Sounding like a broken record...I do love my 150mm G-Claron (later one) for making 30x40 prints, vertically (Zone-VI series 2 enlarger), from 5x7 negs!
Sounding like a broken record...I do love my 150mm G-Claron (later one) for making 30x40 prints, vertically (Zone-VI series 2 enlarger), from 5x7 negs!
They're OK for enlarging, better than many older enlarging lenses, but certainly not equal to the best modern apo enlarging lenses or serious process lenses. But the fact the later ones are generally in shutter means that you could alternatively time print exposures via a solenoid connected to an electronic timer, regardless of the lamp voltage and wattage involved. I've tested the concept with a GC.
...and if I go larger than 30x40 I project horizontally - at which point the 150 G-Claron does begin to fall apart a bit so I go back to my 180mm Companon-S...which works fine for doing 40x60's. While I could obviously use the 180 to project 5x7 horizontally to 30x40, the optical performance of the G-Claron at this magnification is virtually identical (to that of the 180mm), and at this point, with my setup, its a matter of overall logistics which favor going vertically with the 150.
In another life I'd have a Durst 138 and simply lower the table underneath when needed, but that's not gonna happen anytime soon!
But it would be nice if there were an equivalent to the wonderful 120mm W.A. Rodagon (a truly stellar optic with which I've had great success for making vertical enlargements to 30x40 from 4x5 negatives), but to cover 5x7. But AFAIK, no such animal exists.
Is this 30x40 cm or inches?Originally Posted by John Layton
...inches.
I've been using a 305 Repro-Claron on my 5 x 7 Kardan Bi since around 1973 +/-. Love it even if it is radioactive. Most of what I do is fairly close - within 5 - 10 feet - so the graphic lenses are just fine.
My 180/5.6 Rodagon does an excellent job enlarging 5x7; but for the serious wow factor I'd rather use my 240/9 Apo Nikkor - it's a symmetrical top-end process lens superb all the way from 1:1 to infinity.
I'll have to dig out the Rodenstock 210 with the reversible elements and stick it on the M679.
It seems that the 150/9 G-Claron would be nice to use with Durst 138 to make prints with 2-5x magnification from 5x7, right? The only enlarging lens covering 5x7 I have is the Componon 240 which is quite uncomfortable to use. For the 8x10 print the column is in the maxiumum top position and the table cca 80 cmm from the ground.
To draw attention to the specific question of the utility of the G-Clarons for enlarging, I've moved the relevant posts from the prior thread in "Lenses" to this new thread in "Darkroom: Equipment".
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