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Focomat IIc Bowden Cable


Wyck

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  • 2 years later...

Here they are…

KIENZLE Optics
(Dipl. Ing. W. Kienzle)
Fockenbrunnen 11
D-72218 Wildberg
Germany
Tel:  +49/ 7054 / 8436
Fax: +49/ 7054 / 8539
email: kienzle-phototechnik@t-online.de

www.kienzle-phototechnik.de

D-72218 Wildberg
Germany

D-72218 Wildberg
Germany
Tel:  +49/ 7054 / 8436
Fax: +49/ 7054 / 8539
email: kienzle-phototechnik@t-online.de

www.kienzle-phototechnik.de

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I have been using another brand cable that is a bit longer than the original. Probably about 3cm. It has the same rigid outer material and on both ends it is reinforced with metal around the black stuff. I had to file off the round metal part that comes out so it fits the opening in the IIc lens slider. Works fine. Paid 5 euros for it in a shop that had second hand cables. If you want, I can give you the precise length and take some photos.

 

The main reason why the II c's Bowden cable gets the malfunction is a combination of two things:
 
- the construction of the cable
- the wrong use when changes lenses
 
The harder outer black shell of the cable was glued to the very smooth aluminum. Over time this glew dries out. I have fixed some of these cables by using a small iron saw to make this shiny aluminium much more rough and sawing some tiny cuts in it. Then I use the  strongest glew. This was successful with 2 of the 3 cables I tried to save.
 
The wrong use of the slider when changing lenses: as directed by 2 arrows on the slider one must first push the slider up and after that move it to the left to activate the cable for the 60mm lens. When doing so the cable pushes a small metal wheel to land on the focus cam. When one does not lift the slider upwards but instead just pushes it to the left, the wheel will not land on the cam but against the side of it. This causes strain in the cable and when done often this will result in the outer black shell protection coming loose from the inner aluminium of the cable.
Edited by M.Hilo
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To finish the above, the original IIc cable is 46cm long. The non-Leitz cable is 7cm longer.

Pics attached

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited by M.Hilo
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Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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On 5/20/2022 at 10:09 AM, Wyck said:

Here they are…

KIENZLE Optics
(Dipl. Ing. W. Kienzle)
Fockenbrunnen 11
D-72218 Wildberg
Germany
Tel:  +49/ 7054 / 8436
Fax: +49/ 7054 / 8539
email: kienzle-phototechnik@t-online.de

www.kienzle-phototechnik.de

D-7
 

For my information , where exactly goes this cable on the enlarger ?  and what's the use ? Thank you.

It was Kienzle who produced the Focomat for Leitz.

Best

Henry

Edited by Doc Henry
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Henry,

The cable takes care of the automatic focus being correct when switching from one lens to the other and while moving up and down the parallelogram.

Attached some photos that should answer your question where this cable goes on the IIc. Inside the 01 picture, I have indicated from where to where it sits.

Behind the indicated lower entry position of the cable (01 picture) sits a small metal wheel that lands on the upper cam (which looks like a dolphin) when the lens slider is in the 100mm lens position. The wheel follows the curve of the cam when one brings the parallelogram up or down, following its shape: keeping the correct focus.

Moving the lens slider (picture 04) to the left moves the 60 mm lens in place and activates the cable release, causing a second wheel to land on the lower cam. Which makes sure the automatic focus is correct when using this lens. This is where the problem I described earlier can happen.

Also in picture 01 you see a ring around the column on which the parallelogram rests. That is the position for automatic focussing, and one can print from small to almost 40x50cm.

---

I have also read Kienzle made the Focomats, but I believe this is incorrect. The Focomats were in production from the mid-thirties to the mid-eighties and I have seen several photos showing Focomats being made in the Leitz factories during different years in this time span. If Kienzle was involved it would more likely be about certain parts. Leitz did use different companies, like Schneider who made the second generation Focotar 50mm lenses for the Focomat Ic. Don't get me wrong, Kienzle is a wonderful company.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by M.Hilo
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By bringing the parallelogram of the IIc up we can print 50x60cm for sure, using a RRB easel. You lose the automatic focus, but it is simple to manually get the focus right by just turning the helical that holds the lenses.

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You've beaten me to it! 

I've just taken a couple of photos of my Focomat IIC along with a page from the manual.  I was going to type an explanation but there is no need now, thank you for explaining the workings to Henry.

I've attached a couple of my photos too...

 

 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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9 hours ago, M.Hilo said:

Henry,

The cable takes care of the automatic focus being correct when switching from one lens to the other and while moving up and down the parallelogram.

Attached some photos that should answer your question where this cable goes on the IIc. Inside the 01 picture, I have indicated from where to where it sits.

Behind the indicated lower entry position of the cable (01 picture) sits a small metal wheel that lands on the upper cam (which looks like a dolphin) when the lens slider is in the 100mm lens position. The wheel follows the curve of the cam when one brings the parallelogram up or down, following its shape: keeping the correct focus.

Moving the lens slider (picture 04) to the left moves the 60 mm lens in place and activates the cable release, causing a second wheel to land on the lower cam. Which makes sure the automatic focus is correct when using this lens. This is where the problem I described earlier can happen.

Also in picture 01 you see a ring around the column on which the parallelogram rests. That is the position for automatic focussing, and one can print from small to almost 40x50cm.

---

I have also read Kienzle made the Focomats, but I believe this is incorrect. The Focomats were in production from the mid-thirties to the mid-eighties and I have seen several photos showing Focomats being made in the Leitz factories during different years in this time span. If Kienzle was involved it would more likely be about certain parts. Leitz did use different companies, like Schneider who made the second generation Focotar 50mm lenses for the Focomat Ic. Don't get me wrong, Kienzle is a wonderful company.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

2 hours ago, Wyck said:

You've beaten me to it! 

I've just taken a couple of photos of my Focomat IIC along with a page from the manual.  I was going to type an explanation but there is no need now, thank you for explaining the workings to Henry.

I've attached a couple of my photos too...

 

 

Thank you both for the explanations and the photos , it is now clear in my mind.
Best regards
Henry
 
 
 
 
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13 hours ago, Wyck said:

You've beaten me to it! 

I've just taken a couple of photos of my Focomat IIC along with a page from the manual.  I was going to type an explanation but there is no need now, thank you for explaining the workings to Henry.

I've attached a couple of my photos too...

---

Thanks for your pictures, it helps!

To be honest I did not find it easy to describe how it works and I must admit, despite having the IIc since the early eighties, I got it wrong several times. I am not a technical person. Seeing your IIc manual made me laugh, Leitz was so minimal.

My first Focomat IIc I got back then in exchange for working for a printer for about three months. It was beat up, it lacked the filter tray and the Bowden cable. But I was happy with it and managed to print with it. Only used the 100mm lens and made it work without the cable. For 35mm I had a Ic next to it.

Then in 1999 I inherited the IIc of a friend who had bought it new in the early seventies but never used it, pffft. Another friend who was a Leitz repairman serviced this second IIc about 20 years ago and it still works like it should.

 

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On 5/31/2022 at 3:19 PM, Doc Henry said:

I have seen that.  Quite a bit of good stuff.  

I've installed the Heiland LED Head on my focomat and I use their Splitgrade controller.  It's been a great upgrade, expensive but no more bulb worries or test strips!

https://heilandelectronic.de/splitgrade/lang:en

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