Enlarger lens for 6x9

dabsond · Feb 9, 2019

Looking for suggestions for an enlarger lens for 6x9. I currently am using a 75mm f3.5 on my Beseler 45. I am getting some vignetting in the corners. Is 75mm to short for 6x9? Any recommendations greatly appreciated. Thanks.

grahamp · Feb 9, 2019

A 105mm would be the usual focal length for 6x9. The usual base line is the same focal length as the format diagonal, which gives about the same maximum print size for all formats. A 75mm is about right for 6x4.5 or 6x6, so 6x9 is well out of the intended coverage. You could look for a 135mm which would let you do 4x5 on the Beseler.

Some people prefer a slightly longer lens than the 'normal', and trade off more enlarger head height and smaller maximum print size.

mshchem · Feb 9, 2019

105mm. I have a 90mm that covers. 135mm will work and may be more available.

ic-racer · Feb 9, 2019

Any 6-element 105mm with clear optics should work for you. I print my 6x9cm images small on 8x10 paper with a large border, so I use my 150 but I have it on a turret with the 105. So, I can swap them back and forth and use the one that lets me have the enlarger head at a convenient location.

BMbikerider · Feb 9, 2019

If your budget can stretch that far, look out for a Rodagon or a Componon 105mm enlarging lens they are the real business. I have a 50 and 80 APO versions of the Rodagon to do 6x6 and 35mm and I just cannot fault them.

dabsond · Feb 9, 2019

grahamp said:
A 105mm would be the usual focal length for 6x9. The usual base line is the same focal length as the format diagonal, which gives about the same maximum print size for all formats. A 75mm is about right for 6x4.5 or 6x6, so 6x9 is well out of the intended coverage. You could look for a 135mm which would let you do 4x5 on the Beseler.

Some people prefer a slightly longer lens than the 'normal', and trade off more enlarger head height and smaller maximum print size.

Would a 135 still allow me to print 11x14 on the base?

grahamp · Feb 9, 2019

I'd have to go and check. Depends on how you will be formatting a 2:3 format on 11x14 paper. Maybe someone is closer to their darkroom than I?

jjphoto · Feb 9, 2019

dabsond said:
Looking for suggestions for an enlarger lens for 6x9. I currently am using a 75mm f3.5 on my Beseler 45. I am getting some vignetting in the corners. Is 75mm to short for 6x9? Any recommendations greatly appreciated. Thanks.

This list might help, it includes the coverage for many enlarging lenses.

http://photocornucopia.com/1061.html

RalphLambrecht · Feb 9, 2019

dabsond said:
Looking for suggestions for an enlarger lens for 6x9. I currently am using a 75mm f3.5 on my Beseler 45. I am getting some vignetting in the corners. Is 75mm to short for 6x9? Any recommendations greatly appreciated. Thanks.

the EL Nikkor 105 is perfect fror this format.

BMbikerider · Feb 10, 2019

dabsond said:
Would a 135 still allow me to print 11x14 on the base?

It all depends upon how high the enlarger column is. With 6x6 or 6x4.5 in my LPL 7700, using the 80mm lens I can go a good bit over 20x16 so if the column is tall(ish) 11x14 should be possible, but no one can say definitely when we don't know the height the head can go to.

Enlarger lens for 6x9

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