Are Leica enlarger lenses still made?

[gyoung]

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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.

 

Gerry

 

If anyone wants one of these, I was in Harrisons in Sheffield on Saturday last, they have two in their 'junk box', one with 17671T on it, the other with the older 'name' which I can't remember. Price was £20 each but I got a reduction on the marked price an M3 flash cable (more than 50%) without asking!

 

Gerry

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[gyoung]

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.

 

Heat shouldn't be any problem with a Leica enlarger, it would affect any lens and I have never heard of heat affecting an enlarger lens.

 

And if your darkroom technique would allow chemicals anywhere near the lens there's no hope!

 

Gerry

[kuad]

i just got a v35 and the focotar lens is cloudy!! where/how can i replace it?

[kuad]

could leica germany clean it?

[kuad]

what is the difference between 40mm and 50mm? focotar.

[Michael Hiles]

what is the difference between 40mm and 50mm? focotar.

 

Beyond the obvious, the 40mm was used on the Focomat V35. The 50mm was used on a variety of enlargers - Focomat 1a, 1c, Valoy, and I believe the focomat 11a and 11c.

 

BTW - some recommend against short focal length enlarging lenses, due to light fall off. But if this were a serious problem, I doubt that Leitz would have gone that route with the V35 - they had a good track record of knowing what they were about, and many consider the V35 the best 35mm enlarger ever. In fact, they are all outstanding.

[LCL999]

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In December 1969 I bought a Focomat Ic, an f2.0 50mm Summicron and adapter 17672U.

The bayonet part of the Summicron screws off, you screw the head into the adapter which in turn screws into the Focomat.

 

The Focomat auto focus is spot on up to 8x10. If I do 16x20 I have to project onto the floor and manually focus. This is where the the f2 with its brighter image and smaller depth of field enables easier focussing.

 

I remember once researching getting a dedicated enlarging lens. I asked the dealer about using a camera lens in an enlarger. He said, "Don't do that. The cement that holds the elements together in normal lenses can't take heat." Then he added "Except for Leica lenses. They're OK."

 

It's nearly forty years on and it all still works brilliantly.

 

So I guess the answer to the question is

"Yes. All Leica lenses are enlarger lenses (provided you can get the right adapter.)"

[aesop]

In December 1969 I bought a Focomat Ic, an f2.0 50mm Summicron and adapter 17672U.

The bayonet part of the Summicron screws off, you screw the head into the adapter which in turn screws into the Focomat.

 

 

...fascinating. LCL999, what is the catalogue code of the lens you purchased in 1969?

[kuad]

wow!!!!! so can i use my 35mm summilux on my v35? if so, where do i find an adapter?

thanks!!!!!!!!

[Leicapaul]

wow!!!!! so can i use my 35mm summilux on my v35? if so, where do i find an adapter?

thanks!!!!!!!!

 

Before buying an adaptor, check out, if it is possible to adjust the summilux's rear lens close enough

to the negative to get it into focus. If it works, readjustment of size, distance, probably even

density of your red filter, may be recommended. Being focussed at full aperture, your papers otherwise might feel a certain touch of high noon's sunshine.

 

If it doesn't work, check the retro-position (front lens upside), which even might prove corrected

more ideally to the distance you need and easier to adapt to the enlarger, too.

 

As AF must fail with 35mm, remember the 40mm Minolta/Leica CL ...cron !

 

good luck

[stunsworth]

Doesn't this all depend on the lens having a very flat field? From memory this is one of the prime requirements of an enlarger lens - and something that the Pre-ASPH Summilux doesn't have.

 

What about the effect of heat on the internal lubrication?

[Leicapaul]

Heat shouldn't be any problem with a Leica enlarger, it would affect any lens and I have never heard of heat affecting an enlarger lens.

 

And if your darkroom technique would allow chemicals anywhere near the lens there's no hope!

