[Asking for advices] The very first 150 mm lens to buy

[Alan9940]

Like Brian, I bought most of my LF Schneider lenses way back in the late 70's and early 80's. Over the years, most have developed Schneideritis, but I've never noticed any affect to my prints (I don't measure densities, except when I'm testing film.) If this anomaly does affect contrast, it has never been enough to cause me to bump my VC enlarging head by even 0.1 units. Again, at least as much as I've noticed.

Not to sound snarky, but if you're worried about resell value, buy one with it! Or, buy a beautifully mint condition, absolutely clean, no Schneideritis to be seen copy and bear the brunt of lower resale value, if your lens develops this issue. Not all do, btw. My Schneider 360/6.8, for example, that I bought new in the early 80's is still pristine today.

[Alan Klein]

I paid US$520 ($581 with tax and shipping) for the 150mm Schneider Symmar lens from Japan without Schneideritis when I bought it four years ago when I started LF photography. That's still in the range they seem to be selling now. I replaced the offset Toyo lens board it came with, with a new light-weight Chamonix carbon fiber center hole board to match my new Chamonix 4x5 camera. Some people said that offset didn't matter either but it made me feel better being mounted in the center like my other three lenses. I suppose that's another thing I did wrong.

I appreciate everyone feels Schneideritis doesn't matter from a photographic standpoint. But it made me more comfortable being clean especially because it was a used product to begin with. At least I learned now that should it get Schneideritis, it shouldn't matter. (it's still clean) Thanks.

[Michael R]

This is one of those threads...everyone is correct but it’s an argument anyway.

I’ll just throw in an additional option. As Drew mentioned, the “big four” will all do the same. My first LF lens was a 150mm Nikkor W. At least as good as anything else. I bought it because at the time at least (early 1990s), the Nikon LF lenses were somewhat less expensive to buy new than the German equivalents which were simply beyond my budget. Anyway I never had a better lens (not that I’d be able to see a difference). Good enough for John Sexton...

[Tin Can]

Making shutters

Paramount

[Drew Wiley]

I bought all German and used em quite awhile. But then when the German Mark was high, and the Japanese Yen was low in relation to the US dollar, I sold my German lenses for more than I paid for them, and bought brand new Fuji and Nikon lenses with cash to spare. I needed a new round of equipment tax depreciation anyway, and that made the most sense. But being an even more modern set of lenses, there were secondary advantages too.

The old Schneider lens which suffered the most from Schneideritis had been subjected to long trips in SW desert canyons where the diurnal temp swings could be as much as 70 deg F in a 24 hr period. Repetitive mountain extremes also were a factor in those expansion/contraction stresses on the perimeter lens cement - actually, just on the blackening to the rim itself. Zero negative effect on my shots themselves. No big deal. It's a completely different thing than balsam or shellac failure and separation between lens elements themselves, in the case of antique lenses.

[John Kasaian]

KEH is a good place to go for lens shopping, and I've gotten some very nice lenses off of eBay. Condition is everything.
As others have mentioned, the LF Home Page the light blue banner at the top of this page) has links to reviews and lens data that are well worth consulting.

[sharktooth]

You're obviously not buying a new lens with a warranty, and you don't have the knowledge to answer these simple questions yourself, so the real question to ask is "do I know and trust the seller?".

Anybody can sell anything in any condition. If you're a newby, then admit it, and buy your first lens from someone you can trust to steer you straight.

[xkaes]

One GOOD thing about Schneideritis is that you can get some great glass for a lot less than you would otherwise pay. Of course, it doesn't have to be Schneider lenses. I nabbed my Fujinon SWD 65mm f5.6 with a very mild case of the disease -- for next to nothing.

[tundra]

One GOOD thing about Schneideritis is that you can get some great glass for a lot less than you would otherwise pay. Of course, it doesn't have to be Schneider lenses. I nabbed my Fujinon SWD 65mm f5.6 with a very mild case of the disease -- for next to nothing.

I have Schneiders relatively old and new. The are all terrific lenses. The larger problem is shutter accuracy with age. This can be fixed with a good CLA.

[Alan Klein]

I have Schneiders relatively old and new. The are all terrific lenses. The larger problem is shutter accuracy with age. This can be fixed with a good CLA.

My 150mm Schenieder is 1/3 stop too fast up to 1/30th.