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Are Leica enlarger lenses still made?

andybarton

By andybarton
in Film Forum

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Kent10D

Kent10D

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Now that's a great question, and it piqued my interest somewhat, so I did a little research.

 

Around these parts it seems you can scrounge up Fujinon, Nikkor, and Rodenstock enlarger lenses without too much trouble (in addition to LPL, which you should probably bypass). Can't find any Leica though. I did find several references to people using regular Leica camera lenses as enlarger lenses though, so maybe that's possible.

 

Lacking a Leica, I'd vote for a nice Rodenstock enlarger lens (not cheap).

 

It's interesting ... there seems to be a definite trend toward people setting up wet darkrooms again.

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andybarton

andybarton

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Steve

 

I have a decent colour enlarger, that worked last time I tried it in, cough, 1981, so it's only the lens that I would need. IIRC, they are all a standard, probably Leitz, screw fitting.

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cocker

cocker

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Steve

 

I have a decent colour enlarger, that worked last time I tried it in, cough, 1981, so it's only the lens that I would need. IIRC, they are all a standard, probably Leitz, screw fitting.

 

Andy - have a word with Jem Kime at The Real Camera Shop in Manchester (or his able assistants Bill or Steve - Steve is also to be seen on Fridays in David Stephen's shop!) 0161 907 3236. They may be able to help.

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topoxforddoc

topoxforddoc

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Andy,

 

If it's just 35mm, then get a V35 with the 40 focotar. The autofocus makes life a real breeze. You set it up once with a focus finder and that's it. Get a Focometer (with the small light probe) with it and you're done. If you're feeling really flush then you can get the Heiland Splitgrade controller. If you need larger formats, then it's more difficult. I've just bought a Focomat IIc, but haven't had time to collect it yet.

 

Charlie

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robsteve

robsteve

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Or is it fleabay?

 

Been thinking about setting up a darkroom again, but it would be a bit pointless to use the old Vivitar enlarger lens that I was happy with when I was 16...

 

Erwin Puts had an article on his site about enlarger lenses and enlargers. It might be in the Splitgrade article. He mentions a APO lens that is better than the Leica 40mm. It was either Rodenstock or Schneider and a 40mm.

 

Robert

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pgk

pgk

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For info - my local dealer has warned me never to buy a V35 unless the 40 Focotar is with it - these enlargers can be bought very cheaply without the lens - but the lens on its own commands a high price. I saw quite a few V35 outfits for sale a couple of years ago at very reasonable prices but they do seem to be scarcer now.

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topoxforddoc

topoxforddoc

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Andy,

 

I agree with pgk. The V35s are very reasonably priced now. Even if you could get a new leica enlarging lens, it wouldn't be cheap. I went to the new Ansel Adams exhibition, which opened in Oxford today. I got chatting to some other visitors, who still do wet printing too. I told him that I had just bought a Focomat IIc and he asked what lenses it came with. He then told me that he enquired over 10 years ago to Leica UK about a replacement enlarging lens for his Focomat IIc; he was quoted £750 then!!!

 

Charlie

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gyoung

gyoung

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Now that's a great question, and it piqued my interest somewhat, so I did a little research.

 

Around these parts it seems you can scrounge up Fujinon, Nikkor, and Rodenstock enlarger lenses without too much trouble (in addition to LPL, which you should probably bypass). Can't find any Leica though. I did find several references to people using regular Leica camera lenses as enlarger lenses though, so maybe that's possible.

 

Lacking a Leica, I'd vote for a nice Rodenstock enlarger lens (not cheap).

 

It's interesting ... there seems to be a definite trend toward people setting up wet darkrooms again.

 

I have used a 50mm/2.8 Elmar as an enlarging lens, its very good. When I first tried it I was working at the School of Art & Design and had a wide variety of lenses to try, the Elmar was better than Schneider, Rodenstock and Nikon 50mm/2.8 enlarging lenses, sharper and more even illumination at full aperture.

 

Gerry

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Kent10D

Kent10D

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I have used a 50mm/2.8 Elmar as an enlarging lens, its very good. When I first tried it I was working at the School of Art & Design and had a wide variety of lenses to try, the Elmar was better than Schneider, Rodenstock and Nikon 50mm/2.8 enlarging lenses, sharper and more even illumination at full aperture.

 

That's the lens that other people were mentioning! So it does work well.

 

That's very useful information, thanks. So now there'll be a run on old Elmars ... :)

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gyoung

gyoung

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That's the lens that other people were mentioning! So it does work well.

 

That's very useful information, thanks. So now there'll be a run on old Elmars ... :)

 

No problem, if you get a bayonet mount one there is a little adaptor which fits on to the back of the draw tube bayonet to convert it to 39mm screw, code 17671T. I have one but they will probably be like hens teeth to get nowadays.

 

There was one on ebay a little while ago, misdescribed!

 

eBay Österreich: Leitz 'OUAGO' 90mm Elmar adapter for Visoflex 17671T (Artikel 300198167985 endet 21.02.08 21:00:00 MEZ)

 

Gerry

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gyoung

gyoung

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Or is it fleabay?

 

Been thinking about setting up a darkroom again, but it would be a bit pointless to use the old Vivitar enlarger lens that I was happy with when I was 16...

 

There is one on Ebay now

 

LEICA LEITZ FOCOTAR 1:4.5/50 50MM LENS FOR ENLARGER on eBay, also, Vintage Lenses, Vintage Photography, Photography (end time 05-Apr-08 21:14:01 BST)

 

Gerry

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Michael Hiles

Michael Hiles

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I use this lens on my focomat 1c and it is great. If you can get it for 20 pounds - looks like a great deal to me. It is also interesting as a close up lens with a Visoflex etc. It is corrected for close distances.

 

Cheers,

 

Michael

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Leicapaul

Leicapaul

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I have used a 50mm/2.8 Elmar as an enlarging lens, its very good. When I first tried it I was working at the School of Art & Design and had a wide variety of lenses to try, the Elmar was better than Schneider, Rodenstock and Nikon 50mm/2.8 enlarging lenses, sharper and more even illumination at full aperture.

 

Gerry

 

stepped down to f.5,6 or 8, the 50mm Elmar is one of the very best GP lenses ever made even covering a certain macro range. As long as enlargements will fit this range - and you don't care

for AF at all - it will do the job quite as well as a 60mm Focotar - in terms of exposure light diffraction, even better than the wider angled 40mm.

But what a pity to wear and waste unequalled craftmanship of this lens in condenserlight's heat

and an atmosphere of wet chemistry! If you should get such an Elmar, fix it to the camera, keep it

alive for your grandchildren and save money by mounting a 50mm Tessar or T-type lens . You'll

find them much cheaper and their M39 or M42 screw mounts easier adaptable to most printers

than any Elmar bayonet, but not one grain less in b/w prints from document films or finest grain

panchromatics. Just colour filtering for perfect balance varies with different brands and coatings,

as it does with some types of Leitz lenses as well. Perfect "teamwork with kodachrome" is only

the medal's front side, matching gamma- and colourcorrection to the demands of serious dark-

room work the reverse one. As long as you keep this in your mind, good luck in the darkness.

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