Could you post a picture of this beast 12 x16 wow.
Could you post a picture of this beast 12 x16 wow.
Let me reiterate that there seems to be some confusion about what might be realistic as a ULF taking lens versus quality enlarging. Two different subjects! You
can get away with things on a 1:1 contact print that tend to be visually annoying in an enlargement. And I'd rather have a 4-element Apo Nikkor on an enlarger than anything G-Claron. The Apo Nikkor will out-perform any standard enlarging lens, while a GC is basically on par with better older ones like Componons. But yeah, going longer focal length equates to horizontal projection unless you have a very high ceiling, and ladder to go with it. And in any event, you'll have to grind a diffuser to match the specific lens you do choose. Going relatively wide-angle per film format means you will not only have to use either a very thick-at-center or substantial edge and corner burning, ALONG WITH one or two smaller lens stops to get even coverage and reasonably clean corners. I just ran a whole battery of analogous with various enlarging lenses for 8x10 film. I didn't learn anything new, but certainly confirmed it. Printing speed is significantly affected by
going wide angle. And 305 is extremely wide for 12x16.
A 'who to believe' situation might arise if you did not have the lens, however, since you have the 305 lens and a 12x16 camera, you can easily check the coverage before you build the enlarger. Take a picture of a wall with a 48" x 64" outline just filling the image area. Put a piece of newspaper with print at each corner and in the center. Check the negative with a loupe. The answer is yours.
+1 Pretty Please!Originally Posted by bob carnie
It's not that simple! Most enlarger lenses are used around f/8 to f/11. To get adequate performance in this case, the lens might have to be stopped way the hell down, both for the sake of corner resolution and a manageable level of illumination evenness. That means either slow printing times, or else you have to have a very bright light source (doable, but potentially hot, and harsh on utility bills, depending). Commercially, big enlargers like this once operated with very expensive xenon flash tubes. I've built a couple of high-output large format enlargers, so kinda know what to anticipate. Too bad Aristo still isn't in business. Back in the day
they could have made a custom high-ouput cold light.
What, you thought we were all going to agree on this? You own the lens, use it! You don't like the results buy a different lens!
As told months ago in another thread, I bought parts of a Hohlux Elektron, mainly the complete head, a big fan, and the vacuum board.
This board seems to weigh 100 Kg, it has a lentgh of 100 to 120cm, and I don't believe that I will use it.
Imagine the construction, I have to build for moving this weight...
The complete head himself weighs something around 75 Kg, maybe some more, with 8 x 1000 Watts Xenon bulbs and a speed shutter included..
The bulbs should give warm feed in my apartment right over the dark room, but I am thinking about another solution.
Here again is the picture of the original and complete monster of 840 Kg :
Standing face to face, it felt more like starting a Space Shuttle than starting an enlargement.
So sad that I was unable to lift and rescue the complete piece...
Good input here, thanks again.
Checking the coverage as described is a good idea, but I have Drews words in mind, too.
This check says not much about needed lightsource/intension for comfortably printing and the other aspects.
But it would give a first idea...
Drew, I believe in your words, but I also believe that a repro lens could give a fine enlarger lens, if not then by turning the lens with 180 degrees ( retro).
Simply physics, in my opinion, but I may be wrong, you have the experience, not me.
Luis, unfortunately I can't play around as said before.
"Buy another (longer) lens" in worst case means "build another enlarger" :-)
Ritchie
You have to post pictures !!I bought parts of a Hohlux Elektron
Wow Wow Wow- that is an incredible looking beautiful monster. try to keep it as original as you can that baseboard is gold.
As told months ago in another thread, I bought parts of a Hohlux Elektron, mainly the complete head, a big fan, and the vacuum board.
This board seems to weigh 100 Kg, it has a lentgh of 100 to 120cm, and I don't believe that I will use it.
Imagine the construction, I have to build for moving this weight...
The complete head himself weighs something around 75 Kg, maybe some more, with 8 x 1000 Watts Xenon bulbs and a speed shutter included..
The bulbs should give warm feed in my apartment right over the dark room, but I am thinking about another solution.
Here again is the picture of the original and complete monster of 840 Kg :
Standing face to face, it felt more like starting a Space Shuttle than starting an enlargement.
So sad that I was unable to lift and rescue the complete piece...
Good input here, thanks again.
Checking the coverage as described is a good idea, but I have Drews words in mind, too.
This check says not much about needed lightsource/intension for comfortably printing and the other aspects.
But it would give a first idea...
Drew, I believe in your words, but I also believe that a repro lens could give a fine enlarger lens, if not then by turning the lens with 180 degrees ( retro).
Simply physics, in my opinion, but I may be wrong, you have the experience, not me.
Luis, unfortunately I can't play around as said before.
"Buy another (longer) lens" in worst case means "build another enlarger" :-)
Ritchie
Process lenses can be superb, even better than conventional enlarger lenses. I enlarge with them all the time. But my concern is with the short focal length. Looks
like you have the firepower to handle a very thick diffuser (thick at center, thin at edges) to help the evenness of the projection. But if possible, I'd be looking to
see if anyone has any of those xenon tubes left over at a discount, cause they can be horrifically expensive to replace. Then there is the heat issue. You need a
pretty agressive pull fan system with heat-resistant ducting. But back to the bulbs... are these designed to be operable in a 90-degree position, if you project
horizontally? Not all are. Sure looks like a fun project, however. My biggest enlarger is fourteen feet tall and has a vac easel so solid I can stand on it without
deflecting it. Just the easel itself must weigh around 400 lbs. My Durst 8x10 unit looks tiny beside it. But my poor fingers... gosh, I'm paying the price with tendonitis from all that heavy moving!
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