Best enlarging lenses for 6x6

PKM-25 · Apr 28, 2009

OK, so I did a fairly rigorous search of the forums and came up with a-lada-nada...

I just aquired a clean working 45MX and I want to print my 35, panoramic 35 and 6x6 with it. It came with a few lenses, an old and worn out Rodenstock 80 5.6, mint chrome Kodak Ektar 100 3.5 and a mint Rodenstock 150 5.6.

I am leaning towards getting an outstanding 50mm 2.8 and 80-90mm lens to use along with the 150.

Basically, I want the best print quality I can get for all formats in both medium to large print sizes, maybe as large as 40 inches. Often, these prints will be from Kodak Techpan in 35mm and 120mm.

I just want to home in on the best and maybe second best ways to go about this.

The guy I bought the stuff off of showed me some 20x24 prints from both the 100 and 150mm lenses and they looked pretty good, but they were portraits with shallow DOF, so it was kind of hard to tell from them.

Sorry if there is a clone thread of this somewhere and I did not see it.

FredW · Apr 28, 2009

You will probably want something in the 75-80mm focal length for 6x6. I think any of the Fujinon EX, Nikkor EL, Rodenstock Rodagon's or Schneider Componon's will be more than sufficient for your needs. I think most are of the 6 element/4 groups design.

If you plan on doing colour, it may be best to stick with one brand, since you have a good 150Rodenstock's maybe look at the Rodagon's. Definitely try out the older 80 before you by something new.

Barry S · Apr 28, 2009

The 80mm Apo Rodagon N would be a good choice if you're looking for top quality to do big enlargements from 6x6 film. The optimum magnification is 10X, with a recommended range to 15X. You should count on using glass negative carriers and doing a careful enlarger alignment if you hope to get anywhere near 40" prints.

david b · Apr 28, 2009

I am using a 90mm Rodenstock Apo Rodagon and love the results.

PKM-25 · Apr 28, 2009

Agree on the alignments.
Where do I find a glass carrier for 6x6? I have only seen them for 4x5.

I was looking at the 50, 80 and 90 APO lenses.

There is no rush so I can take my time to get it right and hopefully get decent deals on things.

I won't be doing color work so that is not a concern.

jwil6969 · Apr 28, 2009

I use Schneider Componons in 80mm for 35, 100 for 6x6 and 6x7 and 150mm for 4x5 ala Fred Picker's advice. You get
plenty of coverage and very good results. my 2mm worth

ic-racer · Apr 28, 2009

Check out the table at the bottom of this page. Note that different Rodenstock lenses are optimized for different magnifications. If you are going to be doing a lot of 20x enlargements, you may benefit from a Rodegon-G or similar.

RJS · Apr 28, 2009

Get a copy of Ctein's book "Post Exposure". It is by far the best and most comprehensive information on things enlarging, especially lenses. It is not just opinion but scientific, repeatable (by you, if you want) test results. And Fred Picker is mostly best forgotten.

markbau · Apr 28, 2009

jwil6969 said:
I use Schneider Componons in 80mm for 35, 100 for 6x6 and 6x7 and 150mm for 4x5 ala Fred Picker's advice. You get
plenty of coverage and very good results. my 2mm worth

Don't get me started on "Fred Picker's advice" He was a salesman first and a photographer second. I agree that Componon S lenses are superb but why he would recommend an 80mm for 35mm film and 100mm for 6x6 just displays ignorance. The 50mm lens is designed for 35mm negs and the 80mm is designed for 645/6x6 negs.

To answer the original post, I don't think you can go past the 80mm Componon S for 6x6 work.

ic-racer · Apr 28, 2009

markbau said:
To answer the original post, I don't think you can go past the 80mm Componon S for 6x6 work.

He did mention large magnifications. If you compare the 80mm Componon-S to the 90mm Apo-Componon HM at 12 x magnification, you will see that at f8 the Apo is much better at the corners. (Schneider web site data)

If he is only 'occasionally' doing large magnifications, then I agree with you the 80mm Componon-S is a good choice. (I have one )

Morry Katz · Apr 28, 2009

B&H will probably have the glass neg carrier you need. Get the anti-Newton ring option if it is available.

Cheers
Morry Katz - Lethbridge, Alberta

NormanV · Apr 28, 2009

I always used a 150mm Componon for 6 x 7 and a 75mm Rokkor for 35mm when printing 10 x 8. When using the normally accepted lens for each format I found that the enlarger head got in the way. For big enlargements I used the standard lenses.

