Schneider 55 LS f/2.8 Alternatives?

[sebastian_kubatz]

Hey everyone,

I was looking at the Schneider 55 LS f/2.8 the other day and was wondering if there are any alternatives out there?
Pricewise the Schneider would be around 2300€ on ebay.
Is there anything else out there? Maybe little cheaper ... don't really need the leaf shutter.
 
Will be used on a PhaseOne 645DF+ and IQ160.

Thanks a lot in advance.
Sebastian

[Doug Peterson]

Hey everyone,

I was looking at the Schneider 55 LS f/2.8 the other day and was wondering if there are any alternatives out there?
Pricewise the Schneider would be around 2300€ on ebay.
Is there anything else out there? Maybe little cheaper ... don't really need the leaf shutter.
 
Will be used on a PhaseOne 645DF+ and IQ160.

Thanks a lot in advance.
Sebastian

Yes, of course there are several:
- Phase One Lenses rather than Schneider - don't have the leaf shutter and are less expensive as a result. The 45mm is a good lens.
- Mamiya non-D lenses. A bit older and vary in quality. The 55mm is quite good for the money.
- Mamiya N lenses - older and definitely vary in quality, but some have a very unique look. Dirt cheap.
- Hassy 500 and 200 series lenses with the V lens adapter. There are several 40-60mm lenses from those lineups, but my experience is limited on them. If you stay away from ones with collector value they can be quite affordable.

The Hassy 500/200 and Mamiya N series require manual aperture stop down and manual focus (but you gain auto-focus confirmation), so their practicality depends very strongly on how you need to use them. If you're shooting landscape on a tripod it makes little difference. If you shoot only wide open they are likewise practical. If you want to shoot portraits at f/11 then they aren't worth looking into.

Having a focal plane in the DF/DF+ body is a huge advantage when it comes to lens choices.

BUT don't assume that just because you don't need the LS that the Schneider lenses aren't for you. The look of each of the lenses is different and I'd suggest you work with a dealer to try each of the relevant lenses before committing. Most dealers can also send you raw files shot with different lenses and your back so you can see what suits you the best, and can credit a rental towards your purchase so you can also try it out in the real world - at least we could.

Entirely separately if you're shooting landscape/architecture/interior you could look into a tech camera. It won't be, in any way, cheaper than buying a 55LS, but if you're not aware of the option I thought I'd throw it out there.

[sebastian_kubatz]

Thanks a lot, Doug.
Wow, really appreciate your help. Too bad you guys are so far away

I have looked into a tech camera system which looks really interesting in different aspects but is way out of reach when I look at those prices... at least for now.

When you're talking about Mamiya non-D lenses is it this one right here you're talking about?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/182422-REG/Mamiya_210_602_55mm_f_2_8_Lens_for.html

That's what I was looking for.
I think I'll give that a try and talk to my local dealer.

Again, thanks a lot for your help.
Sebastian

[Doug Peterson]

When you're talking about Mamiya non-D lenses is it this one right here you're talking about?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/182422-REG/Mamiya_210_602_55mm_f_2_8_Lens_for.html

That's the one!

[Paul2660]

The older 55mm AF is an excellent value lens for sure.  In the F8 to F14 range the one I have is very sharp.  As Doug pointed out, great value.  It's light weight, mainly plastic outer body, and takes I believe a 58mm filter.  Color/contrast is not quite as good with the newer Schneider glass, but optically even on 80MP it can surprise you.

Paul Caldwell

[Richard Osbourne]

I've used both the Mamiya 55MF and the 55AF, which I'm using currently for landscapes. Once you get the hyper focal point, both lenses are very sharp front-to-back with good colour and contrast. 55AF is slightly sharper overall. My only problem with both of them is how then handle flare - not well in both cases, though the 55AF is slightly better. I don't yet know about the 55LS Schneider - I've heard that it's ok in the centre but poor at the edges, even stopped down. Can anyone confirm this?