Schneider-Kreuznach

Schneider-Kreuznach (Jos. Schneider Optische Werke) is one of the pillars of German optical history. While they are globally dominant in large format photography (with the legendary Symmar and Super-Angulon lines), their role in the Leica M-mount world is defined by a unique and prestigious relationship: they were the "outsourced expert" that Leitz hired when they couldn't build a lens themselves.

For the rangefinder collector, Schneider is synonymous with the Super-Angulon 21mm. In the 1950s and 60s, Leitz lacked the technology to build high-performance ultra-wide lenses, so they contracted Schneider to produce them. As a result, Schneider is one of the few brands in history to have their name engraved on the front of a lens sold officially in the Leica catalog.

History

Schneider's contribution to the system is split between independent LTM lenses and the official Leica partnership.

The Leitz Partnership (1958 to 1980)

In the late 1950s, the widest lens Leitz offered was the 28mm Summaron. Desperate to compete with Zeiss (who had the Biogon 21mm), Leitz turned to Schneider, who had mastered symmetrical wide-angle designs for large format cameras.

• The Deal: Schneider manufactured the optical cells in Bad Kreuznach, and Leitz installed them into M-mount focusing helicoids in Wetzlar. These lenses were branded "Leitz Super-Angulon" but prominently featured the "Schneider-Kreuznach" engraving on the beauty ring—a rare admission of dependency by Leitz [[1]].

The Independent LTM Era (1940s to 1950s)

Before the partnership, Schneider produced a small but high-quality line of LTM (Leica Thread Mount) lenses, often sold with Tower cameras or high-end German rangefinders. These were direct competitors to the Zeiss Sonnar and Leitz Summarit lines, known for their robust build and unique optical signatures.

Product Lines (M-Mount & LTM)

Schneider lenses are famous for two things: zero distortion (in wide angles) and "Schneideritis" (a cosmetic bubbling of black paint).

The Super-Angulon (The Legend)

• Super-Angulon 21mm f/4 (1958-1963): The first 21mm for the Leica M.
  • Design: A symmetrical 9-element design. Because it sits very close to the film plane, it has almost zero distortion, making it perfect for architecture.
  • Performance: High vignette (light fall-off) in the corners, which many photographers love for its dramatic "vintage wide" look.
• Super-Angulon 21mm f/3.4 (1963-1980): The masterpiece.
  • Improvement: Faster, sharper, and with higher contrast. This lens was the standard wide-angle for photojournalists for decades.
  • The "Metering" Problem: The rear element protrudes so deep into the camera body that it blocks the light meter on the Leica M5, M6, and digital M bodies. It cannot be used on these cameras without disabling the meter or risking damage to the sensor shutter/curtain (always check compatibility) [[2]].

The Xenon (High Speed LTM)

• Xenon 50mm f/1.5: A rare high-speed prime.
  • Character: Often compared to the Leica Summarit 50mm f/1.5. It is a "classic" rendering lens—soft and glowing wide open, with a very busy, swirling bokeh. It is physically dense and heavy, built from solid brass and chrome.

The Xenogon (Compact Wide)

• Xenogon 35mm f/2.8: A "stubby" little lens.
  • Design: A deeply recessed front element makes it look like a macro lens. It is incredibly sharp for its era and is much smaller than the Leitz Summaron. It is a sleeper hit for LTM users who want a pocketable wide-angle [[3]].

Technical Specifications

Feature	Specification Details
Native Mount	Leica M-Bayonet (Super-Angulon) or LTM (Xenon/Xenogon).
Focus Coupling	Coupled. (Super-Angulon focuses down to 0.7m or 0.4m but uncouples).
Build Materials	Heavy Chrome on Brass / Black Anodized Aluminum (late SA 21mm).
Common Defect	"Schneideritis": White spots or bubbles appearing on the black paint inside the lens barrel. This is ubiquitous in Schneider lenses. It looks ugly but rarely affects image quality [[4]].
Filter Thread	48mm (Super-Angulon 21mm f/3.4) - uses a unique clamp-on hood (12501).
Compatibility	Warning: The 21mm Super-Angulons generally cannot be metered with on M6/M7/MP/Digital bodies due to the rear element blocking the sensor cell.

Why Photographers Choose Schneider

• The "Architectural" Wide: The Super-Angulon 21mm is practically distortion-free. Unlike modern retrofocus lenses (like the Elmarit 21mm ASPH) which rely on correction, the Super-Angulon is optically straight by design.
• The "Schneideritis" Bargain: Because the white spot issue ("Schneideritis") looks alarming to uneducated buyers, these lenses sometimes sell for less than they are worth, despite the glass being optically perfect.
• Leica Heritage: The Super-Angulon 21mm f/3.4 is considered one of the "Holy Trinity" of vintage Leica wide angles. Owning one is owning the lens that shot many of the greatest reportage images of the 1960s and 70s.

---

Sources

• [1] Ken Rockwell (Super-Angulon 21mm f/4): https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/21mm-f4.htm
• [2] Leica Wiki (Super-Angulon 21mm f/3.4): https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/21mm_f/3.4_Super-Angulon
• [3] 35mmc (Xenogon 35mm Review): https://www.35mmc.com/11/04/2017/schneider-kreuznach-xenogon-35mm-f2-8-review/
• [4] CameraQuest (Schneideritis Explanation): https://cameraquest.com/schneideritis.htm