150 2.8 Xenotar opinions

[deardorff8x10]

I was in a store recently, asking about fast lenses (since I want low

depth of field for a project). The man showed me a 150 2.8 Xenotar

(originally for Technika), which was a bit expensive, but seemed nice.

 

I could find much on the internet. Does anyone have experience with

this lens? I am not overly concerned about sharpness, more smoothness

of out of focus areas.

 

Thanks

[jason_greenberg_motamedi]

The 150/2.8 Xenotar is a very nice lens. I have been playing with one for a few weeks now and am quite happy with it. Schnieder has the basic information on it on their web site.

 

http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/vintage_lens_data/large_format_lenses/xenotar/data/2,8-150mm.html

 

The Xenotar is a five element gauss (5/3 construction), with a very limited image circle. Schneider claims 56 degrees (160mm IC), but I have found that image circle on my particular lens is close to 175mm, about 60 degrees. In any case for 4x5 not too much room for movements. Open wide resolution, as to be expected, is mediocre, but stopped down from to f/5.6 to f/8 I have found mine to be VERY sharp.

 

I am not really sure what to tell you about smoothness in out of focus areas (bokeh?). Obviously, at f/2.8 this would be a major concern, and one which I haven't payed very much attention to. I have been using it for portraits without a detailed background, so I am not the one to comment. I'm sure others will.

They are usually in barrel or Compur no. 2. Some of the later ones came in Copal no. 3 shutters. In any case, the Xenotars are not for the shallow of pocket, prices for shuttered ones run from $600 to $1500.

[roger_urban3]

Great lens. Got mine for a steal on Ebay because it had a tiny dimple/ding on the front element filter ring. No big deal, glass is perfect. Mine came without a shutter. Sent it to Schneider Optics in NY, and they thought they had a #2 filter (yes, a #two)in stock somewhere but turns out it still didn't fit my lens. As the story goes, Linhof or whoever had a number of lenses made that fit some other type of thread size, and long story short, I got a Copal-3 and had Steve Grimes attach it for me. When all was said and done I think it still ran me about $800.

 

It's a heavy lens, and outweighs my Rodenstock Sironar-N several times.

 

But, for beautiful out-of-focus background portraits, like in a natural setting, Whoa!

 

Great bokah too.

[kelly_flanigan1]

I bid on one of these gems last Summer; it went for over 550 bucks on Ebay to another bidder................I have steered my focus to old 178mm F2.5 Aero Ektars; and have been experimenting with them for 4x5 work.