 

 

 

Dear Gerry,

 

it might be a matter of taste, if a Focomat IIc works as a true cold light source or not, but there are

enough people using their lenses with other brands, including some powerful TTL heaters.

 

Optical glass itself - not talking about coatings or fluorides - wouldn't be affected by heat, not even

by common chemistry, indeed. But please remember the high precision collapsible mechanics,

sophisticated lubrication for smooth gliding of brass rings and knobs not necessary for darkroom

work, these old Elmars are famous for. Collapsible high aperture or telelenses aren`t made for

decades, because Leitz didn't risk to guarantee maintainance of unevitably close mechanical tolerances even under more common working conditions (lens cameramounted) any longer.

 

Be lucky to be able to keep your enlarger far away from any chemical influences, but meet some

amateurs in their darkened bathrooms and you may learn a lot about many fellows' real working

conditions. Maybe anybody remembers the smell and smoke of the former (doesn't it sound like

formaline/formaldehyde?) Agfacolor printing process with it's breathtaking stabilizer formula,

able to kill and preserve men!

[Leicapaul]

Doesn't this all depend on the lens having a very flat field? From memory this is one of the prime requirements of an enlarger lens - and something that the Pre-ASPH Summilux doesn't have.

 

What about the effect of heat on the internal lubrication?

 

internal lubrication could be affected - as i just tried to explain to Gerry. On the other hand, he

denies heat in Leitz enlargers. If there is no heat indeed, nothing will be affected. Flat field cor-

rection, when aperture is stepped down for enlargements, shouldn't be a problem. But for many other reasons

i would not really recommend any Summilux lens for darkroom use. I just tried to explain, how

to get it work for this purpose.

 

Most photographers, who can afford a Summilux, should look for much, much cheaper enlarge-

ment lenses to get best prints from lux negatives ! !

[gyoung]

I appreciate what 'Leicapaul' says, theoretically, but in practice I doubt if any of this is really a problem. My own use of a 50mm Elmar (and occasionally before that a 55mm Takumar) was not extensive but I never found the lens even vaguely warm, and thats using things as basic as Gnome Beta 35 as well as a Focomat 1a.

Professionally I have spent all day in the darkroom, producing bulk prints, so that the enlarger is on for probably 50% of the time, again no discernable heat build up in the lens that I can remember. Heat rises, the negs would be damaged by that much heat. I would imagine a camera lens gets warmer on a hot day (even in England!).

I was at a School of Art & Design for more than 25 years, we had 30 or more enlargers on the go at any one time, of all sorts, and dozens of lenses and I cant remember ever writing one off for heat damage, or even chemical attack with students using them.

 

The Elmar makes an excellent enlarging lens, go try it, I suspect the Summicron would be quite good because its such a good lens but in general the more complex (less symetrical) the design the less likely it is to have a flat field in close up. The idea of using a Summilux, even a 50 never mind a 35, is unlikely to be successful, uless you have some VERY thick negs !

 

Bets Wishes, Gerry

[Leicapaul]

I appreciate what 'Leicapaul' says, theoretically, but in practice I doubt if any of this is really a problem. My own use of a 50mm Elmar (and occasionally before that a 55mm Takumar) was not extensive but I never found the lens even vaguely warm, and thats using things as basic as Gnome Beta 35 as well as a Focomat 1a.

Professionally I have spent all day in the darkroom, producing bulk prints, so that the enlarger is on for probably 50% of the time, again no discernable heat build up in the lens that I can remember. Heat rises, the negs would be damaged by that much heat. I would imagine a camera lens gets warmer on a hot day (even in England!).

I was at a School of Art & Design for more than 25 years, we had 30 or more enlargers on the go at any one time, of all sorts, and dozens of lenses and I cant remember ever writing one off for heat damage, or even chemical attack with students using them.

