Can your enlarger do that?

RalphLambrecht · May 20, 2009

I was wondering if you guys can help me to understand existing enlarger capabilities.

1. Does your enlarger support Scheimpflug correction?
2. Is it done by tilting the head, lens plane or both?
3. Is it a 'free' tilt or is the angle of tilt supported by a scale?

Thanks for your replies in advance!

darkosaric · May 20, 2009

I have Meopta Axomat 5a. It has head tilt. It is only for 35mm. No scale for angle.

Regards,

David A. Goldfarb · May 20, 2009

I have a tilting neg stage attachment (the "Distortion Correction Attachment") for my Omega D-II. It can tilt the neg along one axis and rotate the neg 360 degrees, so that I can orient the neg along the tilt axis. I can also rotate my easel by moving it around and can tilt it using special shims that cost 25-cents per unit of tilt.

RalphLambrecht · May 20, 2009

David A. Goldfarb said:
I have a tilting neg stage attachment (the "Distortion Correction Attachment") for my Omega D-II. It can tilt the neg along one axis and rotate the neg 360 degrees, so that I can orient the neg along the tilt axis. I can also rotate my easel by moving it around and can tilt it using special shims that cost 25-cents per unit of tilt.

Are the shims also called 'quarters' by any chance?

David A. Goldfarb · May 20, 2009

They might be.

Thomas Wilson · May 20, 2009

Mine are called paint stirrers.

David A. Goldfarb · May 20, 2009

Here's a photo of the Omega gizmo with a 4-blade Omega masking attachment on top of it.--

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

You'll notice my high-tech sliding custom light trap around the collar that normally holds the condenser lenses, but in this case is holding an Aristo Hi-D cold light source. If you're familiar with the D-II, you may also observe that I've used advanced cold forging technology to customize the lever that raises the head to accommodate the added width of the negative mask, which was really made for the D-5 and later enlargers.

bdial · May 20, 2009

LPL 4500, no built-in tilting capability
Durst M-601 Head tilt with scale

glbeas · May 20, 2009

My Beseler 4x5 has head and neg stage tilt, no scales. I wish it had a click stop at the zero position, it's a pain putting it back.

GrantR · May 20, 2009

David A. Goldfarb said:
...you may also observe that I've used advanced cold forging technology...

I did a spit take when I read that.

srs5694 · May 20, 2009

I've got a Philips PCS130.

Yes
Both. See attached diagram from the manual.
Both the head and the lens stage rotate freely, although they both "click" into place in the conventional non-tilted position. Knobs tighten them into position at any angle so the rig doesn't get accidentally knocked out of alignment.

I've never actually used this feature of my enlarger, so I don't know how well it works in practice.

Ole · May 20, 2009

Yes, yes, and scale.

On both.

An Opemus 6, and a Durst L138S.

Phil · May 20, 2009

1. Yes
2. Lens plane - 2 directions
3. Scales - and a pin to lock it at zero

Elwood 8x10

David A. Goldfarb · May 21, 2009

srs5694 said:
I've got a Philips PCS130.

Yes

Both. See attached diagram from the manual.

Both the head and the lens stage rotate freely, although they both "click" into place in the conventional non-tilted position. Knobs tighten them into position at any angle so the rig doesn't get accidentally knocked out of alignment.

I've never actually used this feature of my enlarger, so I don't know how well it works in practice.

I used to have a PCS 130, and I thought the neg stage tilt worked pretty well, but the head tilt was a bit awkward.

RH Designs · May 21, 2009

My LPL 7700 has the ability to rotate the entire head, and the lens stage. Both have scales and click-stops.

Tom Kershaw · May 21, 2009

Ralph,

I use a Meopta magnifax 4a color 3 head: http://www.meopta.com/index.php?id=308 which does have various correcting functions, 90% head tilt etc. However, my DeVere 5108 does not a head tilt function, which if present would probably increase the size of the enlarger somewhat.

Tom.

Blighty · May 21, 2009

My Durst AC707 has tilting head and lens panel (with scale).

