Omega/Peak Enlarging tool question

[Jac@stafford.net]

[...]The 'traditional' one with grooves milled out. I filed mine to allow borderless prints and maybe I overdid it. They still seem flat but who knows.

I did the same thing - went too far with the filing. It was a 'thing' of the Seventies.

[LabRat]

Also, if you view the magnifier when at the center of the easel, this is the shortest distance from the lens (the edges are further away, so depending on the correction of the lens, there is a difference)...

For best dof, place focusing mag about 1/3 to 1/2 distance from center axis to edges and view eyepiece from on the diagonal from center to corner line for best light... And don't forget to add a piece of photo paper the same thickness as you are printing under it if you are focusing on the bare easel surface as a spacer...

Steve K

[Robbie Bedell]

Thank you Steve. I was basically trying to trouble-shoot why on the easel my images looked soft in the corners. I thought perhaps I had a focuser problem. But I have come to the conclusion that my problems were in the negative holders. I substituted two, one with glass on the bottom and one which is a newer Leitz product which is basically just a flat plate. That solved my problems. My focuser now shows sharp grain everywhere. I always have a discarded print in the easel when messing around like this....Thanks again Steve for your suggestions!! Robbie

www.robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

[Bob Salomon]

Thank you Steve. I was basically trying to trouble-shoot why on the easel my images looked soft in the corners. I thought perhaps I had a focuser problem. But I have come to the conclusion that my problems were in the negative holders. I substituted two, one with glass on the bottom and one which is a newer Leitz product which is basically just a flat plate. That solved my problems. My focuser now shows sharp grain everywhere. I always have a discarded print in the easel when messing around like this....Thanks again Steve for your suggestions!! Robbie

www.robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

Just bear in mind that film naturally curls towards the emulsion and the heat from the lamp will cause film to pop during exposure. That is why all enlarging lenses always deliver their optimal quality with film in a glass carrier and a properly aligned enlarger. Providing the magnification and aperture are within the optimal range of your lens.

[Jac@stafford.net]

I am happy that Robbie solved the issue. For others, a good resource for Leitz enlargers is http://www.glennview.com/leitz.htm. I know of no better authority.

[Robbie Bedell]

Just bear in mind that film naturally curls towards the emulsion and the heat from the lamp will cause film to pop during exposure. That is why all enlarging lenses always deliver their optimal quality with film in a glass carrier and a properly aligned enlarger. Providing the magnification and aperture are within the optimal range of your lens.

This I am aware of Bob. What does amaze me that all these years I have been using Focomats (of course with the condenser touching the top of the negative) that there would be such a fall-off. Stopped down I am sure it is negligible, but I am amazed at the difference that just the 'newer' flat carrier makes. It's the same as the carrier with the bottom glass. I suppose the 'older' brass carrier was milled where it was to protect damage to the emulsion side of the negative. But it is there that, as you note, some 'bulging' takes place. It's not a catastrophe, but it is there. Thank you very much Bob!

[Bob Salomon]

This I am aware of Bob. What does amaze me that all these years I have been using Focomats (of course with the condenser touching the top of the negative) that there would be such a fall-off. Stopped down I am sure it is negligible, but I am amazed at the difference that just the 'newer' flat carrier makes. It's the same as the carrier with the bottom glass. I suppose the 'older' brass carrier was milled where it was to protect damage to the emulsion side of the negative. But it is there that, as you note, some 'bulging' takes place. It's not a catastrophe, but it is there. Thank you very much Bob!

It might be questionable if the condenser is actually in contact as glass to the base side of film can cause newton rings unless that condenser has an AN finish, which is very doubtful!

[Robbie Bedell]

I have anti-Newton glass and rings in both enlargers..

[Bob Salomon]

I have anti-Newton glass and rings in both enlargers..

AN glass above or below the film?

What are “rings”?

[Jac@stafford.net]

AN glass above or below the film?

We know you are being provocative. AN glass on the non-emulsion side.