Schneider Optics Wide Angle 110mm f/5.6 Large Format

Schneider Optics Wide Angle 110mm f/5.6 Large Format 

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-3 of 3  
[May 06, 2009]
Carsten5x7
Expert

Strength:

Compact, and comparatively light with excellent performance.

Weakness:

Not as light as it looks (but is at 420g still lighter than its mostly Biogon-design based competitors). An expensive lens.

Much hyped-about lens that seems to have no direct modern competition.
288mm IC, weight 420g, 67mm filter thread. Well, it IS compact and optically excellent; ...and very expensive. Works best with a center filter on 5x7 on uniform subjects which is not as needed in 4x5.
Lenses of comparable focal length and coverage are though:
Fuji's Fujinon SW 105mm/f8, IC 250mm
Rodenstock's Grandagon N 115mm/f6.8, IC 291mm
Nikon's SW-Nikkor 120mm/f8, IC 312mm
Fuji's Fujinon SW, 125mm/f8, IC 280mm
Schneider also offered the 120mm/f8 Super-Angulon with identical IC of 288mm, this lens may have superseded it. Then there is the Congo W 120mm/f6.3...performance may not be on par and quality varies a lot between individual lenses, but they are very light and might make a good, light and more affordable field lens alternative if you get hold of a "good" copy.
Caveat:
All these are just numbers. Landscape 4x5 to 5x7 shooters should be content with almost any of these lenses. I'm actually happy with my 90mm (Grandagon N) and 135mm (Fujinon W) combo: It comes down to personal style. Also a reminder: This lens does not make you a better photographer.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

This is a one-of-kind type lens in this focal length I guess so a comparison is a bit mute.
I have used many older, lighter lens designs though, up to 5x7: These include:
103.7 (!)f6.3 mm coated Wide Angle Raptar (ok coverage, but less sharp), 140g in shutter! Also have two small (a f6.8 and a f9.5) 108mm W A Raptars, which I have not tried properly yet. They do both seem to exhibit some focus shift from wide open, so need to be re-focussed at working aperture).
108mm/f8 Wide Angle Dagor (uncoated, tight coverage and rather yellowy/pastel "vintage look" colors). Tiny lens in Betax shutter; even lighter.
108mm/f6.5 (coated) Cooke Wide Angle Anastigmat VIIb: Also 140g, re-mounted in Copal 0 (!) shutter, rare lens in this configuration. IC ~260mm, pretty sharp and good color/contrast. Paid $300 for it.
120mm/f6.8 Angulon in Compur. OK and light lens with a bit of field curvature though; slightly softer corners on 5x7. Opinions vary.
- I'm not suggesting any of these lenses to be a substitute for the Super-Symmar XL unless you're on a budget, just working in b/w, or at less than extreme magnifications perhaps. The reasons people are still using LF cameras are varied I guess...

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Aug 23, 2003]
Lum Bak
Expert

Strength:

Very Very Very sharp.

Weakness:

Expensive.

Horrible sharp lens that reveals very very small details. It's simply unbelievable. Much much sharper than my other large format lens.

Similar Products Used:

210mm Schneider, 400 Fujinon tele.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[May 04, 2003]
seattlechronic
Professional

Strength:

Sharpness, weight, Coverage

Weakness:

NONE

If there were only one Lens in the world this would be the one I would choose...Mind blowing how sharp it is...Tons of coverage..(*8x10*) stopped down*) Very Light and compact...Did I mention SHARP?!!!! Just ask any pro largeformat shooter and most of them will say the same thing...This will be a classic..Worth every PEnny!!!

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

Many others

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 1-3 of 3  

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