Schneider 120 6.8 Angulon

I am looking for a 120mm lens. MidWest currently has a Schneider 120mm f/6.8

Angulon coated at $399. Is this a good choice? Will appreciate information on

quality of this lens, filter size, image circle, weight etc. I shoot 4x5 both

BW and color.

Thanks

There is no firm answr to this question. Among the Angulonlenses this wa always my

faorite and the oneI owned served me well for many years but it is not a modern,

multicoated optic and there are other choices today that I thik are better choices but none

of them are as iexpensive. I would go with the new Apo Symmar L as my first choice, not

quite the coverage but a far superor lens in terms of color rendering and resolution .... or

the Fuji 125 CMW same comments. Midwest has a new 125 Fuji for 595.

 

At the rice for a 120 lens that wil give you decent movement on 4x5 yuo won't do better.

To get the details on coverage etc. go to www.schneideroptics. com and go to the info

drop down menu then click on 'vintage lens data'

This is an older lens, with some movements for 4x5. Mine is a 12cm F6.8 from the 1930's, not even coated. It came with a kit of Speed graphic stuff I bought off of ebay for 450 bucks, two 4x5 bodies, two 127mm Ektars, the 12cm Angulon, two flashes, two cases, zillion filters. I am not sure a 120mm F6.8 Angulon is really worth 399 bucks.<BR><BR>Hopefully the movement police will step in and add more comments. :) My old 12cm is good at F16, and has a radically wider coverage than the 127mm Ektar, that is really a 3x4" lens. <BR><BR>Coverage with these older wide angles is sometimes abit more liberal in specs, since folks enlarged less, and were worried more where illumination dropped off. The angulon is an older lens over 7 decades old, less of a superman lens like the super angulon series

I have two f6.8, 120 Angulons. One stays in the 4x5 pack and the second in the 5x7 pack.

 

Obviously I like them. There is more than enough coverage for 4x5 and adequate, especially on the 5" side, for 5x7.

I have both the 90mm and the 120mm versions and like them a lot. They win on size and weight and while sharpness and colour aren't quite up to Super Angulon levels they are usually pretty good.The usual advice is to find as late a version as possible with the highest serial number. 10 million is a good serial number to keep in mind as it translates to a manufacture date of about 1967 which is when the quality of these lenses seems to have become raher more even. A Linhof badged version is also said to be a better bet - but I can't see any difference between my badged and non-badged versions.

 

Having said that $399 seems a bit steep to me. I bought mine from ebay for about 100 Uk pounds which is about $160 and it is a nice lens.

 

See www.schneideroptics for details of image circle etc.

The 12cm F6.8 has a serial of 998xxx; about from 1936. I wonder if some of these lenses will be going in another 7 decades.

Color will look dull compared to modern glass. Unless you are experienced, it will look ok until you put it next to something better.

 

You need to stop down much more than with newer designs and it has less coverage compared to Super Angulons or the 110XL.

 

I sold mine and do not miss it. It two biggest virtues were cost and small size.

Thanks for your input. I think I'll pass and will consider Ted's suggestion on the 120 apo-symmar L.

Hi Gregory, On a press camera the 12cm F6.8 is a very compact lens and one can fold up the Speed Graphic with the lens on the lens board. A Schneider 120mm f/6.8 Angulon coated at half the 399 dollar price might be a better deal. :) <BR><BR>There is also a Zeiss 11.5cm F5.5 ultragon on Ebay now over a grand

I use mine mostly for B&W and have found it's more than adequate, but my new/used 135mm APO Symmar has now relegated the 120 to back-up status. For color, the 120 is just not ready for prime time.

Richard and Ronald's answers are consistent with what Jim at Midwest said about this very lens. Good for B&W, shoots warm in color but not as warm as an Apo Lanthar.

 

I actually looked at this lens 2 days ago. No scratches or anything but the glass could stand a cleaning as with most lenses this old. Couldn't tell if disassembly would be needed for a thorough cleaning.

 

Steve