New lens to me :)

[Dan Fromm]

OP, this site has resources. One, that is somewhat hidden, has links to the information you seek, and more. The first post in this https://www.largeformatphotography.i...mainly)-lenses discussion has a link to an annotated list of links. Take a look at it.

[ic-racer]

No clue what that would look like.
Attachment 232651

Any where I can find the history of this lens set up? (I really need to finish reading A. Adams trilogy)

Nice, you indeed have the correct aperture scale. Next would be to see if the shutter fires correctly at the speeds and see if you have the correct rear cell and the lens elements are free of haze or separation. I see what appears as an Instax image in your avatar. If you can expose Instax film with your Linhof, that would be a great way to test the lens and shutter. The images could be distinctly blurry if the rear lens cell is not the correct one.

[Dugan]

Welcome to the wonderful (vast, and deep) world of LF!

Re Mark's comment above - I have a 300/500 convertible Symmar (from around 1962) and have read a little about it... Converted (at the longer length with the front unit removed) apparently these lenses have chromatic aberration. I think this means that the different colours (wavelengths) of light no longer converge at the same place on the image, and causes a softness in the corners away from the centre of the image. I'm intrigued myself, as I have an interest in softer focus lenses.

I have read that you can compensate somewhat for the loss in quality by using a yellow or orange filter (if the latter you would probably need to compensate by one stop). As you're unlikely to find a filter that will fit the front threads of the shutter you may have to just hang it there or bodge a filter with some tape to make it a 'push fit'. I think you would need to focus with the filter in place.

Just to emphasise - this is only when the lenses are converted (front unit removed).

I once used a convertible Symmar with the front element removed (converted)...the subject was a building facade, and was shot on color transparency film.
The result was not 'soft' ...the colors were distinctly out of register with each other.

[Robert Opheim]

My first 4x5 camera was purchased used in 1974 came with a 180mm Symmar convertible lens. My lens dates from around 1968. I didn't have any luck with the single element, but I have taken many fine images with the combined elements. I have taken both black and white and color images with it. The lens is not as clinically sharp as the later lenses but is a keeper.

[Daniel Unkefer]

If the glass is good and the shutter is working properly, you may have lucked into the perfect matching lens for your Linhof. Hope you enjoy it. 210mm is extremely useful focal length

It has some "Schneideritis" but if you test it, you will see that the black paint interior peeling has no optical effect.

[Bernice Loui]

210mm for 4x5 is IMO one of the most useful focal lengths..

Convertible Symmars are best Not used "converted" ala single element. The convertible feature was more marketing than optical performance as this was done during an era when the idea of getting two lenses for the price of one was desirable..

Convertible Symmars are lower contrast than the last generation of Symmar L or APO offerings from Schneider. Difference being lens coatings, single coatings for the Convertible Symmars -vs- multi-coatings for the Symmar S, Symmar APO, Symmar L... and Glass types used in lenses n general, they have changed over time. Don't be fooled into believing "sharper-higher contrast" will instantly result in better or superior images, this is simply not true and not a factor to be overly concerned about.

Have the shutter checked for speed accuracy and repeatability, get the shutter serviced if needed, then make images...



Bernice

[Paul Ewins]

Paul, can you tell from Hartmut Thiele's books when the first "modern" Symmar was made, that is the one with a maximum aperture of f/5.6 of Plasmat construction?
And as far as that goes, when was the last "original" Symmar made? That is the one with a maximum aperture of f/6.8 and a Dagor-like construction.

David

The first prototype Plasmats were a batch of 5 of the 135/5.6 in February 1952, followed by the 150 in May 1952 and then the others in December 1952.
The last of the Dagors was a batch of 50 of the 180/6.8 in March 1953, ending with serial no 3337403.
The first production batch of Plasmats was a run of 70 of the 135/5.6 in November 1953 (starting at serial no 3643193). Production of the other Plasmats started in 1954.

I should also note that there was another type of Symmar prior to the Dagors that had varying maximum apertures. These were made in very small batches, often just 1 or 2 at a time, right up to 1921 and in prototype form as late as 1925. The first prototype f6.8 Dagors appeared in late 1919 with full production (a whole 47 lenses!) commencing in 1921. Total production of the Dagors was around 3,850 lenses and I would estimate 800 units at the most for the earlier type. By comparison total production of the first Plasmat Symmars was around 120,000 lenses.

[jnantz]

I once used a convertible Symmar with the front element removed (converted)...the subject was a building facade, and was shot on color transparency film.
The result was not 'soft' ...the colors were distinctly out of register with each other.

bummer
Might have been a QC issue? I have a chrome barreled one too documented a factory building for a client (stopped to 16 ) with it all chrome and c41 came out as nice as my unconverted lenses. shot a lot with 5x7 too covered to 370 stopped down 2 f16 .. can't complain.

[Mark Sampson]

And to round things out, the 'convertible' Symmars were replaced by the Symmar-S lens series in 1972-3. I used to have a brochure announcing the Symmar-S series dated 1972; in it they explained that the convertible feature had been discontinued in order to provide better quality in the complete lens. Those first ones were single-coated; at some point in the '70s the barrel engraving was changed to read "multicoating". Fine lenses, all of them.

[David Lindquist]

The first prototype Plasmats were a batch of 5 of the 135/5.6 in February 1952, followed by the 150 in May 1952 and then the others in December 1952.
The last of the Dagors was a batch of 50 of the 180/6.8 in March 1953, ending with serial no 3337403.
The first production batch of Plasmats was a run of 70 of the 135/5.6 in November 1953 (starting at serial no 3643193). Production of the other Plasmats started in 1954.

I should also note that there was another type of Symmar prior to the Dagors that had varying maximum apertures. These were made in very small batches, often just 1 or 2 at a time, right up to 1921 and in prototype form as late as 1925. The first prototype f6.8 Dagors appeared in late 1919 with full production (a whole 47 lenses!) commencing in 1921. Total production of the Dagors was around 3,850 lenses and I would estimate 800 units at the most for the earlier type. By comparison total production of the first Plasmat Symmars was around 120,000 lenses.

Thank you very much for this Paul. I continue to hope to get Thiele's three books on Schneider production. It does look like the two on Carl Zeiss Jena and the one on Carl Zeiss Oberkochen were re-printed a couple of years ago. These I have.

David