My $20 enlarger

[John Kasaian]

At least that's what I remember bidding on it well over a decade ago---a Leitz Valoy 2 with the lens!
I cleaned it up and in doing so made a mess of the already badly scarred Baryta square painted on the base board.
Since I didn't know what it was for, I sanded and refinished the base board, put it all away and forgot about it until now---well not really---I a few year ago I found an appropriate Leitz easel and added that to the party.

Lately I've been thinking about using it for contact printing 8x10s(it's a 35mm of course---I'd use it as a light source replacing the Meopta 4x4 I've been using)

Which brings me back to that painted on Baryta square which is now sadly missing.
What's it good for? Certainly not for fine focusing, I'm thinking, since it wouldn't compensate for the thickness of the printing paper, much less an easel.

Any Leitz/Leica folks out there know what the Baryta white square on the baseboard is supposed to be used for?

[Jerry Bodine]

A Leica user a loooong time ago. If you don't get a response here maybe you could try the Leica Forum; someone there would likely have your answer.

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/forum/144-darkroom/

This link is all set up for you to post your question as a non-member, I think.

[John Kasaian]

A Leica user a loooong time ago. If you don't get a response here maybe you could try the Leica Forum; someone there would likely have your answer.

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/forum/144-darkroom/

This link is all set up for you to post your question as a non-member, I think.

Thanks, Jerry!

[LabRat]

Some would print borderless prints by placing a piece of plate glass over the paper, but would (crudely) focus on the square...

Also, some would use a copy camera attachment instead of the head for downshooting, so that would be an area for copy objects, too...

For 35mm printing, those are about the best enlarger out there, and if you get all the ducks in the row, the 11X14's you can pull can look a lot like LF.... Scary!!!

Pull some old and new 35 negs and check it out... Don't just waste it as a light source (though an excellent light source)!!!

Steve K

[Jac@stafford.net]

I have never seen a Valoy or any other Leitz baseboard with a painted square or any other shape. My guess is that a previous owner painted it to help align a contact printer. You can do the same with tape.

[alexmuir]

There's a book called Leica Darkroom Practice, or similar, that is mainly about using the V35, but has an excellent historical section about earlier enlargers, with plenty of good illustrations. Valoy and Valoy II are included. I don't recall seeing any white squares, so suspect, as above , it's a user modification.
Alex


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[Serge S]

I confirm that as well. I looked in the Morgan & Lester Leica Book and found nothing about any baseboard accessories that seems to be related to what you are asking.

There's a book called Leica Darkroom Practice, or similar, that is mainly about using the V35, but has an excellent historical section about earlier enlargers, with plenty of good illustrations. Valoy and Valoy II are included. I don't recall seeing any white squares, so suspect, as above , it's a user modification.
Alex


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[ic-racer]

it wouldn't compensate for the thickness of the printing paper

Not needed. The focal spread, even with an enlarging lens wide open, is greater than paper thickness. See for yourself then next time you are enlarging.