Leitz Focomat V35 enlarger

[AlisterHeath]

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I am just starting to put together a darkroom and the first item I purchased is the Leitz Focomat V35 enlarger. This was a bit of an impluse purchase and I hadn't done much research beforehand, but I have heard that it is one of the best enlargers for 35mm. I have subsequently been looking on the internet over the weekend and I saw it mentioned that for the autofocus to work correctly it was necessary to use the Leitz easels. I was just wondering whether any members on the forum could confirm this or not?

 

Could you also recommend an enlarger timer to go with this.

 

Many thanks.

 

Alister

[H. James Wolf]

I have been using one of these for 20+ years and get consistently good results. I use mine with either Ganz speed easels or an adjustable easel and have no problem with the autofocus. You do have to set the column height to correspond with the height of the easel and that's not always easy.

I am now using a Splitgrade controller but have used other timers before I got the Splitgrade system.

[tobey bilek]

Not true. What is necessary is the column height needs to be adjusted to the height of the easel, ie a 25 mm high auto focus easel needs to have the column set to 25 mm.

 

Saunder V tracks are 5 mm. Same for the 14x17 universal 4 blade.

 

There is a lock and crank on top of the columm. Height read out is at base of column.

 

 

What is true is the older engargers needed the proper height easel because there was no height adjustment. They were set to 25 mm or on the baseboard with a pin thru the column, two positions only.

One could guess or cut and try intermediate settings and then it would work also.

[Jeff S]

I had same enlarger before going digital last year. Used different easels, as others have noted.

 

I also used the Zone VI compensating enlarging timer, which a friend helped rig to incorporate the sensor in the enlarger head housing.

 

Jeff

[JosefSchachner]

With the tubus where your lens is mounted the focus pane of the lens can be adjusted, i.e. you can manually focus on the easel. Lock the tubus in place when done with the little locking screw. Then the AF will work for what ever easel you use. The range of the tubus is somewhat limited. With the height-adjustment of the colume you can ajdust for the approx. height, then fine-focus with the tubus. The AF will generally only work if you have the right control curve for your lens (if your lens is the 40mm Focotar your chances are good:-)

 

If you do read german I have user manual which I could scan........

[NB23]

Not true. What is necessary is the column height needs to be adjusted to the height of the easel, ie a 25 mm high auto focus easel needs to have the column set to 25 mm.

 

Saunder V tracks are 5 mm. Same for the 14x17 universal 4 blade.

 

There is a lock and crank on top of the columm. Height read out is at base of column.

 

 

What is true is the older engargers needed the proper height easel because there was no height adjustment. They were set to 25 mm or on the baseboard with a pin thru the column, two positions only.

One could guess or cut and try intermediate settings and then it would work also.

 

Exact!

[AlisterHeath]

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Thanks to everyone that has replied. My enlarger didn't come with any instructions, so your help on the column height adjustment is great. I have just ordered the Leica Darkroom Practise book from Amazon. Otherwise, the V35 seems very straight forward and intuitive to use.

 

Regards.

 

Alister