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Schneider Kreuznach is the largest manufacturer of photo and film lenses, optics and optical equipment in Germany, along with Carl Zeiss.
The company was founded in Bad Kreuznach, Germany on January 18, 1913 by Joseph Schneider, the original name was Optische Anstalt Jos. Schneider & Co. In 1922 the name was changed to Jos Schneider & Co., Optische Werke, Kreuznach, and only in 1998 to the modern Schneider Optische Werke GmbH. In 1972, the Goerz American division became part of Schneider Kreuznach, in 1991 the Pentacon factories were taken over. Rollei Fototechnic GmbH (1987), Käsemann / Oberaudorf (1989), Century Optics (2000) were also acquired at various times.
Schneider has manufactured and sold over 14 million lenses worldwide. Shneider lenses are renowned for their quality and are equipped with expensive cameras, including the relatively recent Alpa 12WA and 12 / SWA, Rollei 6006, and the Linhof Technorama panoramic camera. As a supplier of lenses for LG, Kodak and Samsung, Schneider also has a mass market presence. In production there are lenses for medium format cameras Phase One, Leaf, Mamiya, reproduction and television cameras, as well as a wide range of industrial optics.
In 2011, the company began production of lenses for the Micro Four Thirds System format, and in 2012, the updated Cine-Xenar III line of cinema lenses was released.
Until 2003, Heinrich Mandermann was a major shareholder of the company, after which the shares went to his daughter.
Schneider Lenses
Titles
- Angulon and Super Angulon
Radionar and Isconar: triplets
Tele Xenar (4 elements) and Tele Arton (5 elements) telephoto lenses
Symmar: originally 3 + 3 Dagor, later Plasmat
Variogon: series of zoom lenses
Xenar: 4-element design, Carl Zeiss Tessar replicas, but some f / 2.8 Xenars had 5 elements in 4 groups
Xenon: 6 elements, high aperture
Radionars were assembled in the 1930s by the Japanese company Neumann & Heilemann, of course, from separate elements supplied by Schneider.
m39
- 35 / 2.8 Xenogon, all chrome, focusing tab
50 / 2.8 Xenar (foldable), chrome
50/2 Xenon (foldable), chrome
50 / 1.5 Xenon (rigidly built) combined, black and chrome. Some may have been collected by Isco.
8cm / 2 Xenon, incompatible, black and chrome
8cm / 2 Xenon, black and chrome
80/2 Xenon, black and chrome
13.5cm / 3.5 Xenar, black and chrome
135 / 3.5 Tele-Xenar, chrome
m42
The type corresponds to the type of finish and mechanics
- type I: all chrome or black and chrome, manual or preset ring for aperture
type II: black with wide chrome stripes, grooved rings, preset ring or auto diaphragm, sometimes with Edixa marking
LM type: similar to type II with the possibility of installing a selenium light meter above the lens
type IIb: like type II with thinner chrome stripes and flatter rings, auto iris, sometimes Edixa marking
type III: all black with leatherette ring around the base, auto iris
type IIIb: like III, with a slightly tapered focusing barrel
electrical type: black and imitation leather with very thin chrome stripes, electrical contacts for Praktica
Listed are lenses whose types are known for sure:
- 28/4 Curtagon (II auto, LM, III, IIIb)
35 / 2.8 Curtagon (II auto, LM, III, IIIb)
35/4 PA-Curtagon: custom trimmed sliding lens, manual iris; older version with focus ring at the back, behind the aperture ring; later version - with focusing ring in front
50 / 2,8 Xenar (I chrome, II, IIb)
50 / 2.8 Laudar (I preset ring)
50 / 1.9 Xenon (preset chrome I, II, LM, III, IIIb)
90 / 3.5 Xenar (I chrome)
135 / 3.5 Tele-Xenar (II auto, IIIb, electric)
200 / 5.5 Tele-Xenar (II preset)
300/5 Tele-Xenar (I chrome)
360 / 5.5 Tele-Xenar (II preset)
45-100 / 2,8 Variogon (IIb auto)
80-240 / 4 Tele-Variogon (IIb auto)
The Rollei SL-Xenon 50 / 1.8, made for the Rolleiflex SL35, reportedly also existed in the M42 mount, possibly experimentally.
The strange 35 / 2.8 C-Curtagon lens with a very compact body appears regularly on eBay; it is unclear if it was designed for the camera model or for some other optical device. It looks just like the recently introduced zoom lens, but it has a focus ring and an aperture ring without prior selection or automation. Due to its odd aspect, it is sometimes touted as an overpriced prototype, which is obviously not the case. The rarer 28/4 C-Curtagon, probably from the same line, has no focus ring or aperture.
Exacta
- type 0: full chrome or black chrome, manual diaphragm
type I: all chrome, knurled rings, external auto diaphragm
type II: black with wide chrome stripes, grooved rings, aperture preset ring
LM type: like type II with the possibility of installing a selenium light meter above the lens
Type IIb: like type II with thinner chrome stripes and flatter rings, auto diaphragm
- 50/2 Xenon (0 chrome)
50 / 1.9 Xenon (I auto)
50 / 2.8 Xenar (0 chrome)
135 / 3.5 Tele-Xenar (II preset)
360 / 5.5 Tele-Xenar (0 black and chrome, II)
Schneider also made lenses for the special Exakta Real mount.
Hasselblad
- Schneider Variogon f / 5.6 140-280 mm (zoom) w / series 93 drop-in filter C
- Schneider Variogon f / 5.6 140-280 mm (zoom) F
- Schneider Variogon f / 5.6 140-280 mm (zoom) CF
Leica r
- 21 / 3.4 Super-Angulon XNUMXst version, release by Schneider (Leicaflex)
- 21/4 Super-Angulon, replaced by 21 / 3.4, Schneider issue
Rolleiflex SL35
- 35 / 2.8 SL-Angulon
50 / 1.4 SL-Xenon (prototype only) [1]
50 / 1.8 SL-Xenon
135 / 3.5 SL-Tele-Xenar - 35 / 2.8 Curtagon
50 / 1.9 Xenon - 28 / 2.8 PC-Super Angulon, special shift lens
35/4 PC Curtagon, special shift lens
Fixed lens cameras from Schneider
- Adox 300
Agfa Karat 36 and Karat IV)
Balda Baldaxette, Baldina, Super Baldina, Jubillete, Baldalette, Baldini, Baldinette, Super Baldinette, Super Pontura, Baldessa
Certo Dollina I, Dollina II, Dollina III, Super Dollina
Franka Solida
Gamma perla
Kodak Duo Six-20 (various models)
Kodak Easyshare DX6490
Kodak Instamatic 500
Kodak Retina and Retinette (various models)
Kodak Regent II
Linhof Technorama 617 and 617S
Nagel Pupille and Vollenda 3 × 4
Plaubel Makina IIa
Rollei 35 (1972-1973 only)
Rollei Rolleicord and Rolleiflex (various models)
Welta Welti, Weltini, and Weltur
Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 522/24