4X Surprise Lens vs Nikon 4x Plan APO Can you tell the diff?

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:46 am

chris_ma wrote:I'm still new to all this but I would have guessed something 28 to 35mm and F2.8 based on magnification and filter thread.

Close.

but I agree with Macrero that the result is nice but not spectacular, so unless this lens can be found very cheap and the tube lens as well I thought there might be better options out there (some of the older 4x stacked tests on roberts site look much better to me).

I've been testing lots of lenses, when shot this one, just to give you an idea, I tested at least 6 lenses stacked on the 90mm TL that day. They were all a waste of time, the SK APO CNP 4/45 (corner softness as usual), Xenon 2/50 (CAs), all except for this one.

It would be hard in my experience not many lenses can get even this close to the Plan APO.

Thanks to everyone for taking time to comment!

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:47 am

dolmadis wrote:Long shot - Leica Summicron-T 23mm f/2

The focal length and shot aperture are right on!

Macrero · Post by **Macrero** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:08 am

23mm f/2 german industrial lens with 49mm filter thread?

You got me there... I give up on this

Edit: "shot aperture", ah, ok! Xenoplan / APO-Xenoplan (this is not cheap though) 1.4/23? But not 49mm filter thread. Nah, I give up...

dolmadis · Post by **dolmadis** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:09 am

yep, watching with interest

John

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:24 am

Thanks for everyone that took time to comment!

Schneider Kreuznach Xenoplan 1.4/23 CCTV lens, with C-mount.The image posted was made at f/2.

In my experience the APO-Xenoplan, Xenoplan and Xenoplan CCTV Lens are the same lenses housed in different mounts. The specs below are for the APO-Xenoplan, which as far as I know is the same lens as this one. In the SK catalog for the CCTV line, they say that the lenses use ultra low dispersion glass, they even recommend use on a relay lens.

There is a f4 preset version of the 1.4/23 on eBay now for $38 USD BTW, but I have no experience with that version but it should be the same optically.

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:26 am

Macrero wrote:But not 49mm filter thread.

I thought that would help lead people away

The CCTV Xenoplans have a 49mm thread.

dolmadis · Post by **dolmadis** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:32 am

RobertOToole wrote: There is a f4 preset version of the 1.4/23 on eBay now for $38 USD BTW, but I have no experience with that version but it should be the same optically.

Yes, the 49mm was the riddle.

If the f4 you mention is preset then it would surely not reproduce the performance of the f2 you used?

Does anyone know if the "preset" can be removed?

What was the 90mm?

BR

John

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:37 am

dolmadis wrote:
RobertOToole wrote: There is a f4 preset version of the 1.4/23 on eBay now for $38 USD BTW, but I have no experience with that version but it should be the same optically.
Yes, the 49mm was the riddle.

If the f4 you mention is preset then it would surely not reproduce the performance of the f2 you used?

Does anyone know if the "preset" can be removed?

What was the 90mm?

BR

John

The sharpness did increase from f2.8 to f/2 with this lens so the f/4 would not be as sharp.

Some people on the forum already have this preset f/4 version, maybe someone can check?

That would be something if the disk was removable. Sounds like a nice project for someone.

I would buy one of the preset versions but I already have 5 other Xenoplans to test already so I don't need more.

Best,

Robert

Macrero · Post by **Macrero** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:42 am

The Xenoplan 1.4/23 was the only 23mm german industrial lens that came to mind. Yep, the 49mm filter thread was the riddle

I was thinking of the the "standard" version, 30.5mm filter thread.

Haven't tried that one . I have usted the standard 2/28 in combos with pretty good result. The 1.9/35 is not that good on camera.

chris_ma · Post by **chris_ma** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:45 am

RobertOToole wrote:It would be hard in my experience not many lenses can get even this close to the Plan APO.

It's probably that we all got spoiled by your top discoveries

from your page it seems to me that Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 5X and the Xenon 28/2 stacked with a Makro-Symmar 120/5.9 show better results at 4x, and the Canon MP 35mm seems to be at least as good as well.

Macrero wrote:23mm f/2 german industrial lens with 49mm filter thread? You got me there... I give up on this
Edit: "shot aperture", ah, ok! Xenoplan / APO-Xenoplan (this is not cheap though) 1.4/23? But not 49mm filter thread. Nah, I give up...

same here - I thought I'm good at internet research but even with cheating I draw only blanks!

edit: ah, so the riddle has been solved while I was away googling

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 9:32 am

Macrero wrote:The Xenoplan 1.4/23 was the only 23mm german industrial lens that came to mind. Yep, the 49mm filter thread was the riddle I was thinking of the the "standard" version, 30.5mm filter thread.

Haven't tried that one . I have usted the standard 2/28 in combos with pretty good result. The 1.9/35 is not that good on camera.

Thanks for the advice on the 1.9/35. I picked up a batch of these XNP-CCTV lenses this winter and I am only now getting around to testing them. The lot was 1.4/8, 1.4/17, 1.4/23 and 1.9/35 and Xenon 1.4/25. I have a feeling the 1.4/23 is the best of the group. The Xenon is a neat little lens.

Best,

Robert

RobertOToole · Post by **RobertOToole** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 9:45 am

chris_ma wrote:
RobertOToole wrote:It would be hard in my experience not many lenses can get even this close to the Plan APO.
It's probably that we all got spoiled by your top discoveries
from your page it seems to me that Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 5X and the Xenon 28/2 stacked with a Makro-Symmar 120/5.9 show better results at 4x, and the Canon MP 35mm seems to be at least as good as well.

Don't forget little Lomo 3,7 stacked on the 5.9/120 Makro-Symmar, that's an awesome combination also.

( FYI: https://www.closeuphotography.com/lomo-3-7x-and-sr120/ )

There is still the one that beats them all by far from 3-5x, thats the Mag. X. 5x. (until someone buys a Mitutoyo 5x HR). If I can just find others in the series, the 2x and 8x, I'll be set.

Best,

Robert

chris_ma · Post by **chris_ma** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:13 am

RobertOToole wrote:Don't forget little Lomo 3,7 stacked on the 5.9/120 Makro-Symmar, that's an awesome combination also.

right - I wonder how that would hold up on FF in the corners.

RobertOToole wrote:(until someone buys a Mitutoyo 5x HR)

hmm, that seems to be in the nearly affordable category at 4750USD (well, at least to some of the built-upon-order options:)
https://www.edmundoptics.com/p/5x-mitut ... tive/3634/
higher mag than I'd need though

btw, did anybody ever compare a Mitutoyo 2x on FF to something like a printing nikkor?
https://www.edmundoptics.com/p/2x-mitut ... tive/6620/

I guess it could be competitive in the center but worse in the corners (and maybe more distortion)?
chris

kaleun96 · Post by **kaleun96** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:08 am

I've been a fan of this little lens! Bought one from outlet3d last year and noticed it performed well reversed and stacked.

I've just bought a second to see if the aperture disk can be modified and opened up. BTW the f4 version from eBay is cheaper on their website but perhaps the shipping is more.

dolmadis · Post by **dolmadis** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:18 am

kaleun96 wrote: I've just bought a second to see if the aperture disk can be modified and opened up. BTW the f4 version from eBay is cheaper on their website but perhaps the shipping is more.

I understand that there is no variable aperture in this version of the lens. If the disk creating f4 can be removed then it will need to be replaced with one for f2.

I shall be very interested as will others if this version can be modified.

There were 15 in stock when I looked earlier. Seller is a dealer in Poland.

BR

John