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Thread: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

  1. #1

    Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    Hello,

    Last week i bought a 4x5 inch enlarger for 25 euro from Fujimoto. It is a 450M-D. I have ordered new glasses (1 normal and 1 AN glas) for the negative holder from Focal Point inc. via internet. I have made lens plates myself made from 1 mm black anodized aluminium plate.

    All in all it is a perfect working 4x5 enlarger build like a tank. And it is very easy do take apart so i can put it away when not in use.

    As an enlarger lens i would like to use a schneider kreuznach G-glaron 150 mm/9 lens that i happen to have around and that happens to have an diaframe ring so i can stop it down to 45 or so.
    Is this lens usable for enlarging 4x5 (it coveres 4x5 i have read the specs) and than i mean does it give a good quality. I think i an going to be making 30x40 cm enlargements at most.

    Like to hear from you,
    Gerard

  2. #2
    David de Gruyl's Avatar
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    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    It might be a little dim, but it should work. Whether that particular lens is a good lens for enlarging, I'll let someone else answer.

    I use (among others) a 150mm f/9 process lens for enlarging without issue. I sometimes need the extra coverage compared to 135mm.

  3. #3
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    I'd think that would work fine.

  4. #4

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    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    It will be very inferior compared to an enlarging lens. As it is a process lens it is also designed to be optimal only at f22. That will put you into very long exposure times which can result in reciprocity failure as well as being more prone to vibration problems over such a long time.
    An enlarging lens will normally hit optimal performance about 2 stops dow so around f11. That would result in normal exposure times.
    In addition an enlarging lens is made for use in a darkroom so it has features for working in a darkroom. Like illuminated aperture rings, pre-set aperture seletion setting and dis-engageable click stops. Your lens would have none of these benefits.

  5. #5
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    Might be fine for basic black and white work. Dim or not is relative to your light source. Optics are adequate, but illumantion falloff at this focal length will dictate a
    bit of edge and corner burning; but this is typical of most scenarios. Try it. But ideally,
    a faster dedicated enlarging lens with less depth of field can prevent dust and scratches etc on the outside surfaces of the glass from being brought into focus.
    I've tested G-clarons on enlargers just for the fun of it, and found them to be better than some old enlarging lenses, though I don't actually use them for this purpose.

  6. #6

    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    Hello,

    First of all thanks for al the replies. For now i just try this lens and see what is is worth. I'll keep my eye on a 150 mm rodagon.

    @Bob

    I have read the specs on the Schneider Kreuznach (SK) site. And i agree that it is a proces lens. SK say that is is a lens mainly for copy between 1:5 and 5:1. They also say that this lens can be used to work at infinitiy but that then the optimal diafram is 22 (that also give the greates coverage). So i wander if this lens performs best at 22 for all situations or that it's just at infinitiy that f22 is nessesary. For repro (1:5 and 5:1) the choices of diaframes to work with may wel be bigger. And if i use this lens at 5:1 a 4x5 would end up being 20x25 inch. Thats 50x60 and thats much bigger than i want to go. For start i would like to make say 8x10 inch on 12x16 with a white edge.

    But that is al theory to my opinion. As soon as i have the negativeholder glasses i'll try this lens and decide if i like it or not. I'll post the result on this forum.

    Gerard

  7. #7

    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    Hello,

    Ik have a second question. I can get a Rodenstock Ysaron lens,1:4,5 f=135 mm no 4974301 for very little money (say 5 $). I suppose it is someware in the quality range of a trinar.....but i cant get much info on this lens. Rememer that i wil not be making large photo's so i may not be needing a top lens. I have used a trinar for 6x6 in the past and frankly is wasn't bad at all. All i could find on this ysaron is that it is a tessar type.

    And is 135 mm good enough for 4x5?

    Like to hear from you,
    Gerard

  8. #8

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    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    Quote Originally Posted by Gerard de Vrueh View Post
    Hello,

    Ik have a second question. I can get a Rodenstock Ysaron lens,1:4,5 f=135 mm no 4974301 for very little money (say 5 $). I suppose it is someware in the quality range of a trinar.....but i cant get much info on this lens. Rememer that i wil not be making large photo's so i may not be needing a top lens. I have used a trinar for 6x6 in the past and frankly is wasn't bad at all. All i could find on this ysaron is that it is a tessar type.

    And is 135 mm good enough for 4x5?

    Like to hear from you,
    Gerard
    I've used the Ysaron 80mm and it was a decent performer. Don't use it for overly large magnifications. Keep an eye out for Nikkor or Rodagon lenses. The 135mm will cover the 4x5 format, but for optimum performance, you might want to look for a 150.
    Michael W. Graves
    Michael's Pub

    If it ain't broke....don't fix it!

  9. #9
    bob carnie's Avatar
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    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    I can recommend the Apo Rodagan with f 4, I would buy it again.

  10. #10
    jp's Avatar
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    Re: Enlarger lens for 4x5 inch

    I use 135mm with 4x5 enlarging. It's fine for me. A used el-nikkor or schneider componon-s will be very good for B&W printing. Either should be available all day for $100-200.

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