enlarger lens coverage

[brian steinberger]

Just the other day I bought a Beseler 45M enlarger. It came with 3 lenses, a 75mm, a 90mm, and a 127mm. The 127mm is intended for 4x5 use, and I projected a 4x5 negative yesterday just to check out the enlarger and the corners are getting clipped with the 127mm. Why is this? Do I need a larger focal length to cover 4x5?

[ronald moravec]

Normally the shortest lens for 4/5 enlarging is 135mm with a 150mm being preferred. I never heard of a 127 enlarging lens. The only 127 were on Poloroid cameras and some Graphic 4x5`s. I remember usind the Polorid on 4x5 and it barlly covered at infinity, so it should be ok for enlarging.

Then it could be the condensers.

[Bob Salomon]

There are wide angle enlarging lenses for 4x5 like the 120 Rodagon WA that fully cover 45 at all apertures.

[Richard Rankin]

Also, did you make sure that the top bellows is moved to the 4x5 marker? The top bellows should be pretty well compressed.

Cheers, Richard

[Jim Ewins]

I've used a 90mm lens to enlarge a 4x5 to 8x10 on my Saunders 4500II with comparable good results to my 135mm.