Enlarger lenses (My Small Collection), Share Yours Too

[akfreak]

I wanted to show you guys my small enlarger lens collection. I also want to hear your opinions on them. If you dont mind tell me which ones you like and dont like. If you would keep or sell. If you like one why and if not which one you prefer and why.

I know there is a ton of information on enlarger lenses, I just wanted to share mine and hopefully you can share yours.

Starting with the smallest a Componar 50 f4.5 (4 bladed, my first one)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5191/5861934177_69cf7b413d_z.jpg

Next is my EL- Nikkor 50 2.8 I really like this one for some reason, It does well for me
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3249/5861932911_102a6f9abd_z.jpg

Next is my 90mm f4.5 my Omegatron. I like Rodenstock glass.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2691/5862489254_432479b5bc_z.jpg

Next is my 150mm f 5.6 Rodagon (this is to me a serious enlarger lens) Did I say I like Rodenstock glass?


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5193/5861936343_77424a2d5c_z.jpg

[akfreak]

My last lens is a 210mm f5.6 Comparon Schneider ( I just got it and haven't used it yet, I need to buy another lens holder for my De Vere 504 and they aren't cheap or easy to find.

If any of you own this lens, what do you think? It looks nice, I may try it on my 4x5, I am sure it will be Tak sharp based on a wall image I projected. Schneider-K seems to always make nice glass, this one is beautiful. Best thing I got it for a song.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5862484306_4669350b2d_z.jpg

[Dan Fromm]

Schneider on Comparon and Componon optimizations:


Zur Schneider-Componon-Serie wird jeder Fachmann greifen, der das feinste Detail seiner Negative in Großfotos makellos wiedergeben muß. Die optimale Korrektion dieser Componon-Objektive liegt im 10-fachen Vergrößerungsbereich.

Die Schneider-Comparon-Serie ist zur Erreichung der allgemein geschätzten
Compononleistung im 2-bis 6-fachen Vergrößerungsbereich neu geschaffen worden. Bei der Comparon-Serie liegt die optimale Korrektur im 4-fachen Vergrößerungsbereich.

Selbstverständlich kann mit dem Componon z. B. 2- bis 6-fach oder
mit dem Comparon 8- bis 12-fach vergrößert werden, genau so, wie
man mit Aufnahmeobjektiven nicht nur bei unendlich arbeiten kann.
Außergewöhnlich hohen Anforderungen kann jedoch zuverlässig
durch zweckentsprechende Objektiv-Wahl entsprochen werden.


http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/componon_comparon.pdf (9/66)

Die Serie der COMPONON-Objektive ist auf die Bereiche um 10 fache Vergrößerungen
und mehr korrigiert. - Hier gibt ein COMPONON im Fach-Vergrößerer die feinsten Negativ-Details korrekt wieder.

Die Objektive der COMPARON-Serie hingegen erreichen die gleiche optische
Leistung in der 2-6fachen und optimal bei 4facher Vergrößerung, wie sie in
der Praxis am häufigsten vorkommt.

Selbstverständlich können mit beiden Objektiv-Typen - besonders bei schwacher Abblendung — diese Maximalbereiche weitgehend überschritten werden. Man wird dabei kaum einen Unterschied feststellen, ob nun mit dem COMPONON 2- oder 6fach bzw. mit dem COMPARON 8- oder 12fach vergrößert wurde.

http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/cpr.pdf

The SCHNEIDER COMPARON series of enlarging lenses is designed to satisfy the
strict demands of professional photographers. To fulfill the requirements of
professional photography, the COMPARON with its four element, three component
design is optimized for 2x to 6x magnifications.

I've tried out a number of enlarging lenses as macro lenses. The best I've tried -- there are many, many enlarging lenses and I haven't even, um, scratched the surface -- is Wollensak's 4"/5.6 Enlarging Pro Raptar. Cheap lens when I got it. Apo El Nikkors have never, alas, been in my price range. For more details, see http://www.galerie-photo.com/1-lens-6x9-dan-fromm.html

[IanG]

Well I currently use the same 150mm Rodagon for my 5x4 work it's a superb lens I also have a 210mm & 240mm.

