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Schneider 150mm SB on an Alpa

dchew

Well-known member
I am seriously thinking about a longer lens and have a few questions. I currently have the 43xl and the 100HR-S, but would like something longer. I was originally thinking a 180 but I'm afraid it will always be tough to focus and a bit too big to lug around especially if I'm backpacking. The 180 essentially requires I always take a 3-lens kit. Also close focus is an oxymoron at 5 meters on the HR-S version.

However, the 150 might allow me to carry just two lenses when I'm hiking longer distances. 28mm and ~96mm equivalent seems to be about perfect for me. Also, being a short-barrel makes packing options a bit more flexible.

So for those with some experience with the 150mm:
1. How do you like it? Does it stand up well to the other lenses you've tried?
2. Do you think the T/S adapter is worth it vs. just the straight 34mm adapter? I.e. if you have one do you find yourself using it for DoF or if you don't have one wishing you did? [I know; photographer-specific question...]
3. If I go with the T/S adapter, is there any reason to get the 6 degree version? I'm not sure why Alpa has two. More seems better (12 degrees), but is there some drawback to the 12 degree?
4. Do you think there is any loss in quality when using the T/S adapter, i.e. is it tough to precisely find the "0" tilt point?

Sorry for the barrage of questions, but as usual with Alpa, these are expensive decisions!

Ciao,

Dave
 
Dave,

I'm very pleased with the 150mm Schneider. Here is the test shot of the home across the street I emailed to you last night, together with a 100% crop I just now made. Both taken with P65+ and reduced to 72dpi with C1. Both unsharpened:



The 100% view:



I'm unsure about the tilt/swing adapter, have been wondering what image circle diameter would be needed to accomodate a full 12 degrees of tilt. I would imagine that if you were standing on the sidewalk across from the Empire State building trying to get a sensibly-aligned image of it the extra 6 degrees of tilt would come in handy, but suspect most landscapes would not require it. I thought that the 12-degree adapter was newer and meant to replace the 6-degree one. Perhaps someone such as Paul could clarify...

Kindly,
David
 

dchew

Well-known member
David,
Thanks for the post. Yeah, I'm assuming there is no downside to the 12 degree adapter...

I'll make a call if Paul or someone else doesn't chime in.

Dave
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
David,

I went through the same decision process a few months back and looked at the 120/150 & 180mm Schneiders and in the end settled on the 150mm. My outfit is 47 XL/90 HR-W and 150, all of which provide ample coverage for movements for shift/rise with my P40+ and would also work with a larger sensor too. I'm not using movements much with the 150mm other than shifts for landscape. I spoke at length with Paul at Optechs to end up settling on the 150 vs 180 as it was the better complement for the other lenses.

I'll see if I have some examples to post when I'm back at the weekend.

Regarding the tilt adapter my understanding is that they refined the design and were able to achieve 12 degrees with the new adapter. Otherwise there's no real downside to either. For landscape either would work well since it's pretty rare to need that much tilt/swing plus if you do you'll have the challenge of using the ground glass to focus the thing. Obviously for other work and with wider glass more movements would be useful.

I haven't gone with the tilt/swing adapter myself and just use the 34mm spacer. I tend to use the spacer on the back of the camera to balance out the 90/150 - the Alpa gets quite large with the 150 & spacer on it but not a problem other than fitting in the bag when all assembled vs the shorter lenses.
 
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dchew

Well-known member
Graham,
Glad you posted. I thought of sending you a pm instead of starting this thread, but wasn't sure if you had a T/S adapter, and also thought the database could use more info about the 150mm. Good point about the ground glass. I'm hoping to rely on the IQ review features to evaluate tilt focus since I don't have a ground glass. I think what I'll do is get the std 34mm spacer. I'll decide if the T/S is for me once I get some experience with the IQ features and some time with the 150.

Dave
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I do like the 150 focal length on the FF sensor for landscape work or in my case now a 110 on the crop sensor. Pretty close. Also these long lenses do lend themselves nice for stitching as well. BTW I am pretty sure I am getting a IQ 140.
 

malmac

Member
Hi David

Thanks for taking the time to post your test image.

As amatter of interest, could you tell us your camera settings.

ie. where is your point of focus, and could you give us a 100% crop of the trees in foreground left, if these were not the point of sharpest focus.
I am trying to come to grips with my new Cambo Wide DS, and while I currently have only a 35mm lens, have interest in also aquiring a longer focal length lens.

Any further clarification would be welcome.


Thanks.


Mal
 

dchew

Well-known member
... BTW I am pretty sure I am getting a IQ 140.
Cool! I saw the preliminary feature list in the other thread. Not too much new info, but some interesting stuff. For sure the first thing I'm going to do is some focus tests: Focus, shoot, turn the focus ring slightly, shoot, then zoom the back to 100%. I'll gauge how critically I can verify focus with the IQ.

Dave
 

narikin

New member
Alpa seem to have a good relationship with Zeiss - they got them to re-release the 38mm Biogon especially etc - so I wondered if they could get an updated Zeiss Planar f3.5 135mm T* out there in an SB, 'Alpa Edition'?

It's a simply stupendous lens, ultra-fast at f3.5, very high resolution (far better than Sironar S) without excessive LF coverage. Rework that for even higher 'digital' res, in exchange for slightly less image circle, and they'd have a winner. 4 way stitching at f5.6 would be wonderful!

I have one myself (late model, 67mm front thread, multicoated) but its near impossible to get it mounted into an Alpa box.
 
Hi David

Thanks for taking the time to post your test image.

As amatter of interest, could you tell us your camera settings.

ie. where is your point of focus, and could you give us a 100% crop of the trees in foreground left, if these were not the point of sharpest focus.
I am trying to come to grips with my new Cambo Wide DS, and while I currently have only a 35mm lens, have interest in also aquiring a longer focal length lens.

Any further clarification would be welcome.


Thanks.


Mal
Hello Mal

Upon checking the lens ID, I see the shots were taken with a 150mm RDS Apo-Sironar digital, not a Schneider. My apologies for my ever-increasing mental frailty :( Especially to Dave Chew...

Whatever. I still like the 150mm just as much even if it is a Rodenstock :)

I took these shots with my Rm2d, as I don't have a 150mm in Alpa mount. As you are no doubt aware, the Arca-Swiss body has an integral helical focusing ring that is extremely precise. Like Dave, I don't use a groundglass to focus. In this case while getting a test shot for Dave I thought I would also try to evaluate the degree of tolerance/intolerance in the accuracy of the lens mount. So I focus-bracketed eleven wide-open shots (f/5.6 at 1/125) working forward from the infinity marker on the scale in equal increments. On the Rm2d's focusing scale infinity is marked "0", so I took shots at "0" through "10" which are coarse markings (one could for example precisely set the ring to "9.1"). I've found that the coarse settings give sufficiently precise focus for my ability to distinguish variation on a 30" computer screen at near-infinity. In this case I just selected the shot where the blinds visible through the upper centre window of the house were sharpest, which was at point "5" on the scale. FYI, the focus point was approx 500-600 ft from the sensor, and the foreground trees about 120 ft.

LOL. You asked for extra info and you got it!

Here's the original posted shot:


Here is the 100% crop area you asked for, taken from C1's screen using the Grab utility:


For comparison here is a shot of the same area at an Rm2d scale reading of "8":


All this fuss is why I prefer focusing with the Alpa + HPF rings. Not quite as much precision as the Arca, but sufficient granularity for accuracy with the P65+. It's great to have a scale marked in feet! And like Dave and Guy, I have high hopes for the focusing convenience of the IQ backs.

Kind regards,
David
 
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