New issue with Kodak 5x7 E autofocus enlarger

[false_Aesthetic]

I appreciate ya'll being so patient with this project.

I figured out the cold light head.
Figured out the timer issue.
Found myself a lens.
Made a lens board.
Just made a negative carrier for the thing.

Now I can't focus it. (nothing to do with the auto focus).

I have a 150mm Kowa F9 lens in it. When the enlarger is at the lowest position the bellows are extended very far. Pushing them up toward the negative stage helps BUT they don't go up far enough. Same thing when the enlarger is at its highest position.

From the looks of it, the part that houses the auto-focus gearing is preventing the lens stage from moving up high enough.

A recessed lens board doesn't seem like the solution because the lens board is actually quite tiny.

Raising the easel up works but it looks like I'd have to raise the easel up something like 8" to get the focus close.

Could it be that this enlarger simply isn't flexible enough to use a 150mm lens? If so, does anyone know what the proper lens length is?

Thanks!

T

[Greg Y]

150 is a lens size for 4x5

I use a 210 Rodenstock for 5x7 on my Durst 138

[Allen in Montreal]

T,

I picked up a Kowa 150 with the help of a buddy in Guelph to use on a 184 as I was concerned with ceiling height.

The Kowa will cover the 5x7, even the 8x10 in small enlargements, but the combo is not great, I tried it once and never went back there again.

If you don't have the height to make a decent size print with a 210, look for a Rodagon 180mm. It covers 5x7, reduces the height issue a little and is a fine lens.

[false_Aesthetic]

Allen,

I understand that its not optimal but I'm not exactly sure its answering my question regarding the physical limitation of the enlarger.

[EdWorkman]

IIRC there were only two lenses that Kodak "approved" for use on this.
Maybe 7 1/2 inch FL ?
and one was a Wollensak, I assume the other was Kodak.
Perhaps there was a flange-to focus dimension, or ??- which probly could be worked around.
I may still have the manual

[domaz]

From the looks of it, the part that houses the auto-focus gearing is preventing the lens stage from moving up high enough.

Can you disable the gearing somehow? Or maybe use the same focal length lens that the gearing is expecting?

[false_Aesthetic]

Can you disable the gearing somehow? Or maybe use the same focal length lens that the gearing is expecting?

I'd love to find the right focal length lens but I've read its 6 1/2" 7 1/2" or 9". No confirmation on which one it is.

Gearing looks like it can be disabled but the lens stage is still blocked by the stuff that houses the gearing. It'd require a bit of cutting to get rid of that stuff . . .and I don't wanna do that to this thing.

[banjo]

a Kodak book ""use, Maintenance, & Repar of Professional Equipment""
page 39 to 51 is for Kodak Auto-focus Enlarger, Model E care

they talk about uper foucs & lower foucs

[winterclock]

If it was geared for 6 1/2" you should be able to get the Kowa to focus, 7 1/2" is about 190mm, I think there are a couple of Wollensaks on Ebay unless you want to try to re-gear it. If you have a taking lens near that size you might want to hold it up there to see if it's close first, something around 180mm for the 7 1/2" and 240mm for the 9" would get you in the ballpark.

[ic-racer]

The 1927 sales catalog says it takes a 7 1/2" lens (190mm). Unless it has changeable cams like a D3, its only going to focus with that focal length.