Help with Zone Vl enlarger

[dentkimterry]

My local art institute was donated a complete Zone Vl enlarger with lens boards, timer/controller and some neg boards including one that kind of stretches a 4x5 negative? The whole thing was disassembled and in storage for years. It came with the installation manual and I have it put together and everything seems to work. Being it is a 5x7 enlarger it incouraged the photo dept chair to seek out a 5x7 neg carrier for it as the institute has nothing this large in their darkroom. I ended up finding one for them and they purchased it. In addition to the carrier it came with what appears to be some kind of lens cone. I find no mention of this is any literature that came with it and can not figure out its use. The bolt pattern doesn't match a lens board or anything else I can find on the enlarger. I have included a couple pics of it.

[RichardRitter]

It is an extension, adapter lens board for 180mm and \or 210mm lenses when using the 8 x 10 head

[neil poulsen]

Is there one vertical post, or are there two vertical posts that support the lens stage?

Be aware that there are two versions of this enlarger, and the best way to tell them apart is by the number of vertical posts that support the lens stage. If one post, then you have the Type I enlarger. If two posts, then you have the larger, Type II enlarger.

If you're shopping for parts, you don't want to purchase negative carriers for the wrong version. To give you an idea, the long dimension of negative carriers for the Type II, Zone VI enlarger is 15 3/4 inches.

Don't lose track of, or sell the extension, unless you don't need it. It's extremely rare. I doubt that you would ever find another.

[cowanw]

How does that extension work? i.e. Which end connects to the enlarger and which to the lens flange?

[dentkimterry]

It is an extension, adapter lens board for 180mm and \or 210mm lenses when using the 8 x 10 head

So this isn't needed for the 5x7 head?

[dentkimterry]

Is there one vertical post, or are there two vertical posts that support the lens stage?

Be aware that there are two versions of this enlarger, and the best way to tell them apart is by the number of vertical posts that support the lens stage. If one post, then you have the Type I enlarger. If two posts, then you have the larger, Type II enlarger.

If you're shopping for parts, you don't want to purchase negative carriers for the wrong version. To give you an idea, the long dimension of negative carriers for the Type II, Zone VI enlarger is 15 3/4 inches.

Don't lose track of, or sell the extension, unless you don't need it. It's extremely rare. I doubt that you would ever find another.

I won't be seeing this enlarger until next Tuesday to check the type. You mean the type 1 and 2 use different lens boards?

[dentkimterry]

How does that extension work? i.e. Which end connects to the enlarger and which to the lens flange?

I can't see any way to connect it to this enlarger.

[neil poulsen]

I won't be seeing this enlarger until next Tuesday to check the type. You mean the type 1 and 2 use different lens boards?

Yes. The Type II lensboards were round and quite a bit larger, specifically to accommodate larger lenses for 8x10. By the way, that's another way to distinguish between Type I and II, Zone VI enlargers. Type I enlargers have oval lensboards w/no holes.

I just took a closer look at the extension. If this fits your enlarger, you have a Type I enlarger. The "oval" part fits right into the enlarger, after which you tighten two screws (on the enlarger) on either side of the mounted extension.

[dentkimterry]

Yes. The Type II lensboards were round and quite a bit larger, specifically to accommodate larger lenses for 8x10. By the way, that's another way to distinguish between Type I and II, Zone VI enlargers. Type I enlargers have oval lensboards w/no holes. Type II enlargers have larger, round lensboards with three holes in them.

I just took a closer look at the extension. If this fits your enlarger, you have a Type I enlarger. The "oval" part fits right into the enlarger, after which you tighten two screws (on the enlarger) on either side of the mounted extension.

Sounds like I have Type ll lens boards by your description. And the extension I have is for a type l. Are the negative carriers different between the two types?

[neil poulsen]

Sounds like I have Type ll lens boards by your description. And the extension I have is for a type l. Are the negative carriers different between the two types?

Yes, they are different sizes. The Type I enlarger is actually an oversized 4x5 enlarger and can't be used effectively for 5x7 film. The Type II enlarger designed by Calumet after they purchased Zone VI corrected this problem by increasing the size of the head, and thereby, also increased the size of the chassis. (Larger chassis, larger negative carrier.)

I used to have both enlargers and sold the Type I. So, I don't have a Type I negative carrier to measure. But, if the long dimension is smaller than 15 3/4" by an appreciable amount, it's a Type I negative carrier.

It might be of interest to know that I was able to take the lower half of a spare Type II negative carrier, have a properly positioned, 5"x5" square cut in it in it, and now can use that as an adapter to use Omega 4x5 D5 series negative carriers with my Type II Zone VI enlarger. When in use, the Type II, 5x7 head completely covers the Omega negative carrier. Type II glass negative carriers are impossible to find. (Too rare.) Using this adapter, I can use an Omega, 4x5 glass negative carrier on the Type II enlarger. (Omega D5, glass negative carriers are relatively easy to find.)