Zeiss Tessar or Schneider Xenar 150mm 3.5 ?

<p>Hello,<br>

I just dug up to old lenses, which one should I keep?</p>

<p>Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 150mm f/3.5</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>Schneider Xenar 150mm f/3.5</p>

<p>many thanks. </p>

<p>Why not keep both? Probably not much of a difference between them really. Maybe flipping a coin is best method if you must give up one. That assumes glass on both are in same condition. Do they have shutters? Best shutter would also be a discriminator.</p>

<p>yeah, i would like to keep both, but im just trying to thin out my collection. they are both in the same condition w/ shutters. its a oddly tough decision. </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I just dug up to old lenses, which one should I keep?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Depends on what they were buried in and how bad of shape they're in. :D<br>

Seriously, ask them. Mount them up on lens boards and make some test shots. How well they were stored and how roughly they were handled will have more to do with how they preform now than they did when new. </p>

<p>If both are in very good condition I'd bet on the Zeiss.</p>

 

<p>I have them both and like the Xenar better myself, but I think that Charles idea is a good one. </p>

<p>Depends too on if they are similar ages i.e. both produced close to WWII and uncoated. Coating is likely to make a larger difference than anything else, if the lenses are in good condition expect usual 4-element performance with reasonable central sharpness at full aperture improving somewhat 2 or 3 stops down, with edges not great at full aperture but improving to good by f11 to 16.</p>

<p>What Charles said: test before deciding.</p>

<p>Anecdote: I have a couple of uncoated Zeiss Tessars from the 1930s. I bought them 25 years ago, but I don't use them anymore. One (a 10.5cm) is sharp, and performs close to a modern lens. The other (a 13cm) gives a very soft image. From the outside, there's no visible difference in their condition.</p>

<p>Why not check to see which ranks higher in salability . . .which one sells for more online? That should tip you one way or another (But to keep or sell . . .?) </p>

<p>Theoretically they should be similar since both are tessar types, however, I would take the Zeiss Tessar every time, I've never had a bad one.</p>

<p>Lynn</p>