enlarger lenses with clicking stops

[jp]

On my little enlarger, and most of the little enlargers I've used, I have an El Nikkor lens that has nice clicks for each f-stop. They also had nice big high contrast numbers indicating the f-stop choice.

My new to me 4x5 enlarger has a wollensack 162 4.5 lens, which does not click. It does a good job, but it's not very easy to use without f-stop detents and has tiny numbers that are impossible to read or adjust without turning on the overhead light.

What LF enlarger lens choices provide good f-stop clicks, high image quality for B&W, aren't super expensive, and might be slightly readable?

[SamReeves]

Rodenstock IIRC can be adjusted to click, and also will light up your ƒ-stop number. They are not terribly expensive to come by.

[jeroldharter]

Any of the Schneider, Nikon, or Rodenstock/Beseler HD 150 mm enlarging lenses will have click stops. As far as I know, none of the 150mm lenses have dis-engageable click stops (a bit more useful when doing color printing). I believe that most of the 150mm lenses have 50mm retaining rings (rather than the ubiquitous 39mm rings of smaller lenses). So if you buy a used one try to get one that included the retaining ring or else you will have to track one down.

If you do buy a used one, be aware that Beseler HD lenses are equivalent to Rodenstock Rodagon lenses but don't seem to have the cachet so they go for peanuts at auction. There is at least one available now that I just saw while browsing. You should be able to get one for ~$50, maybe much less if you are lucky.

[Drew Wiley]

Perhaps Bob can weigh in on this, but I thought Beseler lenses were Roganors or
something distinctly inferior to Rodagons. Anyway, several of my enlarging lenses
don't have click stops and it doesn't bother me at all. I focus first, set the f-stop,
then turn the lights back off. And once I had a lens which had the click stop
slightly off; caused a problem with Color printing where I was using precise exp
calculations - sold the thing.

[jeroldharter]

Perhaps Bob can weigh in on this, but I thought Beseler lenses were Roganors or
something distinctly inferior to Rodagons. ..

Beseler HD lenses are Rodagons. I believe there were others, maybe "Beselar" lenses that were lesser quality Roganars but I don't remember that there was a 150 mm in that type because they were intended for smaller enlargers.

[ic-racer]

The click stop mechanism may be gummed up or missing. I am not familiar with that lens, but some enlarging lenses have a piece of metal that rides over some notches. Others have a ball and spring.

As pointed out most (all) current enlarging lenses have clicks and in some the clicks can be defeated with a lever or by pulling the diaphragm ring.

[EdWorkman]

I use a Fuji 180- no clicks.
It used to drive me toward madness, I got used to it.
Some Beseler boards have a light pipe to illuminate the marking area, and that helps.
You may want to try to re-white the marks if they are "dim" by applying a sparing amount of white paint, then wiping it off, to leave white only in the engraved marks.
All in all, the clickless 180 f4.5 is easier to use than my clicking 100 f5.6.

[NER]

135 mm Fujinon EX.

N. Riley
http://normanrileyphotography.com

[aduncanson]

I have one of those Beseler boards with a (red) light pipe. It is not nearly as helpful for reading the aperture scale as the hand held safe light, a Jobo minilux, that I just bought.

[neil poulsen]

I have a Rodenstock Apo 50mm, and the click-stop doesn't work. But, one pulls down, adjusts, and releases part of the lens to set the minimum aperture (maximum f-stop).

This is convenient, because one can easily switch between the current printing aperture and the maximum aperture for viewing.

This lens has a lever to engage or disengage a click-stop mechanism, but it doesn't appear to work. No matter, being able to set the minimum aperture obviates the need for a click-stop.