Opinions on some S-K lenses?

[Memento Mori]

Hello folks, I just bought a package deal of Linhof Tech iv, various accessories, and 4 lenses. The lenses all have their Linhof lensboards, caps, and shutters. My photography is heavy on portraits with the occasional landscape. B&W.

I already have a great Speed Graphic (for it's Focal Plane Shutter for barrel lenses) a few long lenses, an Aero Ektar, a 127 and a 90. I'm not sure I need to keep any of these new bundled lenses. Opinions? Anything special I should keep? Selling them would offset my expense, and keep them in use out there in the world instead of gathering dust in mine.

Schneider-Kreuznach Super Angulon 5.6 75mm w/Copal shutter
S-K Xenar 4.7 135mm w/Compur
S-K Symmar multicoated 5.6 150mm w/Compur
S-K Technika Super Angulon 8 121mm w/shutter but it's enclosed in the lens body?

They're all in perfect shape.

Standing by....;-)

[Len Middleton]

Missing some information, like are they crammed for the cameras?

If you do not know what I mean, you might want to do a little more research on Linhof technical cameras “Technika”s

[Memento Mori]

Thanks for responding, I guess. No, I do not know what "are they crammed for the cameras" means. Not sure what research I would do, other than looking up each lens' data and reviews...which I have done. Just thought I would ask here as experience is the best teacher.

Maybe you could be a little more helpful. If you are somehow referring to image circle size vs movements, why didn't you just say so?

[Oren Grad]

The question is whether they come with cams to couple them to the rangefinder. If so it would be a shame to break up the outfit.

Beyond that, why not make some exposures with each and see what you think?

[Memento Mori]

Ah, that makes sense now... the answer is no, no cams at all. I don't mind personally as I never use the RF. I'm a tripod GG guy.

I just went through weeks worth of lens testing on my SG. Not looking to repeat that comparing for example, my old 127 to the newly acquired 135 if I don't have to. That ends up being a lot of film and dev chems/time etc.
I was just looking for "Oooh, keep the 75! It's great!" or "meh, nothing special to any of those".

Guess that's not going to happen.

[Peter De Smidt]

Well, the super angulon has tons of coverage. Do you need that?

[Memento Mori]

I'm tempted to hang on to the 75, as that's the shortest lens I now have and will be useful for landscapes and such. The coverage will allow me to use more extreme movements if necessary for my "artistic desires".

[Oren Grad]

I just went through weeks worth of lens testing on my SG. Not looking to repeat that comparing for example, my old 127 to the newly acquired 135 if I don't have to.

If you're satisfied with your current lenses, you don't have to. It's certainly reasonable to not want to spend a lot of effort in testing if you don't have any problem you're trying to solve.


I was just looking for "Oooh, keep the 75! It's great!" or "meh, nothing special to any of those".

Assuming they're in good condition, they're all competent lenses. Among modern LF lenses, there really aren't any "magic lenses". At most there are some that offer specifications that are incrementally better suited to particular specialized use cases.

[Memento Mori]

Thank you!

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[Len Middleton]

Thanks for responding, I guess. No, I do not know what "are they crammed for the cameras" means. Not sure what research I would do, other than looking up each lens' data and reviews...which I have done. Just thought I would ask here as experience is the best teacher.

Maybe you could be a little more helpful. If you are somehow referring to image circle size vs movements, why didn't you just say so?

My intent was to be helpful without insulting, as it was not obvious on how much you knew about Linhof Technika cameras, hence my suggestion to research the camera, not research the lenses....

You say you have no cams, but do you know what a cam for the Technika would look like?

Any bed scales for the lenses?

To answer the lens questions:

1. Have an early version of the 75mm / f5.6 S-A and a key lens in my kit. Recommend it highly, but does it match your vision?
2. No experience on Xenar
3. Good experience with the Symmar lenses.
4. Always liked the S-A lenses and at 121 a ton of coverage for 4x5 (it is a 5x7 lens), but does 121 match your vision and is it sufficiently different from the 127 and the 135 Xenar?

