Enlarging lenses - why no lens caps for them?

Jeff Bannow · Aug 5, 2012

ic-racer said:
Kaiser caps are made in just about every size you would need. I even got a tiny one for the back of my 30mm Rokkor. B&H carries them.
Measure the outside diameter of the lens and get the cap with that measurement.

The only thing Kaiser does not make is half-millimeter (0.5mm) sizes. The Eskofot Ultragon needs a 0.5 mm size.

Guess it's time to replace the battery in my calipers then!

Leigh B · Aug 5, 2012

All of my Schneider Apo-Componon HM lenses have front and rear caps, and plastic storage bubbles.

- Leigh

ac12 · Mar 15, 2013

The comment about the lens hood actually has some merit, but for a totally different reason.
I use a lens hood on my EL-Nikkor 50. It has kept my fingers off the front element when I reached up to turn the aperture ring...but did not grab the lens quite right.

Vaughn · Mar 15, 2013

ac12 said:
The comment about the lens hood actually has some merit, but for a totally different reason.
I use a lens hood on my EL-Nikkor 50. It has kept my fingers off the front element when I reached up to turn the aperture ring...but did not grab the lens quite right.

I hear you! Just today we cleaned the bottom glass of 29 enlarger lenses, and dusted off the top glass (19 enlargers, 5 with 3-lens turrets). Not all were dirty, though, so we did skip a few bottoms, but got all the tops. We did this three weeks ago, also.

Last week was checking the alignment on all of them