Enlarging lens for 8x10

**Kevin Crisp** · 8-Mar-2006, 07:29

Henry: I have the Beseler (sp) V series enlarger with an 8X10 head. I orginally used the Beseler APO HD lens which came with it, a 240mm, which I understand is a lower-end Rodenstock product. That lens (VERY inexpensive used) made fine 16X20 prints and it is small enough I can use the swing arm VC filter holder. I bought the 210 Nikkor not realizing how big it was and I was thinking it would be my 5X7 lens. I tried it one day with 8X10 and it worked very well and that is the one I use now. My only reason for not going larger than 16X20 is that my sink (Patrick Alt's old sink, actually, part of a long story...) can't handle the trays and I haven't gotten around to building a larger one. At 16X20 both lenses are sharp to the edges. The Nikkor requires using Ilford sheets on top of the diffuser panel for filtering, which is inconvenient. (I am working on an extender for the filter drawer which will solve this.) The pluses are that it requires less column height and, best of all, you don't need to raise the bellows between the lens stage and the top unit as much, which makes everything easier to keep in alignment. I know people look down on the APO HD lens but, again, it has worked well for me and that is an option. Depending on lens board size you may have to trim the mounting flange to get it to fit with the Nikkor.

Something to think about, and maybe slightly changing the subject, I never got prints REALLY sharp at the edges until I bit the bullet and got the Versalab alignment tool. After spending tedious hours with the t-square trying to align my enlarger I tried that tool and found out how precise the factory-recommended procedure for aligning the enlarger was not. It made a huge difference, I check things and make minor tweaks before printing sessions

**John Berry ( Roadkill )** · 8-Mar-2006, 13:25

I cranked it all the way up and got about 4' square out of 12" square coldlight. About a stop dropoff from center to edge. But that is farther than any neg goes. I dropped it down to 20x24 size. Wide open I had a half stop drop in a 10" square center to edge. @ f-ll Just under a quarter stop dropoff. With my peak focuser you could tell it was just a little soft on the corner from focused center. Was very close though. You might not notice if you were using an image focuser rather than a grain focuser. All in and tight by f-11. I'm usually printing with 11 or 16 20-30sec with the coldlight. It has a daylight tube in it, and contrast filters work hunky dory without having to add a shift filter. Just a FYI. And this is with my $42.00 e-bay special. Not mint but not an anchor either.

**Henry Ambrose** · 9-Mar-2006, 07:53

Thanks guys,
I just bought a 10 inch Kodak Enlarging Ektanon on eBay. I only -think- it will cover but it was cheap and it is coated, supposedly in wonderful shape. I know that some old Kodak taking lenses are still excellent even by today's standards - who knows about this one? I'll try this and if I don't get good results I'll try the 210 Nikkor or 300 Rodagon based on your good information. I'm still in the planning stages on the enlarger and having this lens in hand will be helpful.

Now I wonder where to find a good used bellows? What device would have used a 10-12 inch square bellows? I'm probably making a head of that size to give plenty of even illumination over an 8x10 negative.

**Ralph Barker** · 9-Mar-2006, 08:13

FWIW, Henry, I've been thinking about building an 8x10 enlarger using the bellows from my Toyo 810G monorail. That way, the bellows can do double duty.

**Henry Ambrose** · 9-Mar-2006, 10:02

Ralph,
Thats a really good thought especially with a modular camera design, but my 8x10 camera bellows does not detach easily. I bet someone has an old 8x10 camera bellows? It would not have to be perfect to work for an enlarger. Once I get the lens I suppose I can figure out how long a bellows I'll need. It might even work with a simple sliding "box in a box" design.

**Rob Hale** · 10-Mar-2006, 14:53

Hi Kevin.
"The Nikkor requires using Ilford sheets on top of the diffuser panel for filtering"
How or where can I found out about these Ilford sheets? I have had a quick look at Ilford's site but these sheets are either not on the site or I missed them.