Schneider Xenon-Diamond

Davids · Post by **Davids** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 4:11 pm

I've been thinking more about higher magnification lenses for large sensors and my search always brings me back to the Schneider Xenon-Diamonds. Initially I was looking at the Xenon-Diamond 2.2/117mm which is optimized for 3.5x with an image circle of 62.5 and Schneider notes that it can even cover 82mm.
Just browsing around I found the Xenon-Diamond 1.5/82mm optimized at 5.2x (!!) with the same image circle. Yes significant extension is required to reach the optimal magnification for both lenses and yes they are probably quite expensive. But. I'm intrigued! I worry that the 1.5/82 is discontinued as it is not listed on the SK website.
Here are the specs (in Korean) for the 1.5/82:
https://www.envision.co.kr/ko/support/f ... 160511.pdf

I'll try reaching out to SK to find out more about this lens.

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 3:08 pm

This is a subject dear to me as well. That 1.5/82 is interesting, though at present I don't have use for 5x with 82mm IC. If I were to go with 5x, I'd need ~100mm IC for my purposes, and I fear there are not many optics that can do such a feat with high resolution. Thus I am likely limited to 3.5x, and indeed the 2.2/117 Diamond is interesting to me. I wish Schneider provided CA data like Rodenstock, as I'd be most curious if the lens was apochromatic.

I've never seen a Diamond for sale on used market. Perhaps they will show up eventually on TB or AE and then via the ghost market on eBay, but until then I can't even hazard a guess as to expected pricing.

My 105IXL3p5 is an impressive lens, and they do show up on eBay for reasonable pricing. I see better results from my RF3p5, but again it's near unobtainium like the Diamonds. I'd be super interested in anyone with real-world info on the Diamonds.

Edited to add: "discontinued" is a good thing for us hobbyists who rely on the used market.

Davids · Post by **Davids** » Fri Oct 04, 2019 6:52 pm

SK contacted me saying that the 1.5/82 is discontinued. What a shame. Maybe it will emerge on the used market at some point. Excuse my ignorance Ray, but what are "TB" and "AE"?

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Fri Oct 04, 2019 7:46 pm

Davids wrote:SK contacted me saying that the 1.5/82 is discontinued. What a shame. Maybe it will emerge on the used market at some point. Excuse my ignorance Ray, but what are "TB" and "AE"?

TaoBao and AliExpress

Macro_Cosmos · Post by **Macro_Cosmos** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 2:47 am

I've never seen a Xenon-diamond online. I've seen Xenon-Ruby ones about 3 times (not interested) and Xenon-emerald around 4 times or-so.

The Xenon-Diamond is a step above the Xenon-sapphire, which the XS is definitely Apo if not sApo; so it only makes sense that the XD (lol) is apochromatic too.

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 2:07 pm

Macro_Cosmos wrote:I've never seen a Xenon-diamond online. I've seen Xenon-Ruby ones about 3 times (not interested) and Xenon-emerald around 4 times or-so.

The Xenon-Diamond is a step above the Xenon-sapphire, which the XS is definitely Apo if not sApo; so it only makes sense that the XD (lol) is apochromatic too.

Have you seen the measurement curves showing that the XS is apo? I have not but would be interested to verify.

Macro_Cosmos · Post by **Macro_Cosmos** » Sun Oct 06, 2019 1:30 am

ray_parkhurst wrote:
Macro_Cosmos wrote:I've never seen a Xenon-diamond online. I've seen Xenon-Ruby ones about 3 times (not interested) and Xenon-emerald around 4 times or-so.

The Xenon-Diamond is a step above the Xenon-sapphire, which the XS is definitely Apo if not sApo; so it only makes sense that the XD (lol) is apochromatic too.
Have you seen the measurement curves showing that the XS is apo? I have not but would be interested to verify.

Nope, but lack of CA no matter how I try is telling. The PN105A does show tiny tiny hints of CA when being plastered with unnesessary and unrealistic subjects, the XS doesn't. I'll have to redo the test, accidentally deleted my test image folder like an absolute ?a???ss. My last backup was a blank one.