Rollie 6001 and macro work : Good and Bad lenses

[l_a_k_h_i_n_d_e_r]

I have been planning for a while to try macro photography with medium

format cameras. So far most of the work has been done with a 35mm

camera/105mm lens-- some work with 4x5/210mm lens. I have also tried

using Fuji GX680. It is a great camera, but is very cumbersome for

macro shots!

 

Rather impulsively I have bought a 6001 body! And now starts my

search for a macro setup, which will allow me to go easily upto 1:2,

but sometimes I do go upto 1:1.

 

If price was no issue, I probably would go and buy whatever macro PQ

lens was available from Zeiss/Schneider. But price is an issue! In a

sense that if older lenses can produce very good results, then I

would rather try them!

 

There are quite a few used HFT lenses on the market. I don't care

much about coating A vs coating B, but lens quality is important.

 

So one way would be to buy a HFT 80mm lens and reverse it. The other

would be to buy some used macro lens. Phil mentions flare with a

120mm macro-planer lens.

 

I would like to hear from experienced users, what are my options!

Which lenses do excellent macro work (in 1:2 range)?

 

The 80mm lens line itself has old-design Rollie lenses! Could

somebody illustrate on which lenses are to be avoided-- with used

lenses in short supply, I might choose a suboptimal solution, but

certainly not a bad solution.

 

I have looked at various threads for Rollie lenses, particularly with

responses from Kornelius Fleischer. But the various options available

are still not very clear to me. I guess most people want to ask about

wedding lenses choices or Hassleblad vs Rollie ;-)

 

Thanks.

[edward_s_carmick]

The answer is the 90 mm f 4 Apo-Symmar with floating elements. Incredible normal lens and macro. It will take you down to 1:2. With the 34 mm extension tube down to about 1:1. I have all the closeup gear except the retroadapter. However, this is for ranges down to 3-5:1. I also have the 150 mm f 4.6 Apo-Symmar which on the bellows will go from infinity to 1:1.1. It is incredibly sharp. A handier and less fragile way of using it is on the zoom extension tube with he 9 and 34 mm behind. By increasing the extension behind the variable extension tube you can get down to 1:1.

This gets ever more expensive. Think 90 mm!

Ed Carmick

[bob_salomon]

Yes you can reverse the 80 but the reverse attachment will only

focus at one distance. To be able to control the focus at more

then one position you will also need your chice of Rollei

extension tubes, the variable tube or bellows. When you add the

lens + reverse mount + brllows/tubes you may find it more

pleasent to buy the 120 or 90 or the 150 macro +bellows or

tubes.

[thomas_diekwisch]

Good question. My recommendation is: get a used S-Planar 5.6/120mm. It is one of the HFT lenses that were made for the early 6000 models. I had one, but I sold it and the new owner even was disappointed that it wasn't the 4.0 Makro-Planar. It sells for about $1,000 on ebay and at B&W. Now I regret selling it in the first place.

 

First of all, the 5.6/120mm S-Planar IMHO is a much better lens than the current 4.0/120 Makro Planar. There are a number of internet postings that seem to confirm my experience. Zeiss gained an f-stop but sacrificed the image quality of a great lens. That's at least my opinion. Kornelius might not agree. Anyway, the S-Planar did not have the flare problems of the Makro-Planar and had more contrast than the Makro-Planar. That's at least what I found.

 

Second, in comparison to the 4.0/90mm Schneider APO-Symmar which I have now, a used S-Planar has a number of advantages besides the price. The focal length is a little longer which might be advantageous when photographing moving objects. Also, the extended front tube of the 90mm APO-Symmar makes higher magnifications difficult and competes with external light sources including sunlight. This is an important issue in macro photography. I have found 120mm to be an ideal focal length for medium format macro photography. This is in spite of the fact that in overall image quality the 90mm Schneider APO Symmar clearly outperforms everything I have had so far, regardless of what Kornelius might say. Anyway, I do regret selling my Zeiss S-Planar and might buy another used one some time in the future.

 

As you might know, you can also buy a Rollei shutter adaptor and then use any number of excellent enlarging lenses, used or new. An 80mm APO Rodagon comes to mind. Also the Zeiss Luminars are outstanding. They are offered from time to time on ebay. Try the 63mm first. You do need an adaptor though and you loose automatic diaphragm control. With adaptors the whole thing might cost you as much as a used S-Planar.

 

Lastly, if you can afford it, get the Schneider APO Symmar. It's a blast. And get some other focal lengths later.

[thomas_diekwisch]

Oh, by the way, the S-Planar is an original Zeiss lens made by Zeiss in Oberkochen for Rollei. It is not made by Rollei. It is really outstanding, only second to the Schneider 90mm APO Symmar.

 

And, when using the HFT lenses, you would have to live with the click sound that these lenses make on the newer 6000 series lenses while closing the diaphragme prior to exposure. Not too much of a problem though.

[bob_salomon]

Every lens made for the SLX and 6000 series has HFT coatings.

If you look at HFT only you learn nothing. Zeiss, Schneider,

Rolleigon, all are HFT.

 

Perhaps you should be more concerned with shutters.,

 

PQ, PQS on non PQ/PQS

[l_a_k_h_i_n_d_e_r]

Thanks for all your valuable contributions!

 

Bob, thanks for the correction. By HFT lenses, I meant non PQ/PQS.

[thomas_diekwisch]

Same here. HFT, although incorrectly, has become a jargon for the older non-PQ 6000 series lenses. They all have HFT coating since all of the lenses were manufactured much later than the HFT coating was introduced.

[l_a_k_h_i_n_d_e_r]

I got today the Schneider 90mm PQS makro lens. Beautiful solid lens!

 

So far, it has the best construction I have ever seen amongst the various 35mm, medium-format and large-format lenses-- in my very limited experience. I love its stops at 1/3 points.

 

Thanks for all the advise.