50mm Lens Choices... and which of my lenses sucks most

[patrickjames]

Odds are you won't see the difference between lenses if your enlarger is not aligned. I have tested a bunch of 50mm lenses in my life and most of the 6 element lenses are good enough. If you take the time to align your enlarger properly (I prefer laser alignment) and use a glass carrier you will begin to see the differences in lenses. Of the 50mm(ish) lenses I have, the best is a Zeiss, followed by Computar DL/C.E Rokkor-X/Fujinon EX are about equal then the Componon/Rodagons (non-APO). It is difficult to tell the differences between lenses unless I compare the Componon/Rodagons against the Zeiss. Personally I wouldn't waste time/money on a cheap lens. I paid $20 or less for the Computar/Rokkor/Fujinon lenses at different times. A box of paper cost $80-100 these days.

[ckpj99]

Thanks for all the input folks. To address a couple of things. I need to do an alignment on my enlarger, but I have no clue what I'm doing. So I'll need to research that. And frankly, I'm happy with the enlargements I'm getting. So I'm in no big rush. I just don't want to be missing out on something.

I found a bunch of great 50mm lenses on eBay and KEH. So I'll start keeping an eye out for those first.

So any good resources out there on the web for enlarger alignment?

[Bob Salomon]

Thanks for all the input folks. To address a couple of things. I need to do an alignment on my enlarger, but I have no clue what I'm doing. So I'll need to research that. And frankly, I'm happy with the enlargements I'm getting. So I'm in no big rush. I just don't want to be missing out on something.

I found a bunch of great 50mm lenses on eBay and KEH. So I'll start keeping an eye out for those first.

So any good resources out there on the web for enlarger alignment?

Why not call and ask Beseler?

[Scotty230358]

Given that enlarger lenses can be had for reasonable sums thiese days may I suggest the following

Rodenstock Rodagon - in all focal lengths
Schneider Componon S - in all focal lengths
50mm EL Nikkor f2.8
63mm EL Nikkor f2.8
80mm EL Nikkor f5.6

All these are 6 element lenses and are of a very high quality. If you are only printing monochrome I am unconvinced that APO lenses are really necessary.

I own Examples of all the lenses I have suggested and get excellent performance out of them all.

[Jody_S]

It's pretty easy to test them, it will only cost you a few sheets of paper to enlarge the same 35mm neg using all 3 lenses and compare results. I don't know if you'll be able to tell them apart, if you shoot them all at f11-16.

[rdenney]

Look at the images through a grain focuser. If you can seen sharply defined grain across the image, edge-to-edge at a reasonable working aperture, then you gain little by upgrading your enlarging lenses. The grain focuser itself is a better investment than lenses that may only be very slightly better. Not having the enlarger accurately focused at the grain level is an easier and more damaging mistake than not having the best enlarging lens.

Rick "mutatis mutandis--do not change what does not need changing" Denney

[ckpj99]

rdenney. I have a good grain focuser, so I'm guess I'm on the right track, lol. Thanks for all your help. I'm researching aligning my enlarger. It's a little difficult to find any. I figured out the "z axis" adjustment for the whole enlarger head, the front to back tilt. Got that leveled up with the baseboard. I'm really having trouble figuring out the "y axis" adjustment for the negative carrier. I can get it to tilt (quite a lot), but I don't know how to lock it or adjust it finely, because it snaps back to "zero."

I have a Beseler 45 MXT.

[patrickjames]

Alignment of the film stage to the baseboard is the most critical alignment, but you should get the lens aligned too.

Back in the 90's I was happy with the prints I made. I was in a bunch of shows, won a bunch of awards in the old Luminos Printmakers contests, blah blah blah, so apparently others were happy too. Then I bought a glass negative carrier. Wow I thought. What a difference. Then a couple years later I happened upon the Zeiss lens and wondered why it was so sharp in the center but not at the edges. Cue the laser alignment tool. The point of this is you don't know how much better it can be until it is better! If you are really concerned about the best print quality then just spring for (or borrow) a laser alignment tool. Everyone I know uses the Versalab. Get a glass neg carrier too preferably with anti-newton glass on top.

If you don't want to deal with any of this, then just go in your darkroom and have fun. Nothing wrong with that.

[jose angel]

A Beseler enlarger? Ouch, these are hard to align, but they can be perfectly aligned.

First of all, as Patrick says, I find that a laser alignment tool is a must for serious printers. It saves a lot of time in the adjustment process and checking. A lot.

If I recall it correctly, the whole enlarger head (that is, the film stage to the baseboard) is not that bad to adjust. There are two screws, one for the "y" axis at the bottom of the head holder (very easy to adjust), another for the "x" axis in the vertical plate (a bit at right) of the head holder... I recall this one as an eccectric bolt&screw or so (?). I remember to have it correctly aligned. Edit: I`m not sure if this is only for 23C type enlargers.

The lensboard stage is the hardest to align; the adjusting system is almost useless... the only way is to buy an adjustable, double plate board (the one with three adjusting screws), or to build a similar one.

[ic-racer]

Alignment of the film stage to the baseboard is the most critical alignment, but you should get the lens aligned too.

Alignment of Film stage to lens is most critical. The bigger you enlarger the more leeway you have on the baseboard and the closer lens and film have to match.