well to cover 8x10 with minimal distortion and top grade quality that would make sense. I wish it was simplerOriginally Posted by xkaes
well to cover 8x10 with minimal distortion and top grade quality that would make sense. I wish it was simpler
My 50mm G has a diminutive 40.5mm thread.
Here's the actual DV HPM for the 504/507/5108 on its own & on a 504 - with a 180 Rodagon attached for scale - there's a 1/2" glass slab of a mirror under that protective plate if you want an idea of the dimensions etc. I'd question why anyone wants a Rodagon-G for 8x10 unless you're doing 8x & up & on multiple strips of paper/ Duratrans/ Fujitrans.
Argue amongst yourselves...
I posted this on another thread as well. The whole descriptions that I'm reading here about a mirror project device seems kind of complicated. Have you thought about just using your 8 x 10 camera as a horizontal enlarger using the cold light head on your enlarger? I did this with my Kodak 2D camera and it works great
Assuming the baseboard is aligned to your lens and negative, a simple solution would be to obtain a rather large (front surface) mirror and prop it on the baseboard at 45 degrees. You can fine tune the angle by checking focus at the top and bottom of the projected image. You would need a rather large mirror that extends almost to the edge of the baseboard, otherwise the projected image will be blocked by the baseboard.
An advantage of the large mirror is the precision to which it will need to be aligned would be measured in millimeters rather than the micrometers required to align a mirror close to the lens.
90mm is the same front diameter as the 'Non-G' Rodagon 300mm. The front of a commonly used 360mm enlarging lens is 110mm in diameter.
I don't think you have grasped how big the De Vere 108s is - it can do 40x60" direct to the baseboard. The only reason to need the HPM for it is if you're going bigger than that on an occasional basis (more regularly than that, and you'd be better off finding one of the several horizontal De Vere enlargers) - and while you could tip the smaller De Vere's over on their back & muddle around the controls etc (and stop the head tipping backwards etc), they are the diametric opposite of the jerry rigged bits of bent tin that some on this thread seem to be assuming they are.
thank you very much! that is very useful. Do you think it is possible to use it with 8x10 lenses? that would depend on the width of the mirror and maximum distance from the lens.
If I can't get a hold of such item - I will try to find a way to fabricate it by myself - I am already thinking - maybe if I use the front mechanism of a view camera and place a large mirror instead of a lens panel - then connect it to the lens panel of the enlarger to clip from above like in your picture - that could be interesting - and less limiting in size maybe.
Have you used the mirror attachment regularly? can you say anything about the experience using it? do you think the mirror influence the quality of print?
As you may see in my original post - yes - I am working towards being able to also print mural size black and white prints with several sheets of paper and with splicing, which is why Rodagon-G becomes useful (I got one recently in great condition for a very reasonable price). I do wonder how it will preform with a mirror (in terms of focusing - essentially I am making a "small print" projected on the mirror which is enlarged again by the mirror onto the wall). I will test that by using a "regular" 300 mm lens and Rodagon-G 300 which I have, but that will only happen sometime this summer.
I also think that already around 40"x50" you will see the difference between using Rodagon-G and a regular / APO lens. Another advantage for Rodagon-G is that the best aperture to work on is only 2 stops down from maximum- wide open, which will also help with shorter exposure time for large size prints.
I have made a lot of 50''/70'' prints in the past in black and white and colour in the darkroom by myself - so it is not a new territory for me. However - wall projection, mirror, splicing by myself, and working mural size by myself - that will be - uumm - refreshing.. I anticipate long nights in the studio, so that might not be very fun at the beginning (but also that would not be new for me).
I do realise that working above 40" - it will be more useful to get a horizontal enlarger but I am unable to do that atm - perhaps in the future. The Devere I have was received for free and had it shipped from Jerusalem to London at a great price and its in my studio now. Therefore I would like to experiment with the mirror and see if that system can work for me - that way I can also work with one enlarger instead of 2, and put the Devere 108 on a track just like a horizontal enlarger. then most of the time I can make prints up to 40'' (btw I think I can get away with 50"x60" actually), but also use it horizontally for some of my projects. The reason why I am interested in making such large silver gelatines is for another discussion..
also interesting point - but there are advantages and disadvantages for both - larger mirror may also mean many more specs of dust to deal with, and working in the dark arounf a very large piece of glass..
I do however think of something in the middle between the two options - they still make high grade optical mirrors for professional laser projectors (for scientific reasons, light-laser shows and regular projectors) in larger sizes - around 40-50 cm - I could get one with a stand that I can play with the angle and put it on the tabletop of the enlarge - and that would be fairly cheap - as you say the table may be in the way but I will have to test the physical limitations and see what I'm getting. I guess if you extend the distance of the mechanism and arm of the mirror it will move further away from the table (therefore the table is not in the way) and still aligned with neg-lens-table-(& wall).
right now I am leaning to try connect the mirror mechanism (whatever it is I will have to fabricate) from the lens panel since it makes a lot of sense for it to be in the lens area butboth options may work.
I must say - that is very impressive you manages to do that. I have seen many people trying and failing in doing that so really well done. I do have one of those Kodak 2D from the 1920is and it still works, I use it as a second 8x10 camera.
this is less relevant for me as it wont work for large prints but I can see why you would prefer to do that for your setup.
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