I've read many times about Schneider's poor quality control "long ago", and their later improvement. While many speak authoritatively about this, I don't recall ever seeing an actual date cited, or even an approximate one. Any hints?
I've read many times about Schneider's poor quality control "long ago", and their later improvement. While many speak authoritatively about this, I don't recall ever seeing an actual date cited, or even an approximate one. Any hints?
Depends what specific category of lenses you're referring to. There was
a relatively brief era when Rodenstock's and Fuji's facilities or tooling were updated before Schneider's were. At that time, the general purpose
plasmats put out by these other two companies seemed to be a tweak
sharper or more modern. That was around the 70's. But I'd hardly call
Schneider's lenses poor at that time, or substandard per quality control.
They were excellent, but not "state of the art". Now if you're going way
back to the 1930's or something ... can't comment there.
I haven't worked with any Schneider lens newer than a Symmar-S. I can say that I've seen several of these ranging from perfect glass to some with severe "Schneideritis". When did they quit making this line of lenses?
Do any of the APO Symmar or newer designs have this problem?
Schneider seem to have become more prominebt when they began supplying lenses to Nagel in 1928 who'd just left Zeiss Ikon to set up on his own again. Then 3 years later Kodak bought Nagel and you see Schneiders on Kodak cameras particularly in Europe.
Quality control seems to have neen increased in the late 60's and early 70's but some issues like variations in 90mm f6.8 Angulons may well be down to poor quality of the Compur shutters affecting lens cell spacing rather than the optics themselves.
Ian
Thanks Ian, that's what I wanted to know. FWIW I have a very late 90mm Angulon (11,3xx,xxx) in a Copal 0 that performs quite well, it's going onto my Ben Syverson camera once those are in production.
I think the paint problem that causes Schneideritis still exists or did until recent times, as I have seen a 110XL with Schneideritis. I know the explanations are fair and all that but I'd still be upset if my >$1000 was flaking paint internally.
All of my Schneiders are late 1970s to early 1990s. My 1970x lens does not exhibit paint problems, but a 1980x 150mm Symmar-S and a 1980x G-Claron both have problems of varying degrees. All of my other 1980s lenses are fine, as is an early 1990s 90mm SA. I have yet to find a situation where paint flaking or bubbles have caused a problem with an image.
Peter Gomena
I don't know if Schneideritis actually affects the image at all, since it's peripheral. And it's
not unique to Schneider. I've gotten it with severe swings in temperature or humidity over
short cycles - first time was on a long autumn backpack trip in Utah canyons where the
day/nite temps swings were literally 80 degrees. The quality variations of Angulons are
pretty well known since this series of lenses was made over several decades, until repl by
the Super Angulon.
I have a 1960~ convertible Symmar that has minor Schneideritus. I've been telling folks that Scneideritus means you have an extra good lens, like the bubbles used to mean. When the internal haze gets a bit worse, I'll take it apart and repaint the edges.
Except for the Angulons, I wasn't aware they had any QC issues.
One man's Mede is another man's Persian.
Which Schneider?
"In 1922 the name was changed to Jos. Schneider & Co., Optische Werke, Kreuznach, and in 1998 to the current Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH."
In between they went into liquidation, that was when Isco was spun off, and the company was bought by Mandermann.
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