Schneider - Kreuznach Angulon 90mm 6.8 lens

Could anyone tell me if this lens:

 

Schneider - Kreuznach Angulon 90mm 6.8

 

can be used on Tachihara 4x5 field camera. The lens is complete with a lensbord on which is written

"Technika". If I buy this lens, is there anything to be aware of, would I need to mount it on a recessed

lensboard? I would appreciate your response.

Yes, you can use this lens on any 4x5 camera, incl. your Tachihara. I believe the Tachihara accepts Linhof boards. Just be aware that the 90mm Angulon doesn ot allow for a lot of movements - it is a very useful lens when you are hiking with your gear and want to minimize weight. I use one for that purpose.

Thank you. I would more then anything use it for landscapes. I wander if it would be good

for that purpose?

Rado, if you get a good one they are a nice little lens for landscapes. You can of course use back tilts with the 90mm Angulon which is often all you need for landscapes but the image circle does not give a great deal of other movements such as front rise or tilt before the image starts going fuzzy at the edges.

 

The Super Angulon can also be had fairly reasonably in the 90mm f/8 version. This is the newer lens and usually sharper and with a much bigger image circle.

The f/6.8 aperture of the Angulon is for focusing only. Image quality at that aperture is quite poor off axis. The lens is really designed for use at f/11 or smaller.

 

Having said that the Angulon is capable of reasonable centre sharpness, but as has already been mentioned, it doesn't have a very big image circle. Officially, the image circle of the 90mm version is only just over 125mm, which isn't really sufficient to cover 5x4. However many people, myself included, have used and continue to use a 90mm Angulon successfully on 5x4. Just stop it well down for use.

It's a little better than that-- <A HREF="http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/vintage_lens_data/large_format_lenses/angulon/data/6,8-90mm.html">Schneider says 154mm</A> at f/16, just shy of a 4 x 5 sheet.

To extend what the others have said, here are two threads from the archives on Angulons versus Super-Angulons: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00OEmh and http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00KcON. My recommendation, if you can afford one, is to get a Super-Angulon or similar lens from one of the other manufacturers (Rodenstock Grandagon, Nikkor-SW, Fuji-SW).

 

From the serial number in the photo, 4,358,204, this Angulon was made in the mid-1950s (http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/age_of_lenses/index.htm). You can find more info on older lenses on Schneider's website from the menu item "Info". The red triangle symbol means that the lens is single coated -- another indication of the age of the lens, since not too many years after WWII all quality lenses were single coated and Schneider dropped the symbol. What else to watch out for? Shutters this old sometimes need to be serviced -- the lubricants can gum up. This can convert an apparent bargain into a non-bargain.

This one is in a Linhof board and shutter, which means that Linhof checked it out, so it's on the top end of the quality curve.<P>Go for it, (just remember to stop down to f:16 for critical sharpness)!

I used to have one. Nice lens at f22 - quite sharp. Don't overpay.

Thank you all! I leaned more from these responses than what I probably would through a

month of research.

Works fine on a Tachi with a flat board, at least it does on mine. I have a beautiful 16 X 20 print I took up at Yosemite with it. Very sharp at f22. At f45 they will cover up to 5X7. K

This shot was taken using an Angulon 90 f/6.8 onto a 6x9 toll film holder. Lots of available movements in that configuration.<div></div>

As mentioned above, the real advantage of this lens is compactness, and light weight. Thoug I don't have the so called "Linhof" selcted version, mine is really good, but yeah, the 6.8 wide angles were only meant to be focussed at that aperture, and focus carefully and make sure you don't get any shift when you stop down. The 90 Angulon have been using for a couple years is not the so called "Linhoff select", but is really good so long as I shoot it straight on without any movements and stop down.

A strike against the lens that I don't think was mentioed is that it is as ingle coated optics. So while it should perform well, it's not going to reproduce color the same way newer multi-coated lenses like the Super-Angulon 5.6 90mm will. I have used a lot of single coated lenses for landscape work at high altitude and have noted harsh blue light needs to be corrected, and use as much shade as possible to prevent flaring.

