Schneider 80mm M-Componon

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 2:40 pm

Can anyone share info, preferably from Schneider, on the M-Componon 80mm? I thought I had a document from Schneider but can't find it, and their Archives are gone. Did the Archive go somewhere else, or is just gone?

I have an 80mm M-Componon I intend to include in the 80mm shootout but would like some further info on its intended magnification range. Some online references claim it is just an 80mm Componon-S that is built "backwards", and thus is best from 2:1 and up magnfication. I suppose I should compare a Componon-S with the M-Componon to see if that's even remotely possible.

edited to add:

found the page. it's on their "vintage lens" site:

https://www.schneideroptics.com/info/vi ... -28mm.html

enricosavazzi · Post by **enricosavazzi** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:15 am

I found the following picture in my archive, with no information on where it comes from. Quite possibly, photomacrography.net.

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:18 am

Thanks ES, very helpful. The mag range down to 1:1 is encouraging as many other refs state 2x-4x and higher. They must be referring to the 50mm/28mm.

enricosavazzi · Post by **enricosavazzi** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:00 am

ray_parkhurst wrote:Thanks ES, very helpful. The mag range down to 1:1 is encouraging as many other refs state 2x-4x and higher. They must be referring to the 50mm/28mm.

You need of course keep in mind the size of the sensor you plan to use. On large format (60x60 mm and higher), the absolute size of the acceptable circle of confusion is larger than on small sensors like Micro 4/3 (assuming the same number of pixels), hence the f/4 aperture is fast enough on large format but may be limiting on small sensors because of diffraction. While 20x may be acceptable on large format, 2x-3x may be a more realistic limit on a small sensor.

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:29 am

enricosavazzi wrote:
ray_parkhurst wrote:Thanks ES, very helpful. The mag range down to 1:1 is encouraging as many other refs state 2x-4x and higher. They must be referring to the 50mm/28mm.
You need of course keep in mind the size of the sensor you plan to use. On large format (60x60 mm and higher), the absolute size of the acceptable circle of confusion is larger than on small sensors like Micro 4/3 (assuming the same number of pixels), hence the f/4 aperture is fast enough on large format but may be limiting on small sensors because of diffraction. While 20x may be acceptable on large format, 2x-3x may be a more realistic limit on a small sensor.

I was looking for the specs in the hope the lens could be pushed down to 1:1. I have no interest in the lens beyond 2:1 as there are likely many other solutions that can give better IQ, though perhaps not on larger sensors. Will be interesting to see this lens at work on a D850.

HansH · Post by **HansH** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 3:44 pm

I have a pdf file from the Schneider archive "M-Componon", Leaflet in three languages, size 1.5 MB.
PM me your email, so I can send you.

Greetings Hans.

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 4:01 pm

Hi Hans...Chris R sent me a similar sounding file but it might be different. I am interested in any info I can get! I PM'd you with my email. Thanks very much! ...Ray

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 12:27 pm

Hi Ray

I was looking for the specs in the hope the lens could be pushed down to 1:1. I have no interest in the lens beyond 2:1 as there are likely many other solutions that can give better IQ, though perhaps not on larger sensors. Will be interesting to see this lens at work on a D850.

I did own a clean M-Componon 4/80 awhile back and it was a bit of a dud at 1X on a D810. Maybe I had a sample that was dropped, but there was not much fine detail compared to a modern off-the-shelf 1X macro lens. I had no need to push it to higher magnifications. I was disappointed and sold it on Ebay.

In my experience the IQ of the Makro-Symmars are much better.

Hope this helps.

Robert

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 5:08 pm

RobertOToole wrote:Hi Ray

I was looking for the specs in the hope the lens could be pushed down to 1:1. I have no interest in the lens beyond 2:1 as there are likely many other solutions that can give better IQ, though perhaps not on larger sensors. Will be interesting to see this lens at work on a D850.
I did own a clean M-Componon 4/80 awhile back and it was a bit of a dud at 1X on a D810. Maybe I had a sample that was dropped, but there was not much fine detail compared to a modern off-the-shelf 1X macro lens. I had no need to push it to higher magnifications. I was disappointed and sold it on Ebay.

In my experience the IQ of the Makro-Symmars are much better.

Hope this helps.

Robert

Well, when I get some time (and my D850) I will be able to compare the M-Componon and Makro-Symmar plus about 20 others.