Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Schneider SL-Xenon 1.8/50mm in QBM
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
BRunner wrote:
I have this lens...I like it's rendering - different to all my other 50mm lenses...very "bright" and little desaturated colors, very fine bokeh and probably my sharpest fast 50 for close distances (wide open even better than Planar/Ultron 1.8/50). Unfortunately it hits mirror on 5D, so I didn't used it much. I'm planning to make replaceable mount to M42 and use it on my Pentax.

Few snapshots, nothing special. Everything on 5DmkI wide open except #5 which is @f2.8.

Especially #2 and #3 shows how good is this lens wide open at close distances.



Do you know at which distance does it begin to hit the mirror, and if it is salvageable filing a little the upper part or is the same lens that it is hitting?


PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
estudleon wrote:
Thank jmiro, very much.

Very informative and formative. Easy to read and to understand too.


+1

I have this lens and it has very high IQ. Smooth "polite" bokeh and sharp. I haven't had the chance to shoot it much. I bought it with the Rollei HFT 50/1.4 Planar with the idea of selling the Xenon but now that I see how good it is- I hesitate.
Laughing


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The SL-Xenon (50/1.8 ) is a 6/4 design, according to an old Rolleiflex SL35 brochure.
No diagram published with it.
So my best guess is a "Planar" formula, as published by Schneider with the M42/ Wirgin or Eakta Xenon (which was a f/1.9)
This is a bit mysterious, because development already went to the 6/5 (Ultron) designs in the 1960's and also Schneider had build them. They eventually faced some engineering ressource problems at Schneider after the demise of designers like Tronnier, and the sudden death of one young engineer (told by Dr. Tronnier jr., don't remember the name), so they went back to a Planar style.

Nevertheless: the SL-Xenon is one of the best 50mm lenses. Reminds me to the concave Zeiss Ultron 50/1.8. Color characteristics on the cooler side also.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
So I have and idea now why my SMC M 50 1.7 is so much like Planars in rendering Smile. Thanks for the info!


PostPosted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Xenon lenses Reply with quote
jmiro wrote:
Then there is the Contax CY 50 f1.4 and 1.7 that have the same design - some other great lenses - with a 7/6 design very different from the Rollei 7/6.


As I understood it the Contax C/Y Planar 50 1.7 is the same design as the Rollei 50 1.8, and the Rollei was itself a redesign of the Zeiss Ikon Contarex Zeiss Planar 50 f2 which dates from 1959.


PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 7:24 am    Post subject: Re: Xenon lenses Reply with quote
Lord Minty wrote:
jmiro wrote:
Then there is the Contax CY 50 f1.4 and 1.7 that have the same design - some other great lenses - with a 7/6 design very different from the Rollei 7/6.


As I understood it the Contax C/Y Planar 50 1.7 is the same design as the Rollei 50 1.8, and the Rollei was itself a redesign of the Zeiss Ikon Contarex Zeiss Planar 50 f2 which dates from 1959.

Nope, Contarex Planar 2/50 is 6/4 scheme, Rollei 1.8/50 Planar is actually recomputed Ultron. Both C/Y Planars share same 7/6 scheme as most fast 50mm lenses of last 30 years. Images from Marco Cavina article about Planar evolution.









PostPosted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 3:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I was reading this threadvwith great interest because one of these lenses was going on eBay ($230 buy-it-now), but it sold this morning before my paycheck arrived. Crying or Very sad
C'est la vie, shall have to start looking again.
Is there any difference between this lens and the Xenon 50/1.9 in M42 mount?
Thanks


PostPosted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
l9magen wrote:
Is there any difference between this lens and the Xenon 50/1.9 in M42 mount? Thanks


No. The 1.8, 1.9 is just a marketing difference.

The same lens is also available in a DKL mount that was the Kodak Retina Reflex (as well as for these practical purposes the Bessamatic, Ultramatic) mount. But the Xenon 50 DKL was only available in Kodaks. DKL to M42 adapters are readily available. They allow the aperture to be changed on that form of the lens.

This same lens (Xenon 50/2) was used in many folder Kodak Retinas from the mid-50s on. But they are not detachable as are ones spoken of above.
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1