Which is Cooler, Schneider or Rodenstock?

I don't want to start another debate about the technical merits of

Schneider vs. Rodenstock lenses because my skills don�t push modern

lenses to their limits. Rather, I�m looking for *opinions* on who

has the �coolest� lens line. Of course each brand has its stars,

like the awesome Super Symmar 110 XL, but which brand is the coolest

overall�the unfiltered Gaulois of large-format optics? Which one

would James Dean have used? I�m excluding Japanese lenses because I

have already concluded that, like Japanese motorcycles, they are

uncool.

Lenses are not cool. Instead, they really are quite stupid, just letting light in through one end and light out the other...

 

 

However, there are some cool photographers out there....

Oy vey. This gets my vote for the all time troll posting -- "the unfiltered Gaulois of large-format optics?" Well, that would have to be Goerz (which ended up being purchased by Schneider). I don't think you could go wrong with any of the 4 big lens makers for "coolness". Fortunately, none of the LF lens producers have become "Zeissed" or "Leicad".

Schneider lenses are waaaay cool ! Especially when they are wearing a those little black B&H filter. #8^)

 

But if you're looking for a telephoto design, Nikon lenses are the coolest Fuji telephotos are medium cool !

I've got an old Schneider which makes things look like they were shot in late afternoon or early morning, so I guess that's a 'warm' or maybe 'seriously uncool' lens (I think it's radiation browning. Works great for BW though). So don't get one of those.

Martin,

 

It's winter here in Sydney - nothing harsh, just chilly. I did a dawn

shot at 7:00am of a house on the harbour.

 

In my Pelican case are 13 Schneiders, 2 Rodenstocks and a

Nikkor. When I opened the case none of them were cool and

displayed the fact by misting up for anything up to 5 minutes. By

the time I'd set the camera on the tripod and checked colour

temperature and light levels the misting had simultaneously

cleared on all the optics - a sure sign that they were all equally

cool.

 

But my breath! Every time I exhaled clouds of vapour streamed

from my facial orifices (orifii?) - where had I left my unfiltered

Gauloise? Damn, maybe I'd sallowed it. (Actually I don't smoke

- the vapour must have been my pent up passion for my cool

lenses finding release.)

 

Just to safeguard the kids - Smoking is injurious to your healt.

No fages are cool.

 

WG

Oy Vey again.

 

 

"Cool" is my circa 1955(?) Crown Graphic Special with a 203mm f7.7 Kodak Ektar.

 

 

F8 and be there is also "cool".

 

 

A sticky shutter on any lens is "un-cool".

I have 2 schneiders, a 150/5.6 and a 47/5.6. I'd say they're "dope" or maybe "hella cool." But I also have a rodenstock 90/6.8 that is much bigger than the others, so I guess that one is "phat." what a toss up. why don't you worry about more important things in life.

Fortunately, none of the LF lens producers have become "Zeissed" or "Leicad".

 

 

What does Zeissed and Leicad mean? Are you saying those puppies are no good? Or that they are over-priced, or what?

 

-Ramy

I have a Busch Vademecum "Casket Set" (convertible lens)

Seven focal lengths 150-750mm in 100mm increments that

allow 29 (or something bizarre and unneccesary like that)

combinations.

 

LET ME TELL YOU, *this* lens is SO COOL, so cool you could

keep a side of beef in it for a month! This lens is so cool that

when I take it out of my camera case, the furnace kicks on! No,

let me tell you, this lens is so cool that the state of Alaska has

asked to borrow it to shore up their perma frost.

 

This lens laughs at all others. (but it doesn't have a shutter)

I think that there is absolutely no doubt that the Schneider lenses are the coolest.

 

Dave Schneider

 

 

Now if you ignore the family affiliation I'm not sure what is cool. Cool sometimes refers to rare or out of the ordinary. I'm guessing there are about equal numbers of Rodenstock, Schneider and Nikkor so maybe the Fuji is the cool one. Sometimes cool is what the popular people are using, about the same split there I would guess.

 

The fact that none of the modern lenses have been Leica'd or Zeiss'd I assume means that none of achieved legend status that far outweighs any measurable and quantifiable criteria. The closest to cool in this regard are probably the Goerz lenses.

 

You're right, this is a sillier topic than we usually undertake.

Ok folks, you all want to know why us regulars are staying away.........?

Nobody gives a darn about your lens when you're shooting LF. Large format <EM>cameras</EM> are cool. You don't need a lens. Try putting a pinhole on your 4x5 sometime... You'll draw the same stares, questions and wierd comments as with glass hanging out the front...

I wonder which kind of lens Fonzie uses? Aaaaaaayyy.

My Leica 90 mm is so cool that is doesn't wear any underpants. All the Schnieders are really jelous, because the Leica gets all the girls.

Well, Mr. Dean wouldn't hang out with a Schneider... Schneider sounds like the name of some "white trash" bar-fly we all knew at some point or another. Mr. Rodenstock on the otherhand sounds like a stuffed shirt. Do would Dean hang out with eithe rof these guys? I guess not.

Don't know which is coolest, but old Voightländer APO-Lanthars are hot! And even give a slightly warm image due to yellowing from internal radiation...

The same goes, to a lesser extent, for (equally old) Carl Zeiss Planar lenses (e.g. 135m/f3,5).

I dont know about cool but my Kodak Aero Ektars are hot because they used radioactive glass for some elements.

Cool? In my surroundings cool are the lenses completely made in Germany (not "lens made in Germany" -and the rest, where are made the rest...?)

 

Some lenses have painted (not engraved) numbers on its barrels... I wonder if it is cool!! (You can ask this to yourself after you received a 1500EUR lens, with a really cheap aspect, also if the lens cap is so loose...

 

Here the Rodenstocks are the winners... I agree about japanese motorcicles are uncool, but everybody wanted my GSXR750R... why?

Wasn't Schneider the apartment maintainance man on the TV show, "One Day At a Time", several years ago? He was cool! I must be un-cool. I really like Fuji lenses.

No doubts, Goerz is the hippest.

What Marv Thompson said.

Martin, without a doubt the coolest lens I have seen was a

Schneider 150mm that had its front barrel a cooooool gold

finish!! I believe Robert White may still have it for sale?

My 135 f3.5 and 210 f3.5 are my fastest LF lenses and so, so, cool man....a real groove....but not as cool as my f1.0 Noctilux which is the baddest, bad ass lens ever made.

Remy -- what Dave said. Certainly not dissing Zeiss or Leica product -- just the sometimes overwrought cult following (and I do happily own and use products made by both).