Jump to content

Focomat - enlarging lenses - advice please


Adrian Lord

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi there

 

- I m thinking of buying a focmat enlarger and getting into printing after 23 years out.

 

Now my question is are the Schneider Componon Lenses that one sees on them OE spec ? Were there not Leitz lenses ? What is the quality of the former? It would seem illogical to insist on Lieca glass on my cameras and then to print the images with a lesser substitute?

 

Thanks in advance for your help with this one!

 

:)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi there

 

- I m thinking of buying a focmat enlarger and getting into printing after 23 years out.

 

Now my question is are the Schneider Componon Lenses that one sees on them OE spec ? Were there not Leitz lenses ? What is the quality of the former? It would seem illogical to insist on Lieca glass on my cameras and then to print the images with a lesser substitute?

 

Thanks in advance for your help with this one!

 

:)

 

Hi Adrian,

 

Schneider Componons have a very good reputation, and have been successfully used by vast numbers of photographers.

 

Leitz made enlarger lenses called Focotars. They are excellent also - and are made to work specifically with their Focomat enlargers. There is a 50mm for the Focomat 1C, and a 40mm for the focomat v35 (later model). There was also a 90mm (?) that worked on the Focomat IIc (which also handled 6x9 negatives). They can be found on ebay and various other larger camera stores who deal in used equipment. The are generally not very expensive.

 

The focotars were made to work with the Focomat autofocus enlargers, which have a cam system for the autofocus (which works perfectly). The cams have adjustments which you must do once, since lenses are all of slightly different true focal length. I don't see why you could not mount a Componon and do the same adjustment (assuming the same nominal focal length).

 

I am not sure you would see much difference between the Componon and the Focotar, but I do not think you will see anyting better than the Focotar.

 

Regards,

Link to post
Share on other sites

Autofocus was calibrated for each V35 enlarger/lens combination, so the Componon will not maintain perfect autofocus with V35.

 

More importantly, I find that while useful conceptually, in practice I have different easels for different sizes, so I can't use the autofocus effectively when I want to print different paper sizes,

Link to post
Share on other sites

Adrian,

 

To be honest, I'd stick with the focotars on the focomats. If you're going for 35 mm only, then get the V35 and make sure it is complete with the lens. Each individual lens is matched for the individual enlarger. The autofocus is spot on once it's calibrated (5 min job) for a given easel. I just use a 16x20 easel on mine.

 

If you want MF as well (up to 6x9), then get the Focomat IIc and again make sure the lenses are ok and included. You'll have real problem getting lenses to fit the IIc (or any of the II series) as the lens mounts are recessed and narrow. Very few non-leica lenses will fit.

 

I've got both a V35 and IIc and I'm very happy.

 

Charlie

Link to post
Share on other sites

Autofocus was calibrated for each V35 enlarger/lens combination, so the Componon will not maintain perfect autofocus with V35.

 

More importantly, I find that while useful conceptually, in practice I have different easels for different sizes, so I can't use the autofocus effectively when I want to print different paper sizes,

 

1. My 2,8/40mm Apo-Componon HM maintains perfect autofocus on my V35.

 

2. My V35 is easily adjustable for different easel thicknesses (loosen one screw and turn a small handle until the mm scale corresponds to the easel thickness.

 

3. Apo-Componon is slightly better than Focotar

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I'm using a componon-s on my Focomat 1c. After calibration it focuses perfectly and I think it is much better then the original focotar. The focotar-2 seems to be an improvement over the focotar 1 but is very expensive.

Either way you need the DOORX tube.

The standard 40mm on the V35 is said to be a very good performer. I don't think you need a componon for that.

 

Cheers,

 

Michiel Fokkema

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi there

 

- I m thinking of buying a focmat enlarger and getting into printing after 23 years out.

 

Now my question is are the Schneider Componon Lenses that one sees on them OE spec ? Were there not Leitz lenses ? What is the quality of the former? It would seem illogical to insist on Lieca glass on my cameras and then to print the images with a lesser substitute?

 

Thanks in advance for your help with this one!

 

:)

 

I have a Focomat 1a, but have never had a Focotar for it, I have used all manner of 50mm lenses on it, favourite is the 50mm f/2.8 Elmar camera lens (original version) which performs very well, better than the Componon, or Rodenstock equivalent and is much faster so I have never felt the need for a Focotar. However, I rarely trust the autofocus, prefering to check it each time, it doesn't take long!

 

Gerry

Link to post
Share on other sites

1. My 2,8/40mm Apo-Componon HM maintains perfect autofocus on my V35.

 

2. My V35 is easily adjustable for different easel thicknesses (loosen one screw and turn a small handle until the mm scale corresponds to the easel thickness.

 

3. Apo-Componon is slightly better than Focotar

 

 

1. Care to share your technique?

 

2. Mine can adjust too, it's just a matter of loosening the screw and turning the crank, but how to turn it till it corresponds exactly to the easel thickness? Because the mm marks on the column are quite thick, they aren't all that fine.

Link to post
Share on other sites

50 mm Focotars came in 3 versions, original, large front element, and a Focotar 2.

