90mm rodenstock or Schneider

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Large format photography : One Thread

Is anybody can give me some advise rather I buy a 90 mm Rodenstock lens or 90 mm schneider lens? Which one is better than the other? Which ones's color is better?Which one has better contrast? Thanks!!! Ernest

-- ernest (ernestlee98@yahoo.com), May 25, 2000

Answers

The Rodenstock f4.5 Grandagons are truly outstanding lenses according to their MTFs, with the advantage of a 1 stop larger opening. They are also excellent in other parameters such as distortion, etc. Focusing wide angles specially the very wide ones is considered cumpersome by several experienced photographers I know. The one stop greater aperture should facilitate focusing. Schneider Super angulons are also excellent lenses, and according to their MTFs about equal in performance to the Rodenstocks. I use the Schneider SAs with excellent results. You would be happy with either but I lean to the Rodenstocks because of their larger aperture. The Schneider SA XL lenses are very marginally better technically than the SA near equivalents, and have slightly greater image circles, but in 72mm and up sizes they require monster filters, 95mm, for the 75mm and 90mm; for landscapes that makes them not very practical. Nikkor also has F4,5 wide angles and one great landscape photographer I know uses the 75mm. Because Nikkor publishes no performance data I am unable to compare and I am personally more confortable knowing what I buy. I have not used the Grandagons but would like to replace my Schneider F5,6's with them. I would buy them without hesitation.

-- Julio Fernandez (gluemax@ora.auracom.com), May 25, 2000.

Julio

There's only half a stop difference between 90 SA and the 90 f4.5 Grandagon. I'd say that there is a difference in brightness, but it's likely not consequential enough for you to want to trade in your 90 SA.

All the Rodenstock and Schneider performance specs are THEORETICALLY CALCULATED. So YMMV in real use.

-- K H Tan (kahheng@pacific.net.sg), May 26, 2000.


You haven't specified your preferred max aperture, but if your budget is like mine, don't discount the Nikkor SW 90 f/8.

Cheers

-- Carey Bird (cbird@tig.com.au), May 26, 2000.


I work with the Nikkor 75 mm and i`m very happy and the 90 Nikkor is also very good.

-- Armin Seeholzer (armin.seeholzer@smile.ch), May 29, 2000.

Ernst,I'm in the same boat you are, looking for a nice 90, and I came acros this site: http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/results.html. According to their results the Nikkor 90 f8 is far superior to any 90 Rodenstock or Schneider!! I'll be buying one shortly myself as an additional bonus is that it's not only less expensive than the 4.5's, but weighs about half as much. Andre

-- Andre Noble (andrenoble@usa.net), June 05, 2000.


If you can afford it, go for a Schneider Super Angulon XL, especially if you need it to shoot architecture. I tested mine against a grandagon and my old Fujinon and it just blew me away!! Amazing coverage, very bright and amazingly sharp...a pity about the size of the filters, thoug

-- mark (markandanna@bigpond.com), June 05, 2000.

" I tested mine against a grandagon and my old Fujinon"

Enlighten us.

You tested a new Schneider against a new Rodenstock 90mm 4.5 Grandagon N MC?

Or against an older used version?

Also there are some cameras the XL can't fit on.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), June 05, 2000.


I've used the Schneider Super Angulon XL 90mm f/5.6, and it's a great lens, very sharp, but it does have huge front and rear elements. Fitting it into the camera was possible, but tricky. I would probably learn towards the Rodenstock or Nikkor 90/(4.5 or 5.6), the Nikkor 90/8, or one of the 75mm lenses. I personally didn't care much for the angle of view provided by the 90mm, but that's of course a personal preference.

-- Jeremy Tavan (jeremy@tavan.com), June 06, 2000.

I have a SA f5,6 90mm from the last decade and it's a wonderful lens. I never wished it had more image circle. On 5x7 though, the XL would certainly be better.

-- Paul Schilliger (pschilliger@smile.ch), June 07, 2000.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