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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

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Schneider Kreuznach Edixa Xenar 50mm f:2.8
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:34 pm
Post subject: Schneider Kreuznach Edixa Xenar 50mm f:2.8
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:34 pm
Post subject: Schneider Kreuznach Edixa Xenar 50mm f:2.8
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I got this lens with a Edixa Mat Reflex d camera.








It was dusty and my first trials were not good at all.
After servicing and good cleaning I was... impressed !

Some samples on 5D MkII :
1-


2-


3- crop 100% (on a 21MPixels sensor, that's a lot)


4-


5- cropped 100%


6-


7- cropped 100%


8-


9- cropped


10-


11-


12- cropped 100%


13-


14-


15-


So, a very good lens after all, on a very good camera. Very Happy

Last edited by Olivier on Sun Dec 18, 2011 4:06 pm; edited 1 time in total


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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:37 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:37 pm
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wow, nice photos!
#2 has some sweet 3D


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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:56 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:56 pm
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wow! impressive, this one seems to be APO


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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:38 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:38 pm
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Nice samples, thanks for sharing ... The crop with the rose and the one with the bee are great ...
Will try to grab one of these lenses before it's too late Wink ...


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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:14 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:14 pm
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Well known quality lens , great samples!


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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:01 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:01 pm
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Very nice shots, isn't this Schneider's version of the Tessar?

Looks nicer then the 2.8/50 Tessar I used to have.


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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:59 am
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:59 am
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Thank you very much for your comments. Smile

I don't think it's a Tessar version.
I have the Tessar 2.8/50 and I must say that this Schneider is far better than the Tessar I have in zebra version.
I think this Xenar is one of the very best 50mm I have, including the AF ones.

Poilu, how can we see wether a lens is APO or not ?


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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:53 am
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:53 am
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Olivier wrote:
how can we see wether a lens is APO or not ?

apochromatic lens (apo) have better correction of chromatic and spherical aberration
your xenar is a tessar
the contax tessar is also free of CA and very sharp
you can see in #2 the lack of bokeh CA and in #5 a difficult scene with water reflections who stay clean where other lens would show magenta and green CA
http://forum.mflenses.com/contax-tessar-452-8-on-5dii-t40038.html


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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:11 am
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:11 am
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These are beautiful...a good camera/lens combination.


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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:10 am
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:10 am
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Thanks a lot Moïra. Very Happy

Poilu, tank you very much for your explanations. Very Happy
If it is a Tessar, is a Contax Tessar different from an Aus Jena Tessar ?
I have the lattest and it is not at the IQ level of this Xenar.


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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:40 am
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:40 am
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The Contax Tessar is different, it is 45mm 2.8. May be it is a bit better than the CZJ 50mm with other coating. Veijo Vilva has examples on his webpages for the contax Tessar.
http://galactinus.net/vilva/retro/eos350d_tessar45.html.


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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:05 pm
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:05 pm
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Olivier wrote:
I have the latest and it is not at the IQ level of this Xenar

optical scheme is only a part of the equation, quality of glass and mechanical precision are decisive
Industar-50-2 3.5/50 is also a Tessar and it is not know as super sharp
Jena quality control, especially for the latest, was not high but I am sure some got very sharp Jena Tessar
Schneider is a top manufacturer and I guess the variability must be lower
the contax is indeed 45mm, it is very sharp, I learn it when I could get 20Mpix quality from a cheap negative
http://forum.mflenses.com/tessar-the-sharp-t15468.html


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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:07 pm
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:07 pm
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The Xenar is a bit of a mystery...you can find references that somewhere around 1935 or so, it was an f2.9 lens, but the 'miniature' camera versions that were f2.8 were 5 element versions. I had posted in the thread linked below a diagram that I had found (scroll to the bottom of the page) that shows a 5 element modified tessar design. Some of the Schneider Xenars really render differently than classic 4 element tessar designs.
http://forum.mflenses.com/schneider-kreuznach-xenar-50-2-8-first-impressions-t5887.html

If you get a diamond blade for your scroll saw, you can saw/cut the lens in half longitudinally to see the cross section and then confirm the design for us! Wink


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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:37 pm
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:37 pm
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Thank you Eugene.
I don't know wether it's a 4 or 5 elements, and unfortunately I have no saw... Laughing


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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:59 am
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:59 am
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Olivier wrote:
Thank you Eugene.
I don't know wether it's a 4 or 5 elements, and unfortunately I have no saw... Laughing

I am willing to bet you would not cut the lens even if you had the saw... Laughing


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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 6:21 am
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 6:21 am
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Olivier wrote:
I don't know wether it's a 4 or 5 elements, and unfortunately I have no saw... Laughing

Not necessary to use saw... just close aperture and count number of reflections under table lamp. You will get number of glass surfaces before and after aperture. Then you can educe number of elements.


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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:05 am
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:05 am
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mo wrote:
Olivier wrote:
Thank you Eugene.
I don't know wether it's a 4 or 5 elements, and unfortunately I have no saw... Laughing

I am willing to bet you would not cut the lens even if you had the saw... Laughing

You're sure to win, Mo ! Laughing


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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:45 am
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:45 am
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When you have time,If I may ask.... I would love to see some more Summer images taken with this lens...it is bleak,wet and cold here now!


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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:48 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:48 pm
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BRunner wrote:
Not necessary to use saw... just close aperture and count number of reflections under table lamp. You will get number of glass surfaces before and after aperture. Then you can educe number of elements.


That's much better than even my second brilliant idea: slowly heat the lens up to about 900°C, which should melt the aluminum and brass. Since glass melts at around 1500 °C, you will have a puddle of melted metal and can easily count the glass elements. A side benefit is this will probably melt the lens cement also, so your count will be even more accurate.

Olivier, indeed, please post more pix. Especially since you won't be cutting or melting. The ones so far show off the lens and your capabilities well!


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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 9:13 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 9:13 pm
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So, you want more pictures ? Embarassed
Summer pictures for down-under friends, especially for Moïra ?

Okay, I'll do that ! Very Happy

Here we go (sorry if flowers bore some) Smile .

2.1-


2.2-


2.3-


2.4-


2.5-


2.6-


2.7- the whole roses bush


I hope they will please you, Moïra and down-under ladies and gents, and bring you some warmth and summer. Wink


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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:11 am
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:11 am
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Thanks Olivier it brought some color to a bleak day...I can't get over how big your rose bush is, we prune them right back about this time of year...from about knee too waist height.
2.2 is very painting like.


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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:49 am
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:49 am
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I'll show you another rose climber which invades a complete bush including a cherry tree. Laughing

Here it is. Wink
Picture taken last week with a Tele-Xenar 3.5/135mm. Wide open because it's faulty, diaph is out of order.



Have a nice day.
Cheers,


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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 8:22 am
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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 8:22 am
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Reviving a very old thread.
I took this lens with me today and shot these three images on my way home.
All are cropped
Tom


#1


#2


#3


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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:07 am
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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:07 am
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Thank you Thomas. They're very nice.
What was your film / camera combo ?

More than 7 years ago, yep we're older. Wink


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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:52 pm
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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:52 pm
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Like 1 small Like 1 small Like 1 small well done shots indeed!
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