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View Full Version : El Nikkor Compared to Componon-S Enlarger Lenses



neil poulsen
26-Oct-2000, 08:57
Has anyone done a side by side comparison between a Componon-S and an El Nikkor enlarger lens? The El Nikkor's appear to be less expensive, yet sharpness and c ontrast appear to be Nikkor strengths. I'm interested in a 100mm or 105mm, alth ough it's possible a valid comparison could be made at any focal length.

Sal Santamaura
26-Oct-2000, 11:18
The best I can offer is a reference to the Sept/Oct 1985 and Jan/Feb 1986 issues of Darkroom & Creative Camera Techniques. Then read Post Exposure, and have Ctein convince you there's so much sample-to-sample variation that inter-brand comparisons are of dubious value. Despite his discussion of randomly imperfect element centering, he does include a table of his own enlarger lens test results.

paul owen
26-Oct-2000, 14:59
I have used both Nikkor and Schneider enlarging lenses and cannot see any visible difference between either, they are both excellent !!! Now I use Schneider enlarging lenses simply because I managed to pick up "as new" used ones at a good price, but I doubt if anyone would be able to tell what brand of lenses were used for any print!!!!!!

Pete Andrews
27-Oct-2000, 06:55
Hear, hear, Paul."If the picture is good enough, then who cares if the camera was good enough?" (- H.Cartier-Bresson, I believe.)