Vaughn · Apr 28, 2009

Like Norman, for smaller enlargements (up to 10x10) of 6x6 negs, I preferred to use the 135mm lens and condenser set for 4x5. My theory is that one is using the "sweet spot" of the lens and enlarger system for best sharpness and even lighting.

While a 135mm lens is "designed" for 4x5, I am certain the optical quality of the area of the lens that covers just 6x6 is just as high as that of an 80mm lens "designed" for 6x6.

Vaughn

jeroldharter · Apr 28, 2009

I use a Schneider Apo-Componon 90 mm lens with good results. Schneider and Rodenstock Apo lenses sell at a premium, even used, while the regular versions are very reasonable.

I also have a regular Rodagon 150 and an Apo-Componon 150. For black and white prints (have not done color) I have a hard time telling them apart for 16x20 prints (i.e. I can't tell them apart). As others have mentioned, alignment is equally important to the lens. I have the Beseler alignment device which is a pain to use. I just bought one of the Versalab laser alignment tools which is vastly superior. It is expensive but essential if you are going to make large prints. I can't get the laser dot to align perfectly but it is close and the corner to corner sharpness at 16x20 is excellent now. I would consider the Versalab tool part of the expense of the lens and buy that with the lens. I think that a used Rodagon plus the Versalab tool would yield superior prints to an Apo-Rodagon or Apo-Componon without meticulous alignment. Just my opinion based on my experience.

ricksplace · Apr 28, 2009

I had a 75/4.5 Ektar enlarging lens that was every bit as good as my Componon 80/5.6. The Ektar lenses are a five element heliar design, and are bleedingly sharp at f11. I gave my 75 Ektar to a good friend who was using a no-name brand lens for 6X6. He's thrilled by the results. I used the Ektar for colour too, and it was every bit as good as the componon.

So you may want to keep the 100mm Ektar, assuming that it is an enlarging lens. There were a few Ektar taking lenses around the 100mm length, popular on mini speed graphics. The taking lenses are not really suited to enlarging.

Christiaan Phleger · Apr 28, 2009

The 80mm 5.6 Nikkor EL is a very good lens often found for almost nothing. But I think the APO series of Rodenstock are the very best, my 50mm APO beats everything else in my darkroom, Componon-S included. Good advice factoring the Versalab, don't even think about it just get it and you'll see.

PKM-25 · Apr 29, 2009

Great advice folks, I am keeping my eye out for a 50 and 90 APO and might order a Versalab alignment jig in the near future.

Tomorrow, my buddy and I are going to build a 16x20 print washer...

aoresteen · Apr 30, 2009

I use a 80mm Schnieder Comonon and a Vivitar VHE 100mm for my 6x6 negs. The Vivitar VHE series were made by Schnieder for Vivitar and are OUTSTANDING lenses. They ofen go for cheap due to the VIVITAR name.

The 100 gets a lot of use and I use the 80mm when I'm making a large print. Most often it's the 100 VHE that I use.

RJS · Apr 30, 2009

The 80mm Componon-S, according to Ctein, is just fine for 35mm. If I want a print larger than 11X14 I use a larger camera; and the 80 makes it so I don't hit my head on the enlarger quite as much when focusing. The blood dripping on the easel is a distraction.

panastasia · Apr 30, 2009

markbau said:
Don't get me started on "Fred Picker's advice" He was a salesman first and a photographer second. I agree that Componon S lenses are superb but why he would recommend an 80mm for 35mm film and 100mm for 6x6 just displays ignorance. The 50mm lens is designed for 35mm negs and the 80mm is designed for 645/6x6 negs.

To answer the original post, I don't think you can go past the 80mm Componon S for 6x6 work.

Fred Picker explained the reason for his recommendation in one of his news letters. He recommended using longer focal lengths to correct the uneven illumination of the cold light heads he was selling - a leading brand - in response to customer complaints. It solved the problem. He was a good salesman and far from ignorant.

PKM-25 · May 1, 2009

Well, I picked up a 50 2.8 APO and 90 4.0 APO and now I have a question:

The rear of the 90 has a label that says "39 ø x 11.5" and is different than the other 90's I have seen as far as rear element to lens board flange distance. So now I am wondering if this is even going to work on a 45MX lens board...?

See photos and tell me what you think. There is another 90 mounted on a Beseler board to show you what I mean.

Best enlarging lenses for 6x6

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