 

The first is a nice lens , but it is made for 5x reproduction ( thats 5x7). Larger prints suffer. Field curvature is a problem. Use at 8 or 11

 

The LFE has a 3/4" diameter front element, made by Schneider, and is a superb lens with a dead flat field. 16x20 can be made with the lens wide open.

 

Focotar 2 is very sharp, but difficult to focus manually. Very strange lens. Made by Leitz and has the same field curvature problem as original. Prints are snappy and beautiful. Due to field curvature again, stop to 8. Sad for an enlaring lens.

 

40 mm is a flat field and quite sharp at 4-11. 5.6 is a bit better. DO NOT put on a condenser enlarger or you get vignetting. The later V35`s have special Double diffusion that has neutral density in the center to smooth things out. These mixing boxed have a pin prick ID point in one corner.

 

The LFE is the one I use on my IC models, sometimes the Focotar 2 which I should like more, but don`t.

 

40 Focotar is on my V35. Reports I have read say the Schneider 40 is equal if not better.

 

The most important thing is to get a IC with the egg shapped oblong head ( usually grey) as it used the PH111 bulbs. The old round head machines need the short neck bulbs which are some where between impossible and very very difficult to find. Using a PH111 gives uneven illumination in the corners.

 

You need a 1" high easel for AF to work on the 1C or front on the base board. These are the two calibrated positions. Clamp in between for other heights. Not recommended.

 

The V35 has a column height crank that accomodates any thickness easel without screwing around.

 

Tobey`s 5 min review of Leica enlargers.

Link to post
Share on other sites

50 mm Focotars came in 3 versions, original, large front element, and a Focotar 2.

 

The first is a nice lens , but it is made for 5x reproduction ( thats 5x7). Larger prints suffer. Field curvature is a problem. Use at 8 or 11

 

The LFE has a 3/4" diameter front element, made by Schneider, and is a superb lens with a dead flat field. 16x20 can be made with the lens wide open.

 

Focotar 2 is very sharp, but difficult to focus manually. Very strange lens. Made by Leitz and has the same field curvature problem as original. Prints are snappy and beautiful. Due to field curvature again, stop to 8. Sad for an enlaring lens.

 

40 mm is a flat field and quite sharp at 4-11. 5.6 is a bit better. DO NOT put on a condenser enlarger or you get vignetting. The later V35`s have special Double diffusion that has neutral density in the center to smooth things out. These mixing boxed have a pin prick ID point in one corner.

 

The LFE is the one I use on my IC models, sometimes the Focotar 2 which I should like more, but don`t.

 

40 Focotar is on my V35. Reports I have read say the Schneider 40 is equal if not better.

 

The most important thing is to get a IC with the egg shapped oblong head ( usually grey) as it used the PH111 bulbs. The old round head machines need the short neck bulbs which are some where between impossible and very very difficult to find. Using a PH111 gives uneven illumination in the corners.

 

You need a 1" high easel for AF to work on the 1C or front on the base board. These are the two calibrated positions. Clamp in between for other heights. Not recommended.

 

The V35 has a column height crank that accomodates any thickness easel without screwing around.

 

Tobey`s 5 min review of Leica enlargers.

 

Thanks Tobey - those nuggets will stop me buying a pup, much appreciated.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 14 years later...

Good afternoon all,

The Focotars have an exact focal length of 52,6 mm. This is important to work with the autofocus mechanism on a Focomat 1, any other focal length means that you will be forever adjusting focus manually. In any case it is good practice to ALWAYS check the focus with a grain focus finder. The Schneider Companion-S 2,8/50 is the only non-Leitz lens, as far as I know, to have this focal length so it will also work with the autofocus system, I have tried it and it does work very well. The Focotars have a mixed reputation but I'd expect they are adequate, the Focotar 2 is supposed to be better but I've never owned one. 

There is a huge Minolta Rokkor 2,8/50, a massive lens like a camera lens, I have one but I've never used it so I can't say for sure but it probably is excellent. The El-Nikkor 2,8/50 is, in my opinion, over-rated unless the one I have is a bit dodgy. The Hoya 2,8/50 is better than the Nikkor and costs 30-40 Euros, again this is based on a sample size of 1.

The Focomat V35 enlarger only runs with the special WA-Focotar 2,8/40 lens. This is an excellent lens and has a very useful wider angle, there may be problems with the illumination on other enlargers, look out for light drop in the corners.

Your main problem is getting an enlarger with a filter drawer which you will need for multigrade printing. Ilford under-the-lens filters are excellent and will not reduce your print quality in any way, as long as they are kept clean, scratch-free and lined up properly with the lens. The safest is an enlarger with a colour filter drawer and an effective heat filter. If you go away from the Leitz enlargers you have a very broad choice of really excellent equipment. Look for alignment, rigidity, ease of focusing, evenness of illumination.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

You can use one of the older 50mm Summicrons. When I bought my 1c in HK in 1970 the dealer also sold me an f2.0 Summicron, I think they were fairly new at the time. It unscrews, i.e. comes apart, and with an adapter the front bit with the glass will screw into the enlarger. Being f2 makes focusing so much easier. Not sure what the adapter's part number is. If you need to know I'll find out.

Someone may be able to tell how to identify these 'crons as later lenses don't don't come apart like mine.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...