Enlarger Lens coverage

[Mark Kononczuk]

Hi,
I've got an old 5x7 DeVere enlarger.
I have a Rodenstock Rodagon 210 Lens, a Wollensak Raptar 7 1/2", 190 mm Lens, a Rodagon 80mm Lens and a Meopta Meogon 50mm Lens.

I do wet plate 24cm x 24cm (9 1/2 inch) glass negs, 5x4 standard LF film and 6cm x 6cm medium format film.
My problems are as follows:
With the wet plate I have the corners cut off by the 210 and 190 lenses. What lens do i need to get those corners covered?
With 5x4 the maximum image i can make with fully extended head is 50x40cm (19x15"). The baseboard cannot be flipped down.
I suspect that the largest medium format image i will be able to make will be Tiny.
The smaller lenses do not focus at all. Maybe they are not enlarger lenses?
Do i need a different Lens for the medium format?
Or is this an enlarger strictly dedicated to 5x7? So i have to buy a 5x7 camera?
Thanks,
Mark

[ic-racer]

I've got an old 5x7 DeVere enlarger...I do wet plate 24cm x 24cm (9 1/2 inch) glass negs ... I have the corners cut off ...

Fantastic enlarger!!

However, last time I checked, 9 1/2" was larger than 7" :D

You need an 8x10 enalrger. Or just use the 5"x7" portion of the glass plate.

The shorter focal length lenses likely need recessed lensboards. You should be able to enlarge medium format negatives to the entire width of the baseboard with the 80mm Rodagon. That is a nice lens BTW, as is the 210mm Rodenstock. The Wollensack should work for 4x5 and the Meopta for 35mm, though I use an 80mm lens for 35mm enlarging so I can get my head in there easier.

If it did not come with the owner's manual, try to track one down. That should answer some of the questions and give guidelines for use.

Do you need to buy a 5x7 camera? Yes...why ask...who is going to say 'No';)

[Pieter]

80mm is the standard enlarger lens for medium format, but I usually use a135mm for making 8x10 prints, just using the sweet spot of that lens.

[Joe O'Hara]

To make larger prints of 4x5 negatives you will need shorter focus lenses, say 150 or 135mm. Roll film (square format) is usually enlarged with an 80mm lens. I cannot make out the different focal lengths shown in the first photo, which I suppose shows how to arrange the condenser lenses for various focal lengths. If it shows a setting for 80 or 50mm lenses you should be able to get them to focus. You may need to move the enlarger head up or down to do that. I'm not familiar with this particular enlarger but I've not encountered one that cannot be used for formats smaller than the maximum it can handle. The vignetting you see on your wet plate negatives is most likely because the image is not fully illuminated: both of the image dimensions are larger than the longer of 5x7. To enlarge those you'd need an 8x10 enlarger, which is huge. Or you could scan them and make digital negatives from them of any desired size, and contact print them.

[Mark Kononczuk]

I had the bit onto which you put the negative holder machine drilled out so my glass plate would fit there instead. The biggest sqauare they could drill out was a 9 1/2 inches square, so that's the size i use. I was very surprised at how small the 5x4 prints are, though. I think i will buy one of those wooden Russian FkD cameras with an industar Lens. ( From the Ukraine, of course, not from Russia). Recessed lense is maybe the answer to the medium format issue. Thanks you very much for your help,
Mark

[xkaes]

Just measure the diagonal of the image/negative and that is the minimum focal length lens you need. There are some exceptions, but this is a good rule of thumb.

[Mark Kononczuk]

Aha

[Mark Kononczuk]

So I need a 350mm lens?

[Mark Kononczuk]

I'm kinda thinking that maybe the hole ( as in, the top end of the lens ) is too small with regards to the size of the glass plate?

[ic-racer]

So I need a 350mm lens?

Yes or more common is a 360mm lens. But you will also need a 10x10 enlarger. Your current enlarger can only get the 7"x7" square in the middle, so the 210mm should cover even though it is a little shorter than the diagonal of 7x7. I don't have the specs on the Rodenstock 210mm, but the Schnieder Componon-S, at the smallest magnification on the spec sheet ( 20x20 print from 7x7") negative should cover even though the diagonal of 7"x7" is 250mm.

[maltfalc]

might be easier at this point to remove the enlarger head and mount your camera in it's place with a diy light source and film holder on top.

[Mark Kononczuk]

might be easier at this point to remove the enlarger head and mount your camera in it's place with a diy light source and film holder on top.

Good idea but my camera is huge compared to the enlarger. 😁

[Mark Kononczuk]

Is there an easy way to make a DIY lightsource? I have read loads of complicated stuff about overheating LEDs, but What about just a lightbulb in a Black box? My old Meopta Magnifax 4 just had a halogen and a diffusor and it made cracking prints.

[Len Middleton]

BTW, your enlarger looks to be a condenser enlarger, so the question is whether the condensers match the lenses you are using?

[Mal Paso]

Is there an easy way to make a DIY lightsource? I have read loads of complicated stuff about overheating LEDs, but What about just a lightbulb in a Black box? My old Meopta Magnifax 4 just had a halogen and a diffusor and it made cracking prints.

I have a LED light source posted in "Converting 5x7 Head to LED Technology?" in this section.

The 300mm Componon S should cover 9.5x. Smaller enlargements will have a larger lens image circle.

I used a 150mm Componon for 4X5 most of my life. It turns out the 135mm does just as well and most (Schneider, Rodenstock, Nikkor) are corrected for bigger enlargements than the 150mm.

[ic-racer]

BTW, your enlarger looks to be a condenser enlarger, so the question is whether the condensers match the lenses you are using?

Good point. I see the condenser chart is printed on the condenser head. According to that it should accommodate all the lenses pictured by the OP.

[xkaes]

One option MIGHT be a horizontal enlarger using the camera -- not the first time that has ever happened.

[Duolab123]

Contact prints

[Mark Kononczuk]

BTW, your enlarger looks to be a condenser enlarger, so the question is whether the condensers match the lenses you are using?

I think that my 5x7 enlarger's condensors are too small for 9 1/2" negative.
I will try the cold light head that came with the enlarger, but it is very old so i can't see it working long.

[Mark Kononczuk]

One option MIGHT be a horizontal enlarger using the camera -- not the first time that has ever happened.

What light source would you use for that?

[ic-racer]

A good light source for 10x10" will likely cost thousands. If on a budget:
238437


I once taped a piece of semi-translucent 8x11 paper to a window to compare light meters. The paper was perfectly illuminated from corner to corner. As good or better than the light box of my 10x10 Durst enlarger.

[Mark Kononczuk]

Yes, i was considering using daylight. Can you use a camera Lens as an enlarging Lens?

[xkaes]

Yes, i was considering using daylight. Can you use a camera Lens as an enlarging Lens?

Sure you can, but most are not optimized for that magnification. If you have a process lens, you will get better results.

[Mal Paso]

Yes, i was considering using daylight. Can you use a camera Lens as an enlarging Lens?

Now that graphic arts cameras have mostly gone away there are a lot of graphic arts apochromats for sale cheap. They are corrected for enlarging magnifications, a flat field and like I said, cheap. Ebay

[John Layton]

My 150mm G-Claron allows me to print 30x40 inches from 5x7 negatives...vertically with my Zone VI series 2 enlarger. Seems like a sweet spot for this lens and magnification as the results are stellar, yet much larger or smaller and things are not quite as great. My 180mm Companon-S (also when enlarging from 5x7) is better (than the 150) for 16x20's and 40x60's (the latter projected horizontally). Go figure!