• Scneider Symmar 210 mm convertible

    From pfsullivan1056@gmail.com@21:1/5 to David Grandy on Sat Feb 4 17:01:08 2017
    On Tuesday, March 21, 2000 at 12:00:00 AM UTC-8, David Grandy wrote:
    I have a Schneider 210 mm Symmar convertible. At 210 it's an excellent
    lens. At 370 it's so so. Not soft, but much lower in contrast. I
    think that it says something that the Schneider lens that superseded
    this one is not a convertible.

    Now the way I use mine at 370 mm is to take off the back element group.
    It seems to be 370 and it works well (not withstanding the above). The reason I mention this is everyone else seems to be happily taking off
    the FRONT element group and using it that way. Well I'm not sure who's right, and since I've used mine at 370 for exactly two exposures it's
    pretty much moot. Still if anyone - especially Schneider - knows for
    sure, I'll listen.

    These lenses were not multicoated and are more prone to flare than
    lenses with MC. I try to protect the front element from direct sunlight
    as much as I can since I don't have a dedicated lens hood for my
    particular camera, so I use the little "Flare Buster" tool and it's OK.

    Would I like to have a 210 APO Symmar instead of this lens? You bet.
    Could I see a difference in most of my pictures? I doubt it.


    Why most people are taking off the back element is because that's the way Schneider recommended the lens be used at 370...

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  • From pfsullivan1056@gmail.com@21:1/5 to All on Sat Feb 4 16:58:23 2017
    On a different subject, what's the front filter diameter? 55mm?

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  • From pfsullivan1056@gmail.com@21:1/5 to All on Sat Feb 4 17:04:09 2017
    Why most people are taking off the front element is because that's the way Schneider recommended the lens be used at 370...

    correction: FRONT element is the one Schneider recommended be taken off!...

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  • From pfsullivan1056@gmail.com@21:1/5 to David Grandy on Sat Feb 4 17:09:56 2017
    On Tuesday, March 21, 2000 at 12:00:00 AM UTC-8, David Grandy wrote:
    I have a Schneider 210 mm Symmar convertible. At 210 it's an excellent
    lens. At 370 it's so so. Not soft, but much lower in contrast. I
    think that it says something that the Schneider lens that superseded
    this one is not a convertible.

    Now the way I use mine at 370 mm is to take off the back element group.
    It seems to be 370 and it works well (not withstanding the above). The reason I mention this is everyone else seems to be happily taking off
    the FRONT element group and using it that way. Well I'm not sure who's right, and since I've used mine at 370 for exactly two exposures it's
    pretty much moot. Still if anyone - especially Schneider - knows for
    sure, I'll listen.

    These lenses were not multicoated and are more prone to flare than
    lenses with MC. I try to protect the front element from direct sunlight
    as much as I can since I don't have a dedicated lens hood for my
    particular camera, so I use the little "Flare Buster" tool and it's OK.

    Would I like to have a 210 APO Symmar instead of this lens? You bet.
    Could I see a difference in most of my pictures? I doubt it.

    The reason most of the posters are taking off the FRONT element of the lens is because that's what Schneider recommended to use the lens at 370. Taking off the front element make you have a DIFFERENT focal length... some of the early (1940's-1950's)
    Symmar 210's actually have this focal length marked (and a third ƒ stop scale!)...

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From pfsullivan1056@gmail.com@21:1/5 to David Grandy on Sat Feb 4 17:13:21 2017
    On Tuesday, March 21, 2000 at 12:00:00 AM UTC-8, David Grandy wrote:
    I have a Schneider 210 mm Symmar convertible. At 210 it's an excellent
    lens. At 370 it's so so. Not soft, but much lower in contrast. I
    think that it says something that the Schneider lens that superseded
    this one is not a convertible.

    Now the way I use mine at 370 mm is to take off the back element group.
    It seems to be 370 and it works well (not withstanding the above). The reason I mention this is everyone else seems to be happily taking off
    the FRONT element group and using it that way. Well I'm not sure who's right, and since I've used mine at 370 for exactly two exposures it's
    pretty much moot. Still if anyone - especially Schneider - knows for
    sure, I'll listen.

    These lenses were not multicoated and are more prone to flare than
    lenses with MC. I try to protect the front element from direct sunlight
    as much as I can since I don't have a dedicated lens hood for my
    particular camera, so I use the little "Flare Buster" tool and it's OK.

    Would I like to have a 210 APO Symmar instead of this lens? You bet.
    Could I see a difference in most of my pictures? I doubt it.

    The reason most of the posters are taking off the FRONT element of the lens is because that's what Schneider recommended to use the lens at 370. Taking off the rear element make you have a DIFFERENT focal length... some of the early (1940's-1950's)
    Symmar 210's actually have this focal length marked (and a third ƒ stop scale!)...

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)