While looking for used large format lenses, I've noticed that the Linhof Angulons are priced significantly less than other used Angulons.

Does anyone have experience using these lenses on other field cameras? Are they basically the same lenses as older, non multi-coated Angulons in terms of construction and performance? Thanks.

-- sheldon hambrick (shambric@us.ibm.com), June 01, 1998

Answers

Sure you're not comparing Angulons and Super Angulons? Generally Linhoff marked lenses in a Linhoff marked Compur sell for 10 to 25% more than not so marked. Many believe that Linhoff had the pick of the lenses and only selected superior examples. Now the Angulon has been around since the late 1920's and there are uncoated as well as coated examples - the lens was made up through the 1960's and both were marketed at the same time for a while. The Angulon if always f6.8 and the Supers were f8 when they came out although in recent years they have introduced faster models.

-- Bart Nadeau (BArtn51729@aol.com), June 03, 1998.

My understanding of the "Linhof select" lenses is that Linhof selected lenses that were within a smaller tolerances for manufacturing deviations from specs than Schneider was willing to accept (in other words, like all manufacturers Schneider had certain permissable deviations from specs and Linhof would select only lenses that didn't have as great a deviation as Schneider was willing to accept). However, Linhof didn't get anything special in the way of lens coating, for example. In other words, the lens is either coated or it isn't - the fact that it is a Linhof select lens has no bearing on the question. Having said that, as someone else pointed out Linhof select lenses normally command a premium, they don't sell at a discount, so I don't know what you were looking at when you say that the Linhof Angulon sells for less than the normal Angulons. I strongly suspect it is the other way around. I've used, but never owned, a 90mm Angulon. It was very small and nice for backpacking but had very little coverage - just barely enough for 4x5 without any significant movements. The contrast was also pretty low. I liked the price but didn't think the lens could begin to compare with modern lenses. I also didn't think that any Angulons were multi-coated though perhaps some were single coated. I could be wrong but I didn't think Schneider began multicoating until some time after the Super Angulons came on the scene.

-- Brian Ellis (beellis@gte.net), July 10, 1998.