goamules
Well-known
Yeah, I guess we were all answering from our perspectives, because the OP didn't give a lot of details. It'd be easier if he'd asked, "what are the best portrait lenses for classic B&W photos?" or "what modern LF lenses are optimized for digital backs and architectural photography?" or "what is the lightest, smallest wide angle that will cover 8x10 for backpacking?"
But what are top notch bicycles? Shoes? Furniture?!
But what are top notch bicycles? Shoes? Furniture?!
L Collins
Well-known
Schneider Xenar 135 4.7 is a peach. Sharp but has unmistakable character.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Interesting you say that. I've had several that came with various cameras and I'd say it was not particularly sharp and had an inconveniently small circle of coverage. Certes, in the 70s it was regarded as one of the least desirable reasonably modern lenses among my friends: a as a common but unloved leftover from the press era. It must depend on what you use it for.
Cheers,
R.
L Collins
Well-known
Nokton48
Veteran
Here Are A Few Of My Sinar Norma Lenses.
Here Are A Few Of My Sinar Norma Lenses.
Here are a few from my extensive collection of original lenses, offered by Sinar for their Norma series of cameras.
From Top Left:
240mm F5.6 Schneider Symmar in barrel, 210mm F5.6 Schneider Symmar in Compur, 760mm F11 Rodenstock Apo-Ronar in barrel, and 105mm F4.5 Schneider Xenar in barrel (not an original Norma lens, but I just acquired it, and it's a good lens for 6x9cm).
From bottom left:
240mm F9 Rodenstock Apo-Ronar in barrel, 75mm F8 Schneider Super Angulon in barrel, 135mm Schneider Symmar in Compur, and 47mm F8 Schneider Super Angulon, mounted on an original Sinar Norma recessed lensboard.
All great lenses, and yes, I do use them all, at times.
In the righthand photo, is my 8x10" Sinar Norma camera, with Sinar Shutter, Bag Bellows, and SINAR Schneider 165mm F8 Super Angulon, in a Compur Special shutter.
Here Are A Few Of My Sinar Norma Lenses.
Here are a few from my extensive collection of original lenses, offered by Sinar for their Norma series of cameras.
From Top Left:
240mm F5.6 Schneider Symmar in barrel, 210mm F5.6 Schneider Symmar in Compur, 760mm F11 Rodenstock Apo-Ronar in barrel, and 105mm F4.5 Schneider Xenar in barrel (not an original Norma lens, but I just acquired it, and it's a good lens for 6x9cm).
From bottom left:
240mm F9 Rodenstock Apo-Ronar in barrel, 75mm F8 Schneider Super Angulon in barrel, 135mm Schneider Symmar in Compur, and 47mm F8 Schneider Super Angulon, mounted on an original Sinar Norma recessed lensboard.
All great lenses, and yes, I do use them all, at times.
In the righthand photo, is my 8x10" Sinar Norma camera, with Sinar Shutter, Bag Bellows, and SINAR Schneider 165mm F8 Super Angulon, in a Compur Special shutter.
Attachments
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Wow! Then again, if I think about it, I have an unreasonable number too: 65/8 Super Angulon, 110 Super Symmar, 120 Angulon, 135/8 process lens in 00 shutter, 150 Apo Lanthar, 210 Apo Ronar, 210 Symmar, 300/3.5 (!) Tessar, 300 Nikkor, 360/9 process lens, 21 inch f/7.7 Ross, and a few others. And you're right: they all get used, one time or another. But I don't really feel the need for any more!
Cheers,
R.
Nokton48
Veteran
Agree with that. I guess I have 30-40 large format Schneider, Rodenstock, and a few others.
I have all the old vintage catalogs. There aren't any more to buy
I consider myself to be a large format collector and user.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
It's a bit like those 'problems' you were set in maths class at school, isn't it? If I have too many LF lenses, and you have two or three times as many as I, how many do you have? Far too many?
Cheers,
R,
Nokton48
Veteran
Hah Hah Hah. Yes, agreed. Far far too many. But paid for long ago, and I will enjoy using them in future years to come. My deepfreeze is fully stocked with sheet film of all sizes. Take Care.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
That's it, isn't it? The fun you get from them is worth a lot more than the money you'd get for them, especially after allowing for the hassle of selling them.
Cheers,
R.
Nokton48
Veteran
Yep That's exactly it. Very well said.
Underaglassbell
Aerochromatic
Whether or not it's one of the top notch lenses I know not, but I have to say, I really like the Fujinon 135mm f5.6 CMW
nonuniform
Established
Kind of an open-ended question. For landscapes with my 4x5, I've always used my Schneider 135/180/240 Symmar-S lenses, though lately I've been using a Xenotar 135/3.5 outdoors:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amcdonald/6943749004/in/set-72157629441817258
For portraits, I've been experimenting with a 180mm Heliar. Mounted in a current Copal #3 shutter max aperture is f/5.6, but I like the color rendition and transition from foreground to background.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amcdonald/6943749004/in/set-72157629441817258
For portraits, I've been experimenting with a 180mm Heliar. Mounted in a current Copal #3 shutter max aperture is f/5.6, but I like the color rendition and transition from foreground to background.
Jim Rice
Member
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Red Dot Apo Artars. In longer focal lengths where their limited coverage is not an issue, they are scarey sharp with lovely almost understated color rendering.
zhang xk
Well-known
I have a RTH 12.75 INCH f/4.5 XEROX lens. Could someone enlighten me what it is for?
Nokton48
Veteran
It's from the insides of a copying machine. So it is good for document copying.
Most do not have an iris, which can be kind of limiting.
Most do not have an iris, which can be kind of limiting.
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Probably a Fuji, Schneider or Rodenstock. In theory these lenses are seriously good at magnifications around 1:1. Twenty years ago people spent real money to remount some of them for tabletop studio use. But at the current going rate of their equivalent in a proper mount, remounting them in a barrel with aperture or a shutter is not worth while any more.
zhang xk
Well-known
Here is an image of the lens. It has an iris with 16 blades. I guessed it was a copying lens. Thanks.
