Experience with Rollei Schneider Apo-Symmar 90mm f/4.0 macro lens sought

[rolleiflexpages]

Would anyone have practical experience with the Rollei Schneider Apo-Symmar 90mm f/4.0 macro lens?
Advice and views welcome.
Thanks
Pascal

[yaya]

Quite possibly the sharpest MF lens ever made? Used to be my go-to lens when I wanted to show off the resolution of the AFi-II 10 when it came out at the end of 2008...

[Carl Glover]

It's my favourite lens of all time. Shockingly sharp.

[EricWHiss]

Could it be the best lens in all of MF?   Incredible sharpness, low distortion, will not flare no matter how much back or side light you give it.  On top of all that has beautiful bokeh, focuses very close without extension - performs equally well close up and at infinity,  and is one of the lightest Rollei lenses in the line up.

[jeanlucco]

Clearly the scariest lens in term of sharpness. Love it as much as my 180.

[Lacunapratum]

As others said, perhaps one of the best lenses ever in terms of sharpness.  For all practical purposes, the huge barrel in front of the lens is often in the way of light when it comes to using its full macro capabilities.  In those cases the Makro-Planar and the 150mm/4.6 Apo-Symmar aren't bad either. 

[EricWHiss]

Yes for extreme close up work, the recessed lens element of the 90 can be a problem - more with lighting the subject than anything but that's why Rollei made the M39/40 behind the lens shutter accessory so one can mount other small optics like the schneider M-Componon's, Leica Photars, zeiss luminars, and other interesting optics like the rodenstock apo rodagon enlarging lenses.   For everything else the recessed front of the 90 is pretty nice to have.   The schneider 150mm apo macro bellows lens is also quite a nice optic but has less contrast than the 90, though still renders fine detail very very well. 

One last thing to mention about the Rollei 90mm lens.  It has a very large image circle and can support large movements when fitted on the X-Act2 (rollei's technical camera).   

[henrikfoto]

One last thing to mention about the Rollei 90mm lens.  It has a very large image circle and can support large movements when fitted on the X-Act2 (rollei's technical camera).   


That is very interesting. Was planing to try this!
Have you tested it agains the Rodenstock or Schneider LF lenses?

Henrik

[EricWHiss]

Henrik,
I haven't really made any direct comparison shots with the Rollei 90 against the rodenstock 90 or schneider macro symmar 80 but all are amazing optics and perform at the same level.  I can write about the practical differences of the two setups on the X-Act.  At max shift and tilt you can find the end of the image circle with the rollei 90 and its more of an end than a tapering off like you'd see with other optics that vignette on the outside.  This is like from light to dark, an end.   Using the rollei 90 on the X-Act2 is handy because of the auto stopdown of the aperture which makes focusing and workflow easier.  The downside is that well, its a bigger lens and just more awkward - plus of course the recessed front element as previously mentioned.    The rollei schneider 150mm apo macro lens has a larger image circle.  I have not tested the zeiss 120mm macro lens on the X-Act2 but understand it also has an image circle that is large enough to support some movements on the X-Act2.
Eric