Here my 1950's Schneider - Kreuznach Angulon 90mm 6.8 lens reproduces color very well. <BR><BR>Kerry T. and Chris P. have posted several tests on this lens; of several different serial numbers. Typically ones that are not stellar in performance have issues like element separation that reduce the performance. Thus one persons Angulon 90 f/6.8 can be excellent; anothers might be good; anothers acceptable. <BR><BR>The one I have is not a "Linhoff select" and has been used for several decades. It works well and is sharp and reproduces color well too. It even works well with my 35 megapixel scan back thats just a 7x10cm area. For film it covers a 4x5 negative when stopped down abit. <BR><BR>An older lens thats been used by many users can have issues such as element separation. Part of the dogma against the 90mm F6.8 is due to it being used somewhat as a press camera lens too; and its not the latest offering. It doesnt have coverage more than a 4x5 sheet. Its not the wide angle on can use on a 4x5 camera with the rig turned into a pretzel with movements. Thus from a marketing prospective comments that some folks have found it to be a stellar lens have to be quashed; and the super version preached as a must have.:) This helps the economy; and allows great bargains in the older versions for other folks.:)<BR><BR>

The 90mm F6.8 has never been intended to be used beyond a 4x5" frame.<BR><BR> Thats the coverage listed at infinity in my 1960's and 1970's books; typically taken to be a stopped down fstop; say F22 even.<BR><BR> Its listed in my 1971 book as covering at infinity a 4x5" film size at minimum aperture; and a 90x120mm "film size" at maximum aperture; ie wide open.<BR><BR> Thru the years these data sheets get rehashed and recopied with errors; thus take data from a single source with some doubt. <BR><BR>"Coverage" can also be different for each user; illumination or resolution can be the limits. For a small 16x20 print the enlargement is only about 4.5x with a slight crop; and here the illumination might be more a concern than fantastic resolution numbers.

One odd thing I have found with using vintage lenses with a digital scan back is that performance is often better than expected. This is because one can do trial scans and tweak the focus to be spot on; and cheat any GG to film/sensor errors; or focus shift errors. Here one does a slight focus correction; one is "closing the loop" around the scan back's sensor;; one sees the focus on the laptop and gets it spot one thru a couple prescans. SOME of the LF lens performance issues are really just tolerance issues that add focus errors; hopefully few!:)

Oops. Just re-read my post. I made a typo and said that the coverage of the Angulon is just over 125mm. WRONG. That should have been "just over 152mm". Sorry!

I cannot comment on the small angulon lens, but I recently purchased--for under $300.00--a multicoated Caltar 90mm/f8 lens which I really, really like. I carry a tachi 4x5 camera, 150mm lens, 4-6 film holders, loupe, etc. in a backpack and I don't feel as though the Caltar 90mm lens has added appreciably to the weight of the pack. I am in my fifties--and no Charles Atlas!--and I carry the pack and a tripod for miles on trails. I had considered buying the small angulon, but they seemed overpriced to me and quite limited in their capabilities compared with "modern" lenses. Bill

This is an excellent lens, but, it covers 85 degrees rather than the SA f8 at 100 degrees and the SA 5.6 at 105Degrees.

 

You don't get much swing using 4x5 and the 90mm f6.8 angulon but at room distances it is pretty good, and in sharpness and color it is excellent.

 

When I was heavily involved in the camera optics business, a 210 f6.8 angulon was the lens of choice for studio 8x10 advertising photography. These lenses would sell used in the 60's for huge amounts of money. The Caltar S, Sironar, Fujinon WS, or Symmar would cover around 70 degrees while the Angulons would cover 85 degrees with significantly less corner fall off.

 

Lynn

I own both the Angulon and the Super Angulon, f8 version. The greatest differences are the

small size/weight of the Angulon compared to the SA, and the greater image circle of the SA

compared to the Angulon. They are both fine performers in 4x5, the SA also in 5x7.