Schneider SuperSymmar XL 80mm 4.5

[Baxter Bradford]

Oh and another thing!
Best to check if you will need the Lee Push on holder for the 80XL (especially if using a 105mm Pola on the front adaptor ring) to prevent vignetting. Pretty sure that this is the case for the 90XL and 72XL which I considered at one point. The standard filter holder is then used for your other lenses. John is right about using the w/a adaptor rings if you don't have to have the push on holder. The chaps at Robert White do know their stuff and will give accurate answers.
I suggest that you avoid the square polarisers, since if used with grads, you have to have a rotating assembly clagged on the front to get the alignment right. The front 105mm ring is far neater and opens up possiblity of using Polas from Heliopan, B+W etc too. Mind you, they aren't the cheapest items to buy.

[roteague]

I have had mine for a couple of years and it is a fine lens. I would recommend buying it new. Schneider had a run with some bad cement that made the edges look very cloudy. Badger Graphics replaced mine without any grief, but if you run into that problem in a used lens, who knows.

I heard about that. I bought mine new, and it comes with a lifetime warranty.

[roteague]

I went out and shot some test images this afternoon, 3 setups with and without the Center Filter. I'll be sending them off for processing next week (I am getting a couple of boxes of Velvia 100 in tomorrow that I want to shoot first). I shot them without any other filter, and opened up 1 1/3 stop (the book says 1.5) for the images with the center filter. I'm curious whether I need the CF all the time, or under what conditions. John says he uses his all the time, others tell me they don't use it at all.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Since I got a CF for my 75 and 90, I've been using it all the time, but I can imagine some situations where I might want to introduce some controlled vignetting.

[jd callow]

I have the 58mm xl and would use the CF if I had it on most shots. There are times when i think I wouldn't, but for the most part it gives a helga look to an otherwise well rendered exposure. the fall off is very correctable when enlarging (and PITA), but that doesn't help you.

300.00 for a CF is simply out of my budget at the moment.

Meanwhile, I have the nikkor 75mm f/4.5 SW and I cannot imagine it needing a CF. I have hundreds of shots that would have or should have suffered if it needed a CF and I don't see the fall-off and the contrast is great.

IMHO for the 75mm a good shade is far more important. Then again not having tried one is a poor way to offer advice.

[roteague]

Thanks John. They are expensive, mine was $325, but from what everyone tells me, worth the purchase. The lens is sure much easier to work with than my current Nikkor 90mm f8.

[Tom Stanworth]

Oh and another thing!
Best to check if you will need the Lee Push on holder for the 80XL (especially if using a 105mm Pola on the front adaptor ring) to prevent vignetting. Pretty sure that this is the case for the 90XL and 72XL which I considered at one point. The standard filter holder is then used for your other lenses. John is right about using the w/a adaptor rings if you don't have to have the push on holder. The chaps at Robert White do know their stuff and will give accurate answers.
I suggest that you avoid the square polarisers, since if used with grads, you have to have a rotating assembly clagged on the front to get the alignment right. The front 105mm ring is far neater and opens up possiblity of using Polas from Heliopan, B+W etc too. Mind you, they aren't the cheapest items to buy.

Baxter,

I could be wrong but I think the reason why the 72 and 90XLs need the push on adaptor is that their thread is 95mm - which the Lee adaptors cannot manage - rather than coverage. If you look at how the wide angle adaptors seat, they really do no leave any metal 'in the way' as far as I can see. The only issue would be a possible need to remove slots from the holder to open up its angle, but if it is always orientated properly i.e. slots to sides with vertical shots and to top and bottom for lanscapes, this gives more angle.

Robert

Not all suposedly identical lenses are equal I guess. I dont mind the dinginess really, but love the performance. Where possible I like to shoot at f16 or even f11 1/2 as the results are like big MF negs in terms of resolution. I have been unable to even approach the coverage on 5x4. The max aperture on the 80XL is very appealing but the cost and its tightness on 5x7 rules it out for me. I have handled one and you are right it is ridiculously small - would be a dream with a little ebony 5x4 for backpacking etc. Now, the 110XL is only my shopping list, after the 12 guage I would need to rob the bank.....


Hope it works well for you,

Tom

[roteague]

Now, the 110XL is only my shopping list, after the 12 guage I would need to rob the bank.....

It took me a long time to decide between the 80XL and the 110XL. I have a Nikkor 90, and wanted something close to that size. I already have a 135, so I felt the 110XL was just too close to the 135. The 135 is currently my favorite lens (but I suspect the 80XL will change that). Since I shoot almost exclusively Velvia, I really have no interest in going to a larger format - 4x5 really is the perfect format for me - so the large image circle isn't as big a factor for me.

[Claire Senft]

I would hazard a guess that as you use the 80mm lens, over time, you will use more and more of that image circle and I would bet that the 135mm will be traded for a different lens with more coverage. Please report back in 5 years.