I've a similar 50mm El-Nikkor which I've never used, came with an enlarger but I already had a new 50mm f2.8 Componon S and similar 80mm & 105mm, and an older metal bodied 135mm & 300mm Componon S, plus a few plain Componon's 50mm, 75m, 105mm, 135mm. Also have a couple of Comparon's that never get used and a cheap Componar. I do like Schneider enlarger lenses particularly the Componon S :D

Must have quite a few others, 50 & 75mm El Rokkors a couple of Durst Neonons, an Omega, and some cheap lesser known Japanese lenses plus a Russian horror on a Leningrad enlarger :)

Time to get rid of more . . . . .

Ian

[voigtf64]

i would like to recommend the ektar enlarging lenses and the tth ental 2 lenses especially as taking lenses ,favourite sizes are 75mm and 100/105mm, cheers jwhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/voigtf64/

[neil poulsen]

No photographs, but here are mine:

f5.6 Apo Rodagon 50mm

Apo Rodagon 120mm

150mm El Nikkor A

240mm Apo Rodagon.

Last one is a process lens that's ideal for enlarging 8x10. Optimum Aperture is f16.

[ic-racer]

I think I have 12 or 13 enlarging lenses around here. This is the biggest:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/2011/360Componon.jpg

[ic-racer]

150mm f5.6 Componon, 80mm f5.6 Componon and 210mm f5.6 Componon:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/three1.jpg

[ic-racer]

Rodenstock 300mm f5.6
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/vaplarodenstock.jpg

[akfreak]

Some very nice glass here. I love to see that I didnt make bone head choices when buying enlarger glass. Which one is your favorite you own, any why?

[Michael N. Meyer]

I came into a bunch of enlarging lenses at one point. They're just sitting around now...

135mm f5.6 EL-Nikkor
135mm f4.5 Wollensak Enlarging Raptar
100mm f5.6 Vivitar VHE
50mm f4.5 Leitz Focotar

I think I've got a 50mm Nikkor and maybe another 50mm something or other kicking about as well.

They're all just sitting... I for a while I intended to get a PB-4 to use with the 135s on my DSLRs, but it never happened. Not really needed and so the money went elsewhere. The Leitz is on an elegant little Focomat 1a that I wanted to use for a small 35mm darkroom in my Brookyn apartment bathroom, but that also seemed unnecessary since I've got access to a darkroom at work. So they just sit. I'm still holding out on the idea that I'll eventually use the 135s on a bellows setup but the Focomat/Focotar I'm thinking of turning into a floor lamp...

[ic-racer]

A couple more. Eskofot Ultragon 305mm and Fujinar 250mm. Both process lenses used as enlarger lenses.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/2011/eskofot305.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/2011/MountedFujinon250.jpg

[ic-racer]

240mm Componon-S
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/2011/240mmComponon-s.jpg

[cyrus]

Does anyone really need 26 different enlarger lenses?
YES.
YES, THEY DO.

Especially when they were free or cheap.

My largest is 360mm mounted on a Durst Valpa. The one way in the back is a 300mm Compy-S which is hopelessly scratched by that soft rubber front cap which was used to "protect" it. I'm saving it for a "special effects" lens.
Two other lenses are dinged up pretty good on the barrel edges but otherwise work fine. The problem is now finding all the right bits and pieces to mount the lenses onto the enlargers. Moving from a Beseler to a Durst/Omega combo makes that harder than it should be.

[akfreak]

Try finding mounting stuff for a Devere 504, That my friend is an up hiill battle

[ic-racer]

240mm f5.6 Componon-S:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/2011/240mmComponon-s-1.jpg

[gary mulder]

these are some mine,

first
Apo Rodagon 180mm
Apo Companon HM 150
Rodagon 240 mm

second
Rodagon-G 300mm
Rodagon-G 150mm
Rodagon-G 105mm

third
Apo Rodagon-N 80mm
Apo Rodagon-N 50mm
In laratub's
http://hamses.home.xs4all.nl/lens1.jpg
http://hamses.home.xs4all.nl/lens2.jpg
http://hamses.home.xs4all.nl/lens3.jpg

[rjmeyer314]

On my 8x10 Elwood I now use a 180mm Repromaster. In the past I have used (and still have) a 10" Kodak Ektanon and a 210mm Fax Nikkor.

