Now that enlarging lenses are cheap...

[John_4185]

Making a milestone, perhaps.

Given that LF enlarging lenses seem to becoming more affordable, I'd appreciate any recommendadions for "the best" 4x5 enlarger lens.

Thank you!

John

[Donald Brewster]

Like modern large format lenses, there is not much difference between the major brands. All are good. The Schnieder Componon lenses, the El-Nikkors from Nikon, or the Rodagons and Apo-Rodagons from Rodenstock would all be fine choices.

[Bob Salomon]

You should be more specific. New enlarging lenses have not come down in price. Used ones probably have and some camera stores may have close outs on their darkroom department.

[robc]

All depends on magnification(s) required.

e.g. for 11x14 print a Rodagon-G 150mm would be useless since its optimised for 20x magnification

N.B. optional should read optimal

you will struggle to get the figures for other makes of lens unless you have access to original literature which comes with the lenses. The Table below may now be out of date for current lenses.




<TABLE border=1>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD align=middle>[b]Notes:1. Adapter for M 39 x
1/26" supplied2. Specifications are subject to change without
notice</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[John_4185]

Bob Salomon: You should be more specific. New enlarging lenses have not come down in price. Used ones probably have and some camera stores may have close outs on their darkroom department.

Thanks for the nudge. I am looking for an enlarging lens for 4x5, 4X enlargement. The more contrasty, sharper the better. Maximum aperture is not terribly important. Fitting - it would be good if it were a typical M-Type but I can make a deviant fit the enlarger. No problem.

[jj_4045]

While you are at it Bob, what 210 would be the best for 5x7 negs to 12x16 paper and to 20x24 at the largest?

[Bob Salomon]

Rodagon. I think we have a 210 Rodagon and a couple of 210 Rogonars S lenses on our web site on close out. They were the show demos until they were discontinued.

[Ernest Purdum]

For a 4X enlargement, you might be able to find a Schneiuder Comparon at a really cheap price. These often sell poorly because people confuse them with the Componar, Schneider's budget line. The Comparon was optimized at 4X and recommended by Schneider for use in the 2 to 6X range. By contrast, the Componon was optimized at 10X

[Michael S. Briggs]

The question was the the "best" lens at an affordable price, not the cheapest. In my opinion, that means a six element lens -- pretty much the list that Donald gave: El-Nikkor, Rodagon, Componon. (Affordable rules out the

Apo-Rodagon-N and Apo-Componon.)

According to Nikon, the 150 and 210 El-Nikkors are optimized for 4X and usable from 2X to 8X.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think my 150mm Apo-Componon is the best enlarging lens I have. I bought it used for about half the price of a new one.

[Richard Schlesinger]

I've been shopping enlarging lenses on e-bay recently and found that many are 20 to 30 years old or more. Bob Salomon says that with Rodenstock at least there has been constant 'upgrading' over the years and that lenses older than 10 or so may not be up to more recent production. I would assume the same is true for Nikon and Schneider. Only Rodenstock and Schneider make age dating possible. Also, age can add a 'patina' to the glass that is not desirable.

[Donald Hutton]

Bob Salomon makes a living from selling new Rodenstock lenses - not second hand ones....

[Bob Salomon]

Don,

That is very astute, but it doesn't eliminate the fact that the factories are constantly improving the way they melt glass, grind glass, coat glass, mount glass, center glass and otherwise improve their lenses.

I did not say that you had to buy new. I said a lens that is more then 10 years old may - and probably will - have parts or mounts incompatible with newer lenses.

[Donald Hutton]

Bob

I am somewhat sceptical that the upgrading is aimed at providing an improved product for consumers (especially given that lens manufacturers simply introduce a new line if they really think they are offering something "new" - at very least, they seem to change the naming of ranges of lenses at every opportunity) - I suspect that if there have been any improvements in manufacturing processes, they have resulted in reduced costs, not "higher" quality of the end product. I cannot imagine that any enlarging lens manufactured in the past 20 years had an "incompatible" mount?

That said, I am not disputing your very wide knowledge on these matters and your willingness to disburse this information to interested parties - I am simply pointing out to the interested parties that you have a vested interested in having consumers purchase new lenses - not old ones.

[Bob Salomon]

Don,

Then take a new and a 20 year old lens apart and swap them yourself.

As for improvements. Go try a new one vs and old one in a properly aligned enlarger with a glass carrier at optimal aperture and magnification.

Then you won't have to be a skeptic.

[Donald Hutton]

Bob

I am a skeptic because I have tried a 2 year old Componon-S next to a twelve year old identical lens. There was zero difference - and yes, my enlarger is properly aligned and is fitted with a glass carrier.

As for taking 20 year old lenses apart and swapping them - what's the point of that statement - someone is interested in purchasing the second hand lens to use - not to take it apart and muck around with it.

[Joakim Ahnfelt]

I have an Rodenstock APO Gerogon 240 mm as an enlarging lens. It wasn't in the list so I begun to wonder what kind of lens it is? Any one that knows?

[Bob Salomon]

Don,

What I have always said was that if a lens is more then 10 years old current parts and fittings will not fit it. Nor will its parts fit the newest mounts.

That you turned into a skeptical statement. Sorry about that.

As for the diffences between your Schneider lenses. I represent Rodenstock. The results are not identical between brands.

[Bob Salomon]

Your Apo Gerogon is a wide field process lens optimized for 1:1 reproduction of flat art on a vertical copy camera. It will not perform as well as an enlarging lens. It is also designed to be used at f22 only.

[robc]

the list I posted was current a year or two ago. If the lens was out of production then, then it would not be in the list. I have no idea when production stopped for that lens.

[Joakim Ahnfelt]

Thanks for the info on the Gerogon. I'll look for another enlarging lens. Since they're so cheap these days...