Schneider Symmar's

View Camera published a two part article on Schneider lenses about a year ago.
The series traced the history and evolution of these lenses.

There is no way I can summarize such an article down to a paragraph or two. If
you are intrerested in gettign the back issues let me know.

steve simmons

----------------------------

Gosh Steve, I ordered that article on film holders
and how restore wooden ones, three weeks ago,
was charged as in the bank statement, and it has
STILL not arrived ...

you tell me.

Alex

Hey, JJS, I don't think the questions were simple at all. [Question #1 had
already been answered - Q #2 isn't clear]. Steve gave him a source for
info.

People are just too damned lazy these days to do a little work on their own
to inform themselves. Who knows, he just might learn something in the
process.

Besides, who the hell knows what "supreme difference" means anyway? Do you?

You said: "Make a contribution here!", so if you're so d****d smart, answer
it yourself.

Rediculous, the question is "supremely" obvious. Other
than that, that is all SS does ... he offers something for sale
and never any genuine help as is done in a news group.

Alex

The Symmar was designed to be a convertible lens, the Symmar S is not...
Apparently the "S" is based on the Symmar but designed and modified not
to be used as a convertible lens and therefore improved for standard
use. From this article I am reading right now by Kramer in 1976 Modern
Photography, the improvement, in terms of image sharpness--is definate.
I know I used to own a Symmar which couldn't get a sharp image no matter
what I did (no flames please, my experience only).


That is interesting, but I would guess they really wanted
to quell the market by not selling two focal length lenses
in one. The convertible Symmar could have easily been
re-engineered to be "more symmetricaly corrected", it
was named "Symmar" in the first place, as is the point
of the design. They probably already had the better design
on the shelves.

As far as lens formulas and money go, try to imagine
a tiny sized Zeiss Tessar (protar?) design, in barrel, that
can cover a 20x24" frame, even at an F-stop fast enough
for focusing and photography. They did it! long ago but
the only reason they don't now is marketing. That lens
would be too cheap to produce for what it can do (and
maybe not all that symmetrical). But most anything can
be done with lens formulas.

Alex

In article ,
(jjs) wrote:

Downright embarassing to see a grown man kiss SS's ass in public. Killfile!

Pot, Kettle, Black.

"AArDvarK" wrote in message
news:Wundc.369$Va4.149@fed1read01...

As far as less costly lenses go on the used market,
older Symmar convertibles and the later "S" type,
were either one apochromatic?

And what was the "S" improvement about? Was it
a supreme difference?

Thanks all,

Alex

No Schneider Symmars, including the current "apo" lenses
are true apochromats although they may be very well
corrected for color. Apochromatic is a formal term in
optics, it means a lens which is corrected for simultaneous
focus of three colors, and correction of spherical
aberration for two colors. The color correction is gotten by
the choice of glass types by the designer. While
apochromatic correction is no gurantee of improved
performance most apochromats are special purpose lenses with
great care given to their overall design.
German standards allow the use of the abbreviation APO for
lenses that are well corrected for color even though they
are acromats (corrected for only two colors). This is
unfortunate and leads to considerable confusion and
unnecessary controversey.
The old chrome barrel convertible Symmar is a very good
lens, often sold cheap on the used market. The later,
non-convertible version is a better lens because its design
is not compromised to make it convertible. Nonetheless, the
front or rear cell can be used alone at small stops with
decent image quality.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA

Subject: Schneider Symmar's
From: (jjs)
Date: 4/10/2004 11:06 AM Mountain Daylight Time
Message-id:

In article ,
(CamArtsMag) wrote:

As far as less costly lenses go on the used market,
older Symmar convertibles and the later "S" type,
were either one apochromatic?

And what was the "S" improvement about? Was it
a supreme difference?



[... snip usual advertisment ...]

There is no way I can summarize such an article down to a paragraph or two.
If
you are intrerested in gettign the back issues let me know.

He posed two simple questions. He didn't ask for a tome, a history of
Schneider, you moron. You have all the answers, so ANSWER HIS SIMPLE
QUESTIONS with a simple answer or two. Make a contribution here!


and where in this response is an answer to his questions? At least I gave him a
place to go. All you did is come one with your name calling and hostility.

steve simmons

In article ,
(Largformat) wrote:

[...]
At least I gave him a place to go.

Quit tempting me with good straight lines.

On 4/11/2004 8:37 AM jjs spake thus:

In article ,
(Largformat) wrote:

[...]

At least I gave him a place to go.

Quit tempting me with good straight lines.

Ba da BOOM (tish!)


--
My coffee was beginning to wear off and with it the momentary illusion
it gives that things are Right and life is Good.

- James Thurber, from the short story _The Black Magic of Barney Haller_

No Schneider Symmars, including the current "apo" lenses
are true apochromats although they may be very well
corrected for color. Apochromatic is a formal term in
optics, it means a lens which is corrected for simultaneous
focus of three colors, and correction of spherical
aberration for two colors. The color correction is gotten by
the choice of glass types by the designer. While
apochromatic correction is no gurantee of improved
performance most apochromats are special purpose lenses with
great care given to their overall design.
German standards allow the use of the abbreviation APO for
lenses that are well corrected for color even though they
are acromats (corrected for only two colors). This is
unfortunate and leads to considerable confusion and
unnecessary controversey.
The old chrome barrel convertible Symmar is a very good
lens, often sold cheap on the used market. The later,
non-convertible version is a better lens because its design
is not compromised to make it convertible. Nonetheless, the
front or rear cell can be used alone at small stops with
decent image quality.


--
---
Richard Knoppow

Mr. Knoppow what about the Rodenstock APO Sironar lenses,
are they true APO's?
Alex

In article sErfc.6612$432.248@fed1read01,
"AArDvarK" wrote:

No Schneider Symmars, including the current "apo" lenses
are true apochromats although they may be very well
corrected for color. Apochromatic is a formal term in
optics, it means a lens which is corrected for simultaneous
focus of three colors, and correction of spherical
aberration for two colors. The color correction is gotten by
the choice of glass types by the designer. While
apochromatic correction is no gurantee of improved
performance most apochromats are special purpose lenses with
great care given to their overall design.
German standards allow the use of the abbreviation APO for
lenses that are well corrected for color even though they
are acromats (corrected for only two colors). This is
unfortunate and leads to considerable confusion and
unnecessary controversey.
The old chrome barrel convertible Symmar is a very good
lens, often sold cheap on the used market. The later,
non-convertible version is a better lens because its design
is not compromised to make it convertible. Nonetheless, the
front or rear cell can be used alone at small stops with
decent image quality.


--
---
Richard Knoppow

Mr. Knoppow what about the Rodenstock APO Sironar lenses,
are they true APO's?
Alex

The true meaning of apochromatic in photography is that the lateral
color correction of the secondary spectrum is corrected to within a
small percentage of the focal length of the lens. This assures that
color aberations , such as ghosting, are eliminated.
Rodenstock, Schneider, Leica manufacture to this definition.

For professionals using a microscope the definition states thaat the
primary rays meet at a common point.

--
To reply no_ HPMarketing Corp.