Enlarging lenses

[Bernard Kaye]

DITTO
Constantly being in a damp environment called a "darkroom" will sooner or later degrade any enlarging lens:
so go NOW to yours and put it or them in a dryer environment, perhaps expose it or them, carefully, to sunlight for a short time for UV to kill fungus and keep it out of the darkroom except when using it.
If you purchase a used one, good luck.
Having retailed these, they are the Achilles heel of photo-lab procedure and I think that a single coated example that has been well cared for is a better deal than a multicoated one that has been abused or ignored, let sit in a damp darkroom and not to be a Luddite, an uncoated Leitz or Zeiss enlarging lens may surprise you whereas Rodenstocks have contrast and reveal detail that convinced pros to use them instead of Nikor and Schneider when I convinced the pros to try the Rodenstock.
But, again, buying them used is perilous.
Bernie

[Stephen Willard]

Bernard, my contention is that it makes no difference whether it is new or used. You still need to test it to make sure its okay. Placing the enlarger head as high as it will go and using a 10x focusing loop will tell loads about the lens. You also need to make some 8x10 prints at various places within the image area when the enlarger head is at its highest point. This will give you a comparison between the center of the lens and at it edges under worse case conditions.

[Dan Fromm]

Componons were the preferred taking lens for table top work years ago, I still use several for both tabletop work and some work at infinity. Granted some may say it won't work, but you have to be the final judge of image quality.

Erie, according to Schneider it depends on the magnification. They say that between 1:6 and 6:1 Comparons are better and that Componons are better outside that range.

[Bernard Kaye]

I agree fully with all of you including Stephen, the proof of the pudding is in the eating: yes, even a new one can have its shortcomings and a well cared for used one that was good when new will perform well.
Again, some want sharpness, some want contrast, some want edge separation, some want shadow detail; you decide but try to avoid one that has lived too long in a darkroom; it may be terminally ill as Leitz told me when I sent a customer's 60mm. Fotar to them and that was a very fine lens for 35mm..
Bernie

[Bernard Kaye]

It was a Focotar and at 60mm. it was perfect for 35mm.
Bernie Kaye

[Peter K]

It was a Focotar and at 60mm. it was perfect for 35mm.

The Focotar was also used in the Leitz copystand "Reprovit II".