Choosing an appropriate enlarger lens

aaronzomback · Feb 22, 2024

Hello,

I am new to using an enlarger so there is much for me to learn. I have a Durst M805 b/w.

1) How can one determine if an enlarger lens will fit a particular enlarger?
- I'm looking for a lens that would work with 35mm and a lens that would work with 120mm film.

2) How can one determine if an exposure controller/timer will be compatible with a particular enlarger?

Thanks for your insight.

Cheers,

Aaron

xkaes · Feb 22, 2024

You'll get a million responses like -- "I like ABC lenses", or "The best lenses are XYZ". Don't jump in the lake. Figure out what is best for you. There are lots of great lenses that don't cost a fortune. You'll find lots of tips on buying enlarging lenses here:

http://www.subclub.org/darkroom/lenses.htm

Rick A · Feb 22, 2024

First thing you do is determine which format(s) you need lenses for. You need a 50mm lens for 35mm film, 75mm for 6x4.5, 80mm for 6x6. Now you need to look at your lens board, what size hole does it have? Now you find a lens that fits the hole and covers the format.
Most timers will work with nearly all enlargers. Decide if you want an analog timer such as TimeOLite or the classic GraLab 300, or digital. The enlarger power cord plugs into the timer, the timer into the wall receptacle.

koraks · Feb 22, 2024

Welcome to Photrio, @aaronzomback !

aaronzomback said:
I'm looking for a lens that would work with 35mm and a lens that would work with 120mm film.

The usual options will be a 50mm for 35mm negatives and an 80mm lens for 6x4.5 and 6x7, and a somewhat longer lens (e.g. 105mm) for 6x8 and 6x9cm negatives.

In mainland Europe, you'll usually find a lot of Schneider Componon-S and EI Nikor lenses; they're both excellent choices.

My suggestion would be to take the focal length(s) you need and then look around what's on offer on places like leboncoin etc.

Most enlarger lenses you will find will have the more modern M42 thread mount and it's likely that this is the thread size the lens board on your enlarger also accommodates. It's always possible to purchase or even custom make lens boards with different thread sizes.

xkaes · Feb 22, 2024

koraks said:
Most enlarger lenses you will find will have the more modern M42 thread mount and it's likely that this is the thread size the lens board on your enlarger also accommodates. It's always possible to purchase or even custom make lens boards with different thread sizes.

Most enlarging lenses have a Leica 39mm thread, not M42.

Chan Tran · Feb 22, 2024

koraks said:
Welcome to Photrio, @aaronzomback !

Most enlarger lenses you will find will have the more modern M42 thread mount and it's likely that this is the thread size the lens board on your enlarger also accommodates. It's always possible to purchase or even custom make lens boards with different thread sizes.

I have 7 enlarging lenses ranging from 35mm to 135mm and all of them have M39 thread mount. Except the EL Nikkor 135mm f/5.6 which has M42 thread but came with an adapter to M39 thread. So I think the M39 is the most common size.

Chan Tran · Feb 22, 2024

All enlargers I know can be turn on/off the light source by controlling the AC power to the enlarger and all darkroom timers designed for enlarger would do that.

aaronzomback · Feb 22, 2024

Thank you all for responding!

And thanks for the warm welcome @koraks !

Looking forward to interacting and learning more from you all.

Cheers,

Aaron

Ian C · Feb 22, 2024

There is no “120 mm” film. 120 film is a paper-backed roll film size. The name was coined by Eastman Kodak in 1901.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_photographic_film_formats

It designates a film of width 2.4 inches (60.96 mm). To properly and effectively project this with a conventional enlarging lens requires a lens whose projection angle fully sees and projects the image of the format rectangle at any magnification that you’ll use in printmaking.

There are various formats used by cameras using 120 film: 6 x 4.5 cm, 6 x 6 cm, 6 x7 cm, 6 x 8 cm, 6 x 9 cm, 6 x 12 cm, and 6 x 17cm. You must first determine the format you wish to enlarge. Then use that to select the appropriate lens.

You’ve shown a Durst M805 enlarger. It’ maximum film size is 6 x 9 cm.

https://ianbfoto.com/downloads/Darkroom/Durst M805 Enlarger Brochure.pdf

If you enlarge nothing bigger than, say, the 6 x 7 cm format, than either an 80 mm f/5.6 EL Nikkor or a 4/80 Rodagon are the best choices because these lenses properly cover medium format negatives up to 6 x 7 cm at most practical magnifications. Other 80 mm lenses aren’t rated for enlarging films larger than 6 x 6 cm.

For practical 35 mm format enlarging, you really should have a 50 mm lens. While you could use an 80 mm lens for this, it won’t give you nearly as much magnification as needed for most jobs.

Chan Tran · Feb 22, 2024

I use the 80mm lens to enlarge 35mm to 3.5x5" prints. Using the 50 would make the enlarger too close to the easel.

koraks · Feb 22, 2024

xkaes said:
Most enlarging lenses have a Leica 39mm thread, not M42.

Chan Tran said:
So I think the M39 is the most common size.

Sorry, I stand corrected. M39. Should have gotten out the caliper and measure the lenses in my desk drawer...

Hassasin · Feb 22, 2024

Tendency is to go with standard lens focal length for a given frame size, but that is not necessarily the best choice. I used 80 for 35mm most of the years in the darkroom. Yes if you go longer then "normal" lens you will not get the magnification, but depending on needs this may never be an issue. And while not scientifically proven (I don't test) I seem to find focusing on the board more "precise" with longer than normal focal length.

xkaes · Feb 22, 2024

Ian C said:
If you enlarge nothing bigger than, say, the 6 x 7 cm format, than either an 80 mm f/5.6 EL Nikkor or a 4/80 Rodagon are the best choices because these lenses properly cover medium format negatives up to 6 x 7 cm at most practical magnifications. Other 80 mm lenses aren’t rated for enlarging films larger than 6 x 6 cm.

