Gold front barrel on my Schneider 150 APO -- what is it?

[Jack Flesher]

My Schneider 150 APO Symmar has a gold-colored front instead of the normal black, like the XXL fine art series, only looks identical in all other respects to normal 150 APO Symmar lenses. This is a pre "L" version and I am under the impression it is some sort of anniversary edition, probably a 50th, but am not sure. It isn't labeled any particular way other than the serial number is "GE 021", so I assume it is number 21 of some limited production "Golden Edition" run. It is a very sharp lens, so I also assume some kind of special selection, but again that is just an assumption.

Anyway, I'd appreciate ANY additional information if anybody has it.

Thanks in advance,

[Oren Grad]

Wild speculation: I wonder whether it was separated from some special commemorative run of the Master Technika.

[Oren Grad]

Ah, Google is my friend: there was a special 50th Anniversary Technika, but the lens on it was a Symmar-S:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003xIK

But Bob S suggests in his reply that there may have been other such.

[Jack Flesher]

Thanks Oren. I had found that post, but mine is very definitely an APO Symmar... I do not have the box, nor does it have special lenscaps. Perhaps it is/was supposed to be attached to some limited production Technika, but no indication of that is anywhere on the lens...

[Oren Grad]

Maybe Robert White knows?

Don't mean to turn this into a google-contest - now I'm curious, too...

[Jack Flesher]

To tell the truth Oren, I was counting on you!

,

[Oren Grad]

Trivia R Us.

[Jack Flesher]

Here is a photo of it:

[Paul O]

Hi. It is indeed an anniversary edition. I believe Schneider also made a gold 90mm and 210mm too.

[Baxter Bradford]

Hi Jack

I too have one of these which I bought 'ex-demo' from Robert White about the time of the post on the other forum. Mine is Goldfinger's one, since the Serial No is GE 007!

It has been an excellent lens and well used. Wish mine was in a Copal instead of a Compur shutter and occasionally I would wish for a larger image circle (concur it is the non-L version) when using reverse movements.

I have no idea why the front element housing is gold though.