TimVermont · May 21, 2009

Yes, yes, scale on Durst. I think a full-rotary neg carrier with masking blades was available as an accessory, but I don't have it, just a regular one.
No on Zone VI

Daniel Ferri · May 21, 2009

RalphLambrecht said:
I was wondering if you guys can help me to understand existing enlarger capabilities.

1. Does your enlarger support Scheimpflug correction?
2. Is it done by tilting the head, lens plane or both?
3. Is it a 'free' tilt or is the angle of tilt supported by a scale?

Thanks for your replies in advance!

Ralph,
correcting perpective with an enlarger is the same principle as correcting in camera, except that the subject is the negative, and the image your easel.

You correct the perspective by changing the angle of each plane; 1-the negative plane, by tilting the enlarger head; 2-the baseboard plane (if not available on your enlarger, use a piece of wood); 3- the plane of the lens, which would spread sharpness over the whole image.

All planes must meet at the same point. Hard to describe in words, but if you follow the rules of the schimpflung effect as described for large format cameras, these rules are the same for enlargers.

Look up the manual for Durst Laborator 138, it has these adjustments
rgds Danny

Krockmitaine · May 21, 2009

Ralph,
On my Kienzle Tempomat 912.
1.Yes
2.Yes
3. Free rotation with click for the center position. No scale

Daniel Ferri · May 21, 2009

glbeas said:
My Beseler 4x5 has head and neg stage tilt, no scales. I wish it had a click stop at the zero position, it's a pain putting it back.

Gary,
I know it is a pain, and making the head is not acruate enough.

In your preferred neg size, take a piece of fogged and processed film,ei. black, like the leader in a roll of processed film, before frame number 1.

Scratch 2 lines diagonaly on the emulsion side, with a needl,e or a sharp tool (not a scalpel), do not go through the film, just the emulsion.

You can then easily centre your neg in the negcarrier.

Enlarge this in your enlarger, lens wide open, do not use easel.
you will see a white cross on the baseboard focus as best
move your enlarger head adjustment until best focus is obtained in all corners,
With a ruler and a marker, copy the cross on the baseboard.

Your enlarger is then aligned.
After using your enlarger to correct the perspective, all you have to do is put in the neg with the cross
and match it to the cross on the baseboard.

rgds
Danny

ic-racer · May 21, 2009

RalphLambrecht said:
I was wondering if you guys can help me to understand existing enlarger capabilities.

1. Does your enlarger support Scheimpflug correction?
2. Is it done by tilting the head, lens plane or both?
3. Is it a 'free' tilt or is the angle of tilt supported by a scale?

Thanks for your replies in advance!

The Durst L1840 and L184 use lensboard, head and baseboard tilt. There are scales on the lensboard and the head, but no tilt scale on the baseboard. The head and baseboard both have robust locking pins to hold them in the zero position. The lensboard has a spring/ball detent at zero.

Other enlargers I have don't support Scheimpflug correction. Omega D5500 and Minolta Mod III.

Ian Grant · May 21, 2009

My Durst M601 & 670 allow full control allowing Scheimpflug correction, so does my De Vere 5108.

Ian

glbeas · May 21, 2009

Daniel Ferri said:
Gary,
I know it is a pain, and making the head is not acruate enough.

In your preferred neg size, take a piece of fogged and processed film,ei. black, like the leader in a roll of processed film, before frame number 1.

Scratch 2 lines diagonaly on the emulsion side, with a needl,e or a sharp tool (not a scalpel), do not go through the film, just the emulsion.

You can then easily centre your neg in the negcarrier.

Enlarge this in your enlarger, lens wide open, do not use easel.
you will see a white cross on the baseboard focus as best
move your enlarger head adjustment until best focus is obtained in all corners,
With a ruler and a marker, copy the cross on the baseboard.

Your enlarger is then aligned.
After using your enlarger to correct the perspective, all you have to do is put in the neg with the cross
and match it to the cross on the baseboard.

rgds
Danny

Actually I have a set of mirrors I can mount up to do this. Does a pretty respectable job too.

kraker · May 22, 2009

On my Durst M707, I can tilt the head and the lens plane, both with a scale and a distinct "stop" at zero.

Does this mean we can expect a section on Scheimpflug correction in the next edition of Way Beyond Monochrome?

Can your enlarger do that?

RalphLambrecht

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