-side.

Lots of great things about this shutter. VERY accurate speeds from 1/60 to 8s, PC sync and large shutter opening for mounting even large lenses. My Berthiot 360/4.5 (Tessar, if I'm not mistaken) rear element is almost exactly the size of the shutter opening. While the shutter is fairly vibration-free, it is very loud.

Now, the real benefit of using Sinar Auto-Aperture mount lenses in conjunction with the shutter. You can actually operate the camera 100% without looking from the front even once. You can set the shutter speed AND the aperture from behind the camera. When you insert a film cassette, the shutter closes. Then you just remove the darkslide and use the (mandatory AND proprietary [4mm metric]) cable release to trip the self-cocking shutter.

The cable release is something I don't like. It's not the cable release itself, I like it. But the fact that there's no way of tripping the shutter without it. The proprietary cable release runs for around $80-100 on the used market, so if you don't have one, be prepared to search for a while if you want a cheap one. I have been working on a replacement cable and it's looking promising. Might even sell my original cable release if I manage to complete my version in successful fashion.

To sum it up, I like my Sinar shutter A LOT. In fact, I like it so much that I use it on every lens. Even on the ones that already have shutters. Obviously, the 90mm is an exception (for the moment) as I haven't yet received my bag bellows.
The reason as to why I do this is that I have many older shutters. All more or less out of calibration. With the Sinar shutter, I only have one shutter to worry (or, more like, not worry) about.

[Ole Tjugen]

I've just received a 360mm f:5.6 Symmar convertible myself. It's in a shutter, a Compound V/12.

For information about thread sizes etc., see the link in my signature.