best focal length for printing 8x10 from 6x9?

Craig75 · Feb 6, 2018

If I'm only going to make 8x10 prints from 6x9 negatives what's going to be best focal length enlarger lens?

105mm or should i get something a bit longer? I don't know if 105mm will end up too close to baseboard or too short printing times but I dont have the wit to work out how high column would need to be.

enlarger is only a 6x9 model if that helps.

thanks in advance for the help

Doremus Scudder · Feb 6, 2018

A lens at about 100mm is standard for 6x9, but you can use longer. A longer lens will give you more distance between your enlarger head and baseboard. However, you need to be sure that you have enough bellows on your enlarger (or extended board or whatever) to focus the longer lens. I used to make 8x10s from 6x9 negs with a 100mm lens and had no problems with the distance or illumination. That was with a Beseler 23C and DGA dichro head. Now I print them on a 4x5 enlarger and a 135mm lens; also no problems. Someone will chime in with exact distances, etc. later. However, if you've got the enlarger and the lens, just try it out and see.

Doremus

Craig75 · Feb 6, 2018

Thanks Doremus - that's good enough for me.

I need to buy a lens as I only have a 30mm and a 50mm so I thought I'd double check before spending any cash.

sepiareverb · Feb 6, 2018

Componon S 100/5.6 would be about as good as it gets. They are quite cheap these days.

Craig75 · Feb 6, 2018

Yes thats what i thought I might get and its all i can seem to find anyway here in Uk. Im quietly confident it will be a way better lens than i am a printer.

destroya · Feb 6, 2018

sepiareverb said:
Componon S 100/5.6 would be about as good as it gets. They are quite cheap these days.

thats the lens i use and its a great one. I second the recommendation.

ajmiller · Feb 6, 2018

I recently started using 6x9 format and used a 150 Rodagon lens. I have a Beseler 45 enlarger. Nice format 6x9.

ajmiller · Feb 6, 2018

Actually, I inherited a few enlarging lenses for 6x9 and would be happy to let you have one for cost of postage if you’re interested. I’m not at home presently but back Friday. Let me know. Tony

wiltw · Feb 6, 2018

Another factor to keep in mind about the use of a longer FL lens is the consideration of max height of the column, and what magnification is achievable with a particular FL. To make an 8x10" print from 6x9 neg takes 3.6x enlargement.
My 45V-XL has 57" girder while a D5 girder is 42", so with the same lens FL the Omega would get only about 70% of the magnification that I could attain with the 45V-XL (6.7x with 150mm, 7.8x with 135mm)

Craig75 · Feb 6, 2018

ajmiller said:
Actually, I inherited a few enlarging lenses for 6x9 and would be happy to let you have one for cost of postage if you’re interested. I’m not at home presently but back Friday. Let me know. Tony

that would be very kind Tony.

if you are in North Yorks then I'm probably quite near you too. well not probably as I'm in North Yorks too...

Craig75 · Feb 6, 2018

wiltw said:
Another factor to keep in mind about the use of a longer FL lens is the consideration of max height of the column, and what magnification is achievable with a particular FL. To make an 8x10" print from 6x9 neg takes 3.6x enlargement.
My 45V-XL has 57" girder while a D5 girder is 42", so with the same lens FL the Omega would get only about 70% of the magnification that I could attain with the 45V-XL (6.7x with 150mm, 7.8x with 135mm)

well thats another thing I was thinking of - if different focal lengths are optimised for different factors of enlargement then making such relatively small enlargements would i better off with a longer focal length - I'm assuming the longer the focal length then smaller the factor of enlargement its optimised for as a rule of thumb. Although to be fair I have no idea what I'm talking about and probably just accidentally fallen down the rabbit hole.

It's a good excuse to get schooled though

(Im using a Durst M700 and column is only about 60cms so its pretty small)

MattKing · Feb 6, 2018

I use a 105mm lens for 6x9 on my Omega D6 with a raised easel on top of a low baseboard - it is very easy and flexible to work with.
I need a new 150mm lens because mine is suffering from edge separation, but I have used it before as well - when printing postcard sized prints.

DREW WILEY · Feb 6, 2018

I use both 105 and 150 Apo Rodagons for 6X9. The 150 has more even illumination and is also suitable for 4X5, but the 105 is more convenient.

ic-racer · Feb 6, 2018

Craig75 said:
If I'm only going to make 8x10 prints from 6x9 negatives what's going to be best focal length enlarger lens?

105mm or should i get something a bit longer? I don't know if 105mm will end up too close to baseboard or too short printing times but I dont have the wit to work out how high column would need to be.

enlarger is only a 6x9 model if that helps.

thanks in advance for the help

Depends on which enlarger. On my 4x5 enlarger or 8x10 enlarger I use the 150 because the head is too low with a 105mm when I print on 8x10 paper. When I print 6x9cm on 8x10" paper my image is pretty small. More like 6x9in image area. Sometimes even smaller.

Craig75 · Feb 6, 2018

I forgot. Someone very kindly calculated a height of around 64cms from baseboard with 105mm for an edge to edge 8x10". Given i like a decent border it still sounds like head will be towards top of the column so plenty of room to make a mess under the head. From his calculation then it sounds like anything longer is going to be beyond the reach of my column.

Super helpful everyone. Very appreciated

ajmiller · Feb 9, 2018

In that case I have two 105 lenses you’re welcome to. A Rodenstock Rodagon 105 or an El-Nikkor 105.
I inherited these, along with a fair amount of photography equipment, last year from an old friend who passed away. He, and his widow, would be pleased to know they are being used. That’s why I’m not interested in making money from them. If you’re interested in either send me a PM and I’ll post them out next week - we can sort out the postage costs etc by PM.

Cheers
Tony

Craig75 said:
I forgot. Someone very kindly calculated a height of around 64cms from baseboard with 105mm for an edge to edge 8x10". Given i like a decent border it still sounds like head will be towards top of the column so plenty of room to make a mess under the head. From his calculation then it sounds like anything longer is going to be beyond the reach of my column.

Super helpful everyone. Very appreciated

nworth · Feb 28, 2018

105mm (or 100mm) is the standard. 135mm and 150mm will work fine, although you may have reach a bit more than desired with 150mm.

best focal length for printing 8x10 from 6x9?

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