I've recently purchased a Crown Graphic that came with a Schneider 135mm F4.7 Xenar lens. I was just wondering what the general concensus was of the performance of this lens. Its currently in getting the Synchro-Compur P shutter repaired.

-- Chris Long (chrislong18@mchsi.com), May 10, 2002

Answers

Chris,

Nice and sharp with good contrast but very little movements on to 4x5.

-- matthewc (cicarron@aol.com), May 10, 2002.

Nice lens for general, light landscape stuff.

-- Scott Walton (walton@ll.mit.edu), May 10, 2002.

Chris,

I have the same camera and lens, same shutter. The lens is sharper than I expected, amazingly sharp in fact. It isn't visibly less sharp on the transparency under magnification than my Caltar II N 150, although I haven't made side-by-side shots and examined edges. I usually stop down to f 16 or f 22. The lens may not have much coverage, but it seems to be enough for the movements on the Crown.

Keep the sun off the front element and stop down to f 11 or more and this lens should perform well.

I enjoy the Crown a lot. I have another LF camera, but I doubt I'd sell the Crown!

Thanks!

Steve

-- Steve Hamley (sahamley@netscape.net), May 10, 2002.