Am I suffering from Schneiderphobia?

[picker77]

Traveling the web the past few days in search of sort-of-affordable lenses with good 4x5 coverage, I've come across many, many Schneider Super Angulons. One thing stands out in my search results: a surprising number of them seem to have problems of one kind or another: edge separation, glass "bubbling" or "bubbles" (not exactly sure what that is)--or what appears to be called "Schneideritis" (also not certain exactly what that entails). At the same time, not a single solitary Rodenstock, Nikon, or Fujinon I've seen for sale has noted similar problems, unless their sellers simply aren't owning up to it.

I started out looking for a Super-Angulon partly because there seem to be so many out there, which meant to me they must be pretty popular with LF users, which would mean they must be pretty good lenses, and also because there are so many they might therefore be more affordable used. But now I'm starting to wonder if I am seeing all these little "condition caveats" on used Super Angulons because there are simply so many, or is Schneider's LF lens build quality in general not quite up to that of Nikon, Rodenstock, and Fujinon?

[ic-racer]

I have noticed that also. I think it is just because they are popular lenses and the ones up for sale are 'well used' or have prior professional use ( or abuse . If you see lenses of the 'other brands' in good shape, then go for those. That is what I have done. Specifically I like the Fujinon lenses. Used ones seemed to me to be in the best condition and have the lowest prices.

[catshaver]

Schneideritis in my Super Angulon is the white mottling on the interior black walls of the lens barrel. My example seems to have some of the black floating around between the elements as well. No impact of image quality. I have not seen this in the later multicoated examples though.

[neil poulsen]

The "Schneideritis" I've seen is in the non super-wide angle lenses.

Regardless of Schneider statements to the contrary, It's hard for me to believe that this affliction doesn't have some impact on the image. There must be a substantial amount of internal reflection, when one has these bright, highly reflective spots inside the lens. Otherwise, why would lens makers be so careful about painting the sides black?

Yet, I get quite nice results from lenses with this problem. Who knows, it could be a plus for black and white? I think I saw a comment by Ansel Adams that single-coated lenses could have an advantage in black and white images over multi-coated lenses, because they have a little higher level of flare.

Maybe all these comments are specularations. (OMG.)

[Gene McCluney]

I have a couple of Schneider lenses with this affliction. They are among the best, sharpest lenses in my inventory. I would not worry.

[Terence McDonagh]

Same here. Two lenses with it (G Clarons) and they are my sharpest and contrastiest (if that's a word) lenses.

[Toyon]

I have a Nikkor with "Schneideritis", yet is is blazingly sharp and contrasty. So I wouldn't worry about. In fact, enjoy the lower price for the lens.

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

I have a Fujinon W 300mm 5,6 with some "Schneideritis" but still a great lens. But 26 years ago I bought a 165 Super Angulon that I returned to SINAR and they sent to Schneider but was never any good. So I had quite some psychological barrier to cross before I bought a Super Symmar 150 XL which is excellent and my only Schneider lens.

[Jim Galli]

Am I suffering from Schneiderphobia? yes.

A bigger concern when shopping for Super Angulon is to avoid the earlier ones in the Compur 00 shutter. No replacement and they are to me at least, fussy. I don't ever recall seeing a Schneider lens that had element seperation of cemented elements. Now late 60's early 70's Rodenstocks are terrible for that, not Schneider. There's a couple new phobias for you to worry over.

[Kevin Crisp]

I have seen separation in some Schneiders from the 1950's, it usually appears as little stars or snowflakes -- not at all like the edge separation of a balsam-assembled lens. They worked great, but obviously you should be getting a discount if you buy one with the condition. I have seen Schneideritis in Rodenstock lenses and one Nikkor as well.