Focomat 1a Easel

[Jon Wynacht]

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Howdy!

Recently acquired a Leitz Focomat 1a which is in perfect working order, except it's missing the easel.

Ideally, would like to find original easel. Done some online searching to no avail.

Realistically, would love suggestions for an easel that would work well with this enlarger.

Thanks!

Jon

[M.Hilo]

When you say "original easel" you mean an easel that will work with a clamping system underneath the baseboard?

If yes, can you take precise millimeter measurements of the metal groves underneath the baseboard? Then I can see with my small 24x30cm Leitz wooden easel if it is compatible.

If you're not thinking about clamping the easel to the baseboard, I'd try to find the 24x30cm wooden Leitz easel. There is also a metal Leitz easel from around that time that's a bit smaller.

[Jon Wynacht]

Yup, that one. I can take measurements next week when I'm back from work travel. Thanks!

Is clamping just to stabilize? I'm not married to the "original" setup for an easel, really just need an easel to get going and looking for one that will work best with this enlarger.

Thank you!

[M.Hilo]

The system Leitz made really clamps the easel to the baseboard and it won't move. This is great when you do multiple prints of one negative. But if you're mainly just printing different images, any easel will do as long as it is a good one. I use 2 bladed Leitz and RRB easels and find them very easy to work with. When you buy an easel, make sure the blades lay flat on the surface!

[M.Hilo]

Just making sure: is it really the Focomat Ia you got? Not a Ic?

I ask, because the Ia is unknown to me, whereas the Ic is very familiar

Edited September 23, 2023 by M.Hilo

[Jon Wynacht]

Regarding then clamping, that's good to know, thanks for that info!

I'm attaching two images (albeit horrible phone photos!) of the enlarger I took right after I bought it. Can take more when I get back.

 

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[Susie]

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 Hi Jon, and welcome to the forum.  The Focomat 1a from 1937 to 1949 - quite an old lady!

The clamping set up you have is for the original easel, the brass dovetail slides in a groove in the underside to clamp it in position.  For other easels the brass piece just sits in the recess to keep it out of the way.  Any easel will do - you just have to set the auto-focus to match it.  The only disadvantage in clamping the easel is that the image position moves fore and aft with different ratios because of the swing of the enlarger head as it is raised or lowered.

I can email you the instruction book for a 1c if that will help you set it up.  The standard Focotar lens is perfectly good, although some on the forum don't like them.  The older Varob or Elmar matches older lenses okay, but might limit your efforts with modern camera glass.

Best wishes,

Susie

[M.Hilo]

Indeed that's a nice 1a.

Assuming the small braz dovetail fits the wooden Leitz easels, you will have a choice between a 24x30cm easel, and a 30x40cm easel. When fixed to the dovetail you can still move your easel sideways and also up and down, then you fix with the lever on the right side of your baseboard.

I have those easels and use them all the time, but I hardly ever use the clamping system. I also use the RRB easels often.

Re the Focotar 50mm, I agree this is a very good lens. I would avoid the older 5cm Focotars which were probably the lenses this 1a came with. The 50cm Focotar you need to stop down twice. There are two later versions of the Focotar 50mm, which are also very good. One made by Schneider with an optimal flatness of field and the last version, again made by Leitz, is called the Focotar-2 50mm. This last version can be stopped down once, and I have used it wide open. The two later Focotars have more contrast, but of course you can bring the prints done with the first version very close to the same results.

Edited September 23, 2023 by M.Hilo