Schneider 60mm Apo Digitar

[BobDavid]

Anybody have experience with this lens for copystand work? I'm currently using a Digitar 72mm, but I'd love to be able to get wider coverage. The 60 is f/4 and the 72 is f/5.6, and that extra stop would sure help with focussing. The 72 is excellent and shows no linear distortion. Is the 60 in the same league?

[paulmoorestudio]

Anybody have experience with this lens for copystand work? I'm currently using a Digitar 72mm, but I'd love to be able to get wider coverage. The 60 is f/4 and the 72 is f/5.6, and that extra stop would sure help with focussing. The 72 is excellent and shows no linear distortion. Is the 60 in the same league?

I had the 60 for a few years and found it to be a fine lens..I would think you would want to move up to a 80 or 90 for copy work..
the wider the lens the more troublesome the lighting of the work being photographed..the wider the f.o.v. the more likely your copystand lights
will be reflecting off the work into your lens.. but it is a sharp lens

[Steve Hendrix]

I had the 60 for a few years and found it to be a fine lens..I would think you would want to move up to a 80 or 90 for copy work..
the wider the lens the more troublesome the lighting of the work being photographed..the wider the f.o.v. the more likely your copystand lights
will be reflecting off the work into your lens.. but it is a sharp lens

And for your back, Bob, may just barely cover with no movements. Possible vignetting straight on.


Steve Hendrix

[BobDavid]

All of the above comments are good. But, here's the thing. I've got 80mm and 120mm focal lengths covered ala HC lenses. But, occasionally, I get big artworks. I don't need to be able to move the back along x or y, so an image circle that covers a 36 X 48 sensor without vignetting is fine. Lighting is not a concern, as I've got the lighting situation well under control  -- big field, even illumination, and polarized. So, the main questions I have specifically about the 60mm lens are about edge-to-edge sharpness, linear distortion (symmetrical or assymetrical), and falloff at f/8.