On my 5x7 Elwood I use a 131mm Repromaster.

On my Omega D2V I use a 80mm Repromaster for eveything from 6x6 to 4x5 (it will cover 4x5)

On my Beseler 45M I use a 50mm Schneider Componon for 35mm, a 80mm Componon for 6x6, a 105 mm Red Dot Artar for 6x7 and 6x9, and a 150mm Componon for 4x5. For 16mm on this enlarger I use a 25mm Mamiya Enla-Head attachment.

I also have an old 35mm Durst enlarger that I have used for 16mm enlarging in the past with a 28mm(?) Voss.

[Brian K]

80mm APO Rodagon
105mm APO Rodagon
120mm WA Rodagon
150mm APO Rodagon
180 APO Rodagon
180mm Rodagon
210mm EL- Nikkor
240mm EL- Nikkor
240mm EL-Nikkor
300mm EL-Nikkor

Mostly I use the 240mm, hence two of them, one on each Durst L184.

[Mark Sawyer]

Mostly I use the 240mm, hence two of them, one on each Durst L184.

Oh, now that's just disgustingly decadent. A man after my own heart! :D

[Brian K]

Oh, now that's just disgustingly decadent. A man after my own heart! :D

Mark it's more practical than decadent. In my current work flow I mostly use the 240mm. And I bought a second L184 so that if I got stuck on a print I could leave the clean, newton free negative in the carrier, all set up an focused, sized, etc, and just use the second enlarger. In the past if I got stuck I'd either leave it set up and dump the chemistry, or pull the neg out and set up a new neg. But now I can just switch enlargers without having to remove the lens. Also while a test print is drying down, I can start to work on a different neg if I want.

[ic-racer]

Mark it's more practical than decadent. In my current work flow I mostly use the 240mm. And I bought a second L184 so that if I got stuck on a print I could leave the clean, newton free negative in the carrier, all set up an focused, sized, etc, and just use the second enlarger. In the past if I got stuck I'd either leave it set up and dump the chemistry, or pull the neg out and set up a new neg. But now I can just switch enlargers without having to remove the lens. Also while a test print is drying down, I can start to work on a different neg if I want.

Yea, I tried that excuse with my wife and she said to just get a second negative carrier...:mad:

[bob carnie]

Wow you got me beat by 10 lenses, but I am not counting the bad ones that are sitting in the garage.


Does anyone really need 26 different enlarger lenses?
YES.
YES, THEY DO.

Especially when they were free or cheap.

My largest is 360mm mounted on a Durst Valpa. The one way in the back is a 300mm Compy-S which is hopelessly scratched by that soft rubber front cap which was used to "protect" it. I'm saving it for a "special effects" lens.
Two other lenses are dinged up pretty good on the barrel edges but otherwise work fine. The problem is now finding all the right bits and pieces to mount the lenses onto the enlargers. Moving from a Beseler to a Durst/Omega combo makes that harder than it should be.

[SeanEsopenko]

I have 6.


el nikkor 50mm 2.8
rodenstock rodagon 80mm 5.6
el nikkor 150mm 5.6
componon-s 50mm 2.8
componon-s 80mm 4
componon-s 150mm 5.6


I mounted the componon-s on my omega D for the first time today. I was surprised to see it didn't directly thread into the turret like all of the other lenses I've used. It's a beautiful lens, though, with nice large elements. I haven't used the recently acquired schneiders a whole lot yet but I really want to give them some good use and determine my thoughts on them compared to the nikkors I've been using.

I also have a turret of fairly old rodagons. I don't know what the turret belonged to exactly but it was given to me by a friend who found it at a garage sale for $10. The 50mm's a 5.6 if I remember correctly...