Schneider Symmar-S 240/5.6

[Lot Wouda]

Any comments on this lens? The one I got seems to date from the seventies (# 12. ..). I bought it for portrait in the studio a.o., but it seems a bit too soft. A ny experiences with this lens?

[neil poulsen]

A Symmar-S lens should be very sharp. I have the same lens, and I get sharp results from it. Being too soft for portraits, you obviously have a problem somewhere. Perhaps you might get your lens checked on an optical bench. I think that S.K.Grimes does this. How 'bout a problem other than the lens? Have you used the same camera w/other lenses and obtained sharp results? Are both the camera and the lens new?

[Lot Wouda]

Thanks for your reaction, Neil. My first impression was based on an expired Polaroid. Now I've got results with Tri-X in HC110. It is sharp enough indeed, but when you come from an APO-Symmar the contrast is quite different. The Symmar-S is much softer and this may give less sharpness-impresion. For portrait it seems very suitable, and the highlights seems easier to control.