[Leica] Re: Friday F S--35 mm Schneider Xenogon

[Robert Marvin <marvbej@earthlink.net>]

on 10/26/01 11:12 AM, Dan Post wrote (about the Xenogon I have for sale):

> I have never personally run across
> one, and since I am sure Marc would be effusive in the praise of a Scneider
> Optik, in LTM mount, I suppose it is a good lens. I have used the Schneider
> 35mm PC in the R mount, and aside from being beyound my means, it was a
> super lens.
> Is it coated, or is it a really early lens... I guess Schneider coated their
> lenses earlier than Leitz, but I thought I'd ask.
> 
> Aside from the newer design, and faster speed, does it come close to the
> Cosina made lens?

The lens is coated (it has a red triangle which is the Schneider counterpart
to the CZJ red 'T'). In Marc's book he writes that Schneider continued
producing these lenses into the late '50s. The serial # is 3352167--perhaps
someone (Marc?) can date it.

The lens is quite sharp stopped down, but soft in the corners @ f2.8. FWIW
(a lot IMHO) Marc writes that "Schneider lenses enjoyed a fine reputation
among professionals of the period as being optics which, while perhaps not
as sharp as the awesome products of Carl Zeiss in either East or West
production, were noted for superlative colour correction and saturation...."
I can't compare the Xenogon's performance to the Ultron because I only
bought the Cosina lens yesterday

I bought the f1.7 Ultron to replace the Xenogon because:

1- I always wanted a faster 35--in fact when I bought the Xenogon as a
teenager in the early '60s, (to use on my Yashica YF) I really wanted an
f1.8 Canon, but couldn't afford it
2- I received a gift certificate from B&H at my recent retirement party
which covered about half the cost--too good an opportunity to pass up--I've
been thinking about getting the Ultron since they were introduced 2 years
ago.

Bob Marvin



 

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