 

The Elmar makes an excellent enlarging lens, go try it, I suspect the Summicron would be quite good because its such a good lens but in general the more complex (less symetrical) the design the less likely it is to have a flat field in close up. The idea of using a Summilux, even a 50 never mind a 35, is unlikely to be successful, uless you have some VERY thick negs !

 

Bets Wishes, Gerry

 

to whom it may concern, especially to gerry,

 

my first camera lens destroyed by heat was fixed to a movie camera in close contact to the frozen

greens of scotland while focussing seagulls for hours directly towards the autumn sun somewhere north of Wick, not in the sahara desert, nor in a darkroom. Furthermore, if anybody

insists upon using cameralenses with enlargers: YES, the 50mm Elmar, clamped, adapterized

or otherwise fixed to your enlarger will perform in a way you may regard as second to perfection,

....crons and ....luxs (similar to the 55mmTakumar Gerry mentioned) will not , not at all at the same level.

 

But certainly, deep in your heart, you feel, that there must be something beyond the Elmar. Then,

don't hesitate to try an Elmarit-R 2,8/60 !

 

talking about much more complex modern designs: did anybody try one or some of these

10 or12 element cameramacrolenses, which, theoretically, should give much light, much

correction, much comfort ?

 

Thanks for useful recommendations

 

Paul

[gyoung]

to whom it may concern, especially to gerry,

 

snip (similar to the 55mmTakumar Gerry mentioned)

 

Yes the Takumar was not very good, but it was for quick prints for newspaper level of repro, and it was all I had at the time, better than a Wray Supar which was all I could afford at the time!

 

Gerry

[Ronazle]

The focotar although old is superb. While I hesitate to ever recommend ebay, I will now. Buy a cheap focotar that probably needs cleaning. Get a CLA from a reputable repairman and you will probably have a superb enlarging/copying lens for about $100 USD. I too have one on my Reprovit IIa and one on my focomat 1 - they are great.

[Leicapaul]

The focotar although old is superb. While I hesitate to ever recommend ebay, I will now. Buy a cheap focotar that probably needs cleaning. Get a CLA from a reputable repairman and you will probably have a superb enlarging/copying lens for about $100 USD. I too have one on my Reprovit IIa and one on my focomat 1 - they are great.

 

Superb like these Focotars, but 1 step brighter, maybe custom designed for elmar enthusiasts,

Reprovit Elmars 3,5/50 appear from time to time. Most of them have been used just for copying

and - if you are lucky - there's no need for a reputable repairman's help

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[kuad]

what is better, rodenstock or focotar?

[Leicapaul]

what is better, rodenstock or focotar?

 

Which girl looks prettier, the blue eyed or her brown eyed sister ?

There are many members of the Rodenstock family, each of them supposed

- to work with a vast variety of darkroom equipment

- to be interchangeable not only with each other, but also with Schneider & friends

- to perform in a similar manner within a wide range of focal lengths, f.e. from 40 to 150mm

covering negs from 18x24mm,

but there is just a handful of Focotar models, each of them more or less built to the special demands of the corresponding Focomat enlarger.

 

Nevertheless, none of all these lenses (not mentioning R's cheap triplets) ever really failed. Most

visual differences between them, you would find out working under strictly fixed conditions, will

be egalized by adapting paper exposure and development to your needs! On the other hand,

those who focus manually, will like the extra step of brightness, Apo-Rodagons offer, most Foco-

tars don't. Those using AF can rely upon Focotars' perfect adaption to the Focomat transmission

curve, with other lenses readjustments may be recommended here and there ....

 

If all this doesn't matter, you will find the same sharpness and perfect geometry in both types of

lenses, but remarkable differences in the way of colouring and fine contrasting the paper. I dare

to say, that technical reviewers would figure out somewhat superior MTF charts as well as an

easier controllable fine contrast behaviour as benefits for the very best Rodagons,

that, on the contrary,many artisans would prefer some slight non-linearity, which gives a certain

unique touch to the best Focotar prints.

 

What's better, R.. or F... ?