taking lens used as enlarging lens?

[Nei1]

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Is there an adapter available so that I can use the same lens used on the camera to take the photograph as the lens used on the enlarger to make the print?For example a 50mm summicron,?And what results might I expect compared to a standard enlarging lens?

Edited March 19, 2010 by Nei1

[jpattison]

Only if it is 39mm screw thread, as this is the standard enlarger thread. You are correct in thinking this, though: the 50mm Elmar screw lens was often used in this way!

 

John

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[dpattinson]

As I recall, enlarger lenses are optimized for closer focusing and generally outperform co-opted camera lenses.

[christer]

What is your taking lens?

 

You can put a LSM (Leica Screw Mount) lens on a Leica M, but not a M lens on a LSM camera.

 

Why? Because you can put small thing in a large hole, but not the other way round.

(No obscene comments please.)

[Nei1]

thanks for youre answers,.........I thought it might have its drawbacks in its ability to stay sharp to the corners,but the idea does have a certain flow to it.I think I could make up a mount for an m lens with a lens cap,just to see how bad it is,thanks again.

[tgray]

I'm sure it's been done in the past. However considering you can get some of the best 35mm enlarging lenses for $200-300 on ebay, I'm not sure it's worth it. And if you don't need the best, keep an eye out for a $50 El-Nikkor 50/2.8 N and be happy.

[zeitz]

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There are several adapters that will mount a M mount lens to a 39mm female thread mount. Novoflex made one - code LEISOM. Leica made one in hammertone finish, so it is likely from the medical products catalog. Obviously these are both hard to find, but they do show up sometimes on e-bay.

 

Obviously the lenses don't focus to infinity if mounted on an LTM body. But for an enlarger or use on a bellows, it doesn't matter.

[tobey bilek]

the optical heads of Rigid/DR Summicron and the version 3 made 1969 could be removed and used in an adapter to 39 mm. All three lenses, as do many others, suffer from field curvature, the version 3 the least.

 

They all work best for large magnifications,> 16x20.

 

65 elmars can go on an Omega flat plate with the extenion tube used as retaining ring.

Black is better than chrome. This works well,better than the Summicrons, but not perfectly. Better than a cheap 4 element enlarging lens.

 

50 2.8 Elmar if collaped can go into a small bayonet to 39 mm adapter. Use the collapsing lugs, not the mounting lugs. Field curvature again. Works ok at F8.

 

Special rings were made for summicrons and elmar to extend the f stop ring to where you could reach it. That is why the F stop ring has slots 180 deg apart. The extension clips fit into the slots.

 

If you have a non glass mounted slide, the field curvature pretty well matched the slide just like a curved field projection lens. Nobody prints slides today though.

 

Good luck finding any of these parts today. I bought the only ones I ever saw 20 years ago.

 

The best Leica Focotars are the large front element model and the last Focotar 2, which has a bit more pop but has field curvature just like the first model before the large element one. The first one was optimised for 5x7 and starts falling apart at 8x10. The large front element can be used wide open, f4.5, up to 16x20.

 

I only recommend the large front or the Focotar 2. Pick the trade off you want, flat field or more contrast/resolution. Leave the first version on E BAy or at the store.

 

An enlarging lens is better than a leica camera lens for 8x10 and 11x14 and 16x20 prints.

 

Have not tried my new final version 50 2.8 to see how it works. Send me a PM if you want me to check it out.

 

All the lenses reported ar mint condition, never repaired and are factory fresh.

Edited March 21, 2010 by tobey bilek

[Xmas]

A taking lens is optimized for taking distances, and enlarger lens for enlarging distances - ,it is more like a macro lens.

 

An enlarger aperture ring was normally illuminated so you could check it, rather than relying on feel.

 

Cooking a lens with cemented surfaces, may improve the cement or degrade it, or even crack glass already under stress, Enlarger lenses were designed to be cooked.

 

It is not an experiment I'd try, especially not with my fav Elmar.

 

Noel

 

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[Michiel Fokkema]

The lens to take pictures is not optimised for making enlargements. It can be dne of course but why?

You can buy a Componon-s for 50 euro's now. A year ago I bought 135 componon-s for 50 euro's and got 4x5 enlarger for free with it!

A componon-s will run around circles any normal taking lens. It is also much better then the Focotar and probably on par with the Focotar-2.

 

Cheers,

 

Michiel Fokkema