Which 135mm Lens to Keep

[catalinajack]

I have three 135s, all in top condition. A Rodenstock APO Sironar in a Copal 0 shutter, a Schneider-Kruzenach APO Symmar in a Copal 0 shutter, and a Schneider-Kruzenach Symmar S in a Syncro-Compur shutter. I will be selling two of the three. Which of the three would you keep? The S-K Symmar S is far less valuable than the other two but is its performance that much inferior to the two others, the APOs?

[Chester McCheeserton]

I have three 135s, all in top condition. A Rodenstock APO Sironar in a Copal 0 shutter, a Schneider-Kruzenach APO Symmar in a Copal 0 shutter, and a Schneider-Kruzenach Symmar S in a Syncro-Compur shutter. I will be selling two of the three. Which of the three would you keep? The S-K Symmar S is far less valuable than the other two but is its performance that much inferior to the two others, the APOs?

No

I would keep the one that gave me the largest image circle. I'm sure another member can chime in here and state which one that is.

Or if I didn't use front rise a ton and needed the $, I'd sell the APOs and keep the symmar S

Or if one has an older style Copal shutter, than I'd get rid of that one also

[xkaes]

It depends on what factors are important to you. Make a comparative list:
Size
Weight
Filter thread
Lens coating
Shutter age/accuracy
"market" value
YOUR test resolution
Image circle
maximum aperture

I could go on, but I bet this would eliminate at least one of them off the bat.

[ridax]

They say (though I've never checked that myself) the original Apo-Sironar is the same as the 80° Apo-Sironar-W. So I'd verify it really covers 80° and go for the larger angle of view. I'd exchange the shutters between the Apo-Sironar and the Symmar-S and keep the Apo-Sironar in the Synchro-Compur.

But if I were after the better background blur, I'd sell them all and buy a Convertible Sironar or a Convertible Symmar (and save a bit of money at the same time as the Convertibles are considerably cheaper).

[rfesk]

For what it is worth, the most recent lens design of the three is the Apo-Symmar. My most used lens is an (Apo)-Sironar which I am very satisfied with.

Edit - my 135 lens is marked Sironar N. When Rodenstock introduced the Apo Sironar-S they changed the previous model's name to Apo Sironar-N.

[Steve Goldstein]

They say (though I've never checked that myself) the original Apo-Sironar is the same as the 80° Apo-Sironar-W.

True, but...

The original Apo-Sironar, which ultimately became the Apo-Sironar-W, was offered only in 150mm, 210mm, and 300mm focal lengths. So if you have a 135mm lens it can't be an 80° version. Sironar-N == Apo-Sironar-N == 72°, Apo-Sironar-S = 75°. If it only says "Sironar" then it's likely the original convertible version.

[Bernice Loui]

Ignore the "APO" marketing moniker, it's related market value and all that...

Ponder the question of what are your image goals, how will this 135mm lens be used, what is expected from the 135mm lens?
Once this question is properly answered, the lens choice becomes easy.

In many ways, these three 135mm modern Plasmat formula lenses are going to be more similar than different.

~What will be the typical exposure aperture?
~How much camera movements will be needed?
~Image making light conditions?
~Contrast rendition?
~Color rendition .. within limits?
~In to out of focus rendition and Bokeh, are these aspects of lens personality significant?
~Lens flare personality (for still image folks, mostly avoided, for video & cinema folks it is a "thing")..


Until the image goals and expectations from the lens is determined/fixed, the choice will remain difficult.

Bernice

I have three 135s, all in top condition. A Rodenstock APO Sironar in a Copal 0 shutter, a Schneider-Kruzenach APO Symmar in a Copal 0 shutter, and a Schneider-Kruzenach Symmar S in a Syncro-Compur shutter. I will be selling two of the three. Which of the three would you keep? The S-K Symmar S is far less valuable than the other two but is its performance that much inferior to the two others, the APOs?

[Mark Sampson]

The 135mm Schneider Apo-Symmar is a remarkably sharp and contrasty lens. I was quite surprised to see its brilliant color rendition when my employer purchased one in the middle '90s. The Symmar-S is a very high-quality lens line; as it is 20 years older I would expect it to have slightly lower contrast than the APO lens.
I have no experience with the Rodesnstock 135mm- although I did use a Sinaron 210mm, a rebadged Rodenstock; it too had high contrast and saturated colors.
You have three of the very best lenses out there. Shoot comparison images at f/8 and f/22 and see if you can tell the differences between them- I expect that it will be difficult.
In your shoes I'd keep the APO-Symmar, simply because I used one on the job. But there are no wrong answers here!
(Full disclosure; my personal 135mm lens is a 1948 Kodak Wide Field Ektar... I like the way that it renders tones.)

[Eric Woodbury]

Keep the one you light using the most. I have lenses that are great performers that aren't my favorites for various reasons. I like all the same shutters for my lenses, as this makes it faster for me in the field. Some lenses I don't use because they are so valuable I'm scared to take them out. That's stupid, I know. My 135mm is a Fuji. Good as any, doesn't break the bank. You don't need the sharpest lens to photograph a fuzzy world. e

[catalinajack]

They say (though I've never checked that myself) the original Apo-Sironar is the same as the 80° Apo-Sironar-W. So I'd verify it really covers 80° and go for the larger angle of view. I'd exchange the shutters between the Apo-Sironar and the Symmar-S and keep the Apo-Sironar in the Synchro-Compur.

But if I were after the better background blur, I'd sell them all and buy a Convertible Sironar or a Convertible Symmar (and save a bit of money at the same time as the Convertibles are considerably cheaper).

Why keep the Syncro-Compur as opposed to a later Copal #0?