Enlarging lens fitted to 35mm body

Try it - You May Like It!
If it works for you, why worry about what the "experts" say.

Many a good image has been made with a lens that isn't supposed to work. If there had not been experimenters in our past we would be without most of the items which are common in our every day lives.

If you can find a camera that was in one of those early 35mm film recorders used to turn out powerpoint slides in the late 80's, early 90's, then more than not, the recording mechanism is a motor drive 35mm with a custom, fixed focus enlarger lens mount set at 1:1 (or whatever the target/frame ratio was).

I have one of those mounts around here, but can't remember off hand what mount is for; Chinon maybe?

Finally printed some...

So I finally printed some negs taken with the Schneider Componar 105mm... It came out surprisingly well. I think I'll keep using it as a camera lens. I have to learn to use it in a portrait setting first, but it really works!
Nice density in the negs, wonderful sharpness, but most of all I was shocked by the contrast control. Attached below is a scan of a print.
Details:
Lens: Schneider Componar 105mm enlarger lens. On DIY barrel and focusing ring. Mounted to a Pentax KX body with the K-mount.
Film: Fuji Neopan 1600 @ 640, souped in Pyrocat-MC using semistand technique.
Printed: on Ilford MGIV in Ansco 130 diluted 1+1

I'm VERY surprised by the results.

- Thomas

Huh. That's a little inspiring.

enlaeger lens on 35mm

Thomas Bertilsson said:

In your opinion, what are the differences optically between an enlarging lens and a camera lens? Why would one design be used for one purpose over another?

Curious,

- Thomas

Click to expand...

An 80mm enlarger lens is designed for medium format, and so when mounted on a 35mm camera will have a much larger image circle than a 35mm lens. It is possible to use a piece of black rubber (e.g. from a bathroom plunger) with a hollowed out body cap to create a flexible mount for such a lens - hence giving you a cheap tilt and shift lens. This is basically the idea behind a lensbaby, but at a fraction of the cost - enlarger lenses are going for peanuts on ebay

there's a photographer in vancouver that uses enlarger lenses to shoot 35mm. i wish i could remember the name or the site address. i was looking at the photos and they were very interesting. they didn't look like that photo of the soccer ball though. the photos were out of focus on the top and bottom edges but tack-sharp in the middle with a little bit of blurriness along the edge of the mid-section. it made for an interesting experiment anyway although i didn't really like the effect, i can see how it would be appealing.