Not so fast, Sherlock. There's the Computar dl 80mm f4.5, the Schneider WA-Componon 80mm f5.6, and the Minolta C.E. Rokkor-X 80mm f5.6 that cover 6x7 too. There may be others.

xkaes · Feb 22, 2024

Hassasin said:
Tendency is to go with standard lens focal length for a given frame size, but that is not necessarily the best choice. I used 80 for 35mm most of the years in the darkroom. Yes if you go longer then "normal" lens you will not get the magnification, but depending on needs this may never be an issue. And while not scientifically proven (I don't test) I seem to find focusing on the board more "precise" with longer than normal focal length.

Good point, especially if you are on a tight budget -- because you only need one lens instead of two. An 80mm that covers 6x7 will work OK for 35mm as well -- as long as you have an enlarger with a tall enough column. Plus, with an 80mm lens, with 35mm, you are using only the center portion of the image for better quality (but watch out for vibration!).

pentaxuser · Feb 22, 2024

If you order a Gralab timer or any U.S timer that was not made for the non U.S. market then just be sure it is one that works on the European system of Herz cycles. Here in the U.K. it is 50 and I think it is in France as well However the U.S. use 60Hz and the two are not compatible

Others can help here but most Gralab on sale were probably made for the U.S market so are set up to work on the wrong number of Hz

pentaxuser

MattKing · Feb 22, 2024

Welcome.
As you can tell, enlarger lenses are like camera lenses - there are lots of choices.
Tell us what cameras you use for 120 film, and tell us what lenses you are considering - including photos if possible, because enlarging lenses have evolved over time - and we can pass on some better advice.
With respect to your enlarger, if it is like other Durst enlargers I've encountered, there will be a choice of removable lensboards available. Some people will have more than one lensboard, because the different lensboards fit or optimize different lenses.
For example, you might have a 50mm lens on one model of lensboard with an M39 thread, and a 105mm lens on another lensboard with M42 thread - two lensboards because your lenses have different threads, and because of a few other practicalities. T

koraks · Feb 22, 2024

pentaxuser said:
Here in the U.K. it is 50 and I think it is in France as well However the U.S. use 60Hz and the two are not compatible

Depends a bit, but in general, yeah.
Fortunately, the EU domestic market is quite rich in old darkroom equipment that's made for 230V/50Hz. For instance, Gralab timers are few and far between here, but Hauck timers that look and work very similarly are quite common. And intended for European grid conditions.

Hilo · Feb 22, 2024

Less than an hour drive from you is Noir D'Ivoire, which is an organisation organising photo workshops. They are in Uzes and you can find them.

They should be able to give you some names of shops in your area selling secondhand equipment. Or put you in touch with some of their local students, who would know.

Pieter12 · Feb 22, 2024

Hassasin said:
Tendency is to go with standard lens focal length for a given frame size, but that is not necessarily the best choice. I used 80 for 35mm most of the years in the darkroom. Yes if you go longer then "normal" lens you will not get the magnification, but depending on needs this may never be an issue. And while not scientifically proven (I don't test) I seem to find focusing on the board more "precise" with longer than normal focal length.

I don't make small prints or anything larger than 16x20 and find using a longer focal length than necessary has two advantages: you are using the sweet spot of the lens and the greater distance between the lens and the paper makes dodging and burning more convenient and comfortable.

koraks · Feb 23, 2024

Hilo said:
They are in Uzes and you can find them.

Oh man, it's been ages since I last visited that hilltop town.

Hilo · Feb 23, 2024

koraks said:
Oh man, it's been ages since I last visited that hilltop town.

That, logically, brings us to the question: which enlarging lens did you use back then?

mshchem · Feb 23, 2024

Welcome to Photrio.

BobUK · Feb 23, 2024

aaronzomback said:
Hello,

................................................

2) How can one determine if an exposure controller/timer will be compatible with a particular enlarger?

Thanks for your insight.

Cheers,

Aaron

I have had a timer that just acted like an ON / OFF switch. A couple of timers that extend the mains supply supply via a socket on the timer. You will have to decide on your own particular set up.

Go to the site of R H Designs UK.

They make enlarger timers. Look at their support page and you will see the operating manuals for their timers.
There are sections on setting up the timers with different types of enlarger.

As an example the manual for the StopClock timer has a section on "Additional Installation Instructions for the StopClock"

Mention is made of low voltage bubs, cold cathode enlargers, stabilisers, fuses, safelight connection, and Zone V1 heads.

You need to find out what your electrical set up is with the particular enlarger you have bought.

RH Designs make some fine all singing and dancing enlargers, but hopefully your needs will be much simpler as you are new to enlarging.

A basic timer without the fancy extras is probably the best way to start. You can go advanced later on.

Also ask a good electrician to guide you if you are not familiar with safe electrical work.

Good luck with the darkroom work.

aaronzomback · Feb 26, 2024

Hilo said:
Less than an hour drive from you is Noir D'Ivoire, which is an organisation organising photo workshops. They are in Uzes and you can find them.

They should be able to give you some names of shops in your area selling secondhand equipment. Or put you in touch with some of their local students, who would know.

That's great, thanks for the tip. I'd like to check them out. Are you in France as well ?

aaronzomback · Feb 26, 2024

mshchem said:
Welcome to Photrio.

Thank you @mshchem

Choosing an appropriate enlarger lens

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