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Big negs, small paper - which focal length lens?

Discussion in 'Enlarging' started by zenrhino, May 23, 2009.

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  1. May 23, 2009 #1
    zenrhino

    zenrhino Member

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    Evening, all.

    I recently got a box of 4x6 Ilford postcard paper and found a box of 5x7 RC tucked in my crisper drawer behind the carrots.

    I'd very much like to take Todd Deutsch's advice and start printing/sending out, but I'm flummoxed as to which lens would be best to make prints this small from 6x6 and 6x7 negs.

    I'm using a co-op darkroom with Bessler 23s for 6x6 and Im not sure which model but a huge enlarger with a motor drive for 6x7 as there are no 6x7 carriers for the Bessler 23 at IFP-MN.

    Last time I tried printing 5x7, I had a bear of a time getting the head to where it could project the image that small. I usually use an 80mm lens, but that's only because what we always used in class. I'd be happy to change to get great results.

    Thanks in advance
     
  2. May 23, 2009 #2
    DannL

    DannL Member

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    My d2 has a 135mm and a 2-1/2 cone for 4x5 negatives. I put a 6x6cm negative in and it projected a 3"x3" image with a lens-to-easel distance of 12-1/2". It looked sharp under the focuser, but i have never printed that small using this configuration.

    Oh! oh! . . . Gotta go, the pizza is ready.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 23, 2009
  3. May 23, 2009 #3
    ic-racer

    ic-racer Member

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    If you have a 150 or 135 that should give you plenty of room to work.
     
  4. May 24, 2009 #4
    dancqu

    dancqu Member

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    With my Omega B8 I print as small as two up
    on 5x7, 3 1/2 x 5, using a 105mm. Dan
     
  5. May 25, 2009 #5
    RalphLambrecht

    RalphLambrecht Subscriber

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    A longer lens will give you more distance to the baseboard, longer printing times and more flexibility with dodging and burning (as much as that is possible with prints that small). Feel free to use a lens, as long as your enlarger supports it. The lens instruction will reveal what magnification factors it is optimized for.
     
  6. May 28, 2009 #6
    BetterSense

    BetterSense Member

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    Isn't it true that you can use a shorter-than-normal lens, and if you rack your bellows out far enough, you will get another focal plane, but with an image smaller than the negative?

    I'm not sure if you are printing smaller than the negative or not, but it's worth thinking about.
     
  7. May 28, 2009 #7
    ic-racer

    ic-racer Member

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    It is true: http://www.apug.org/forums/701679-post15.html
     
  8. May 28, 2009 #8
    fotch

    fotch Member

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    What enlarger would have a bellows long enough to do this? I always used a longer focal length lens, so easy.
     
  9. May 29, 2009 #9
    ic-racer

    ic-racer Member

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    Most 8x10 enlargers. My 4x5s do it with short lenses to make real tiny images.