Hopefully that more closely matches the specifity of your questiions...

[BrianShaw]

The typo didn't help. ;)

The Xenar is a really fine lens. A lot of folks might think it "less than" compared to the more modern design of the Symmar but it's a great performer nonetheless.

[Dan Fromm]

I'm tempted to hang on to the 75, as that's the shortest lens I now have and will be useful for landscapes and such.

The coverage will allow me to use more extreme movements if necessary for my "artistic desires".

Um, er, ah, a short lens renders many landscapes as all foreground, no background. If this is what you want, great. If not, not so great. I've found short lenses most useful in situation where the background is no more than 100 feet away, as in many places in the NJ Pine barrens and in the Fakahatchee Strand in Florida.

Re extreme movements and a Graphic, well, practically speaking Graphics' only useful/generally usable movement is front rise.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Hello folks, I just bought a package deal of Linhof Tech iv, various accessories, and 4 lenses. The lenses all have their Linhof lensboards, caps, and shutters. My photography is heavy on portraits with the occasional landscape. B&W.

I already have a great Speed Graphic (for it's Focal Plane Shutter for barrel lenses) a few long lenses, an Aero Ektar, a 127 and a 90. I'm not sure I need to keep any of these new bundled lenses. Opinions? Anything special I should keep? Selling them would offset my expense, and keep them in use out there in the world instead of gathering dust in mine.

Schneider-Kreuznach Super Angulon 5.6 75mm w/Copal shutter
S-K Xenar 4.7 135mm w/Compur
S-K Symmar multicoated 5.6 150mm w/Compur
S-K Technika Super Angulon 8 121mm w/shutter but it's enclosed in the lens body?

They're all in perfect shape.

Standing by....;-)

WOW Nice collection of Schneider lenses! Put them on your Technika and give it a good go. I have every one of these lenses (some in multiples), as long as not "modified" during service, you will be golden. All classic uber useful for 4x5 Photography.

The Xenars are lovely for smooth sharp pictorial work, a favorite of mine. The background rendering with the Xenars (Tessar formula I believe) make for lovely results IMO.

[Memento Mori]

Yessir, it certainly does. Thank you.
I already have an AE178, a 300 tele, a 127, Zeiss Jena 120, a 90, a 160 etc etc.
As I said, I'd rather not have a box of redundant lenses, but don't want to sell off a "gem".
Thanks again[emoji106]

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[Daniel Unkefer]

If it were me I'd sell off the redundant stuff and keep all the Schneiders. IMO if in great condition they are gems :) And I'll bet they might match the Technika in vintage? I like to use matching stuff myself.

[Mark Sampson]

The shutter on your 121/8 Super-Angulon is an ordinary Compur enclosed in the lens barrel. Just an unusual example of 1950's lens "styling". I have one and it's been a favorite for many years.
As far as which lenses to keep- they're all good. So shoot for a year and then sell the ones you didn't use or just "don't like".

[Memento Mori]

Thank you. I thought so[emoji16]

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[Daniel Unkefer]

The shutter on your 121/8 Super-Angulon is an ordinary Compur enclosed in the lens barrel. Just an unusual example of 1950's lens "styling". I have one and it's been a favorite for many years.


I have two of the SA 121's, one in a barrel, and one set up my Sinar Norma for Auto Everything control. The shutter is called a "Compur Special". As far as using it, it does have faster speeds on it, due to a smaller shutter being encased as such. My repair guys cannot figure how to open it up! LOL Covers 18x24cm IMO

[Memento Mori]

Thank you! (btw, I am using the crapatalk app on mobile...ugh.) I guess I'll hold them for now. As you know, there are wars waged and religions started over certain lenses. Glad to hear these are all "good enough/competent" and they are indeed all perfect and with shutters that "sound" about right. I'll test the speeds once I pick a couple to add into the rotation ;-)

[Vaughan]

My intent was to be helpful without insulting...

Some confusion was created by your original comment using the word "crammed" instead of "cammed" which was probably an auto-correction because I just had to correct the auto-correction in this post myself.

Older single-coated Symmars were the height of optical technology in their day and are still nice lenses now. IMHO old Tessar lenses for 4x5 are nothing to get excited about, particularly when better alternatives like Symmars are available for similar prices. (Old Tessar lenses that cover 8x10 are a different matter.)

[Len Middleton]

Thanks Vaughan,

Need to get more vigilant in my proofreading...

Indeed, as an prior owner of a Technika IV and currently owning a Technika V, "cammed" is indeed what I meant, and like "Technika" in the draft of this sentence, "cammed" is underlined as a miss-spelled word.

[Memento Mori]

Indeed, text is the perfect medium for lost nuance. Autocorrect has provided some amazing sentences.
It's all sorted now and I'm glad to have a fleshed out thread with plenty of pertinent data. Thanks to all of you fine gents[emoji16]

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[Corran]

As an aside, some of your lenses are in standard #0 or #1 shutters and so even if "redundant" can provide a cheap and easy way to swap out a dead shutter, permanently or while the original is shipped off to repair. Just don't forget to swap the aperture scale too. Many lenses sell for less than the cost of a shutter repair.

[Tom Monego]

I am including a photo of a Linhof Technika IV bed. Mine has 2 distance scales , a cam and 2 sets of lens stops. Mine came with a 150 Apo Lanthar and SK Super Angulon f8, both are in Linhof shutters and are excellent lenses. If the cam is not in the camera the cam holder, on the right springs up and gets in the way so I just keep a cam in the camera. Yours doesn't have the cam, what happens to the cam holder? While I use the GG mostly the cams have been useful at times.
I have a 120 Angulon, nice size, it lets the camera fold, I really like the field of view. The lens is not as good as the 2 I recieved with the camera, but it fits my vision. The 121 SA would be great but I couldn't fold it up in the cam.
Is your 75 on a recessed board? My 90's board is and it really helps, otherwise the lens would be difficult to focus.
The 150 Symmar is a nice lens.
The 135 Xenar is probably the weakest lens you have, it would be OK just not a huge amount of coverage.
250862

[Memento Mori]

Thank you for all the data! I do have a recessed board, although it's loose. I'll check and see if it fits the 75.

I use the gg exclusively so lack of cams doesn't sting.
Also, for focusing when swapping lenses I just wind the focusing wheels to roughly the middle of travel, then move the lens on the rail until the image is in rough focus, lock it down and fine focus with focus wheels. I ignore distance markings, infinity stops etc. Maybe I'm being ignorant but I can't see how they matter. Maybe someone will explain why my method needs improvement [emoji16]
I'm always happy to learn and keep my ego on a short chain.

I have some great lenses that I'll now have to get boards for as they're all in Graflex boards. I will do that though as I've discovered the glory that are movements recently.

Edit: also, I have noticed the cam tab and it’s propensity to flip up. It doesn’t seem to get in the way?

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[Dan Fromm]

I ignore distance markings, infinity stops etc. Maybe I'm being ignorant but I can't see how they matter.

I can't speak for your Linhof, but pulling my Graphics' front standard up against the bed stops guarantees that the standard is perpendicular to the optical axis, i.e., eliminates unintentional swings. This works for the one lens for which the bed stops are set up. I use a small fixture to square the front standard up for other focal lengths.

[Vaughan]

Also, for focusing when swapping lenses I just wind the focusing wheels to roughly the middle of travel, then move the lens on the rail until the image is in rough focus, lock it down and fine focus with focus wheels.

With wide lenses it's possible (inevitable when short enough) that the front bed or extension rails appear in the bottom of the image. To prevent this, position the front standard so it's almost right on focus when the bed and extension is as short as possible. A few millimetres adjustment is ok but any more and those rail will make a cameo appearance, particularly when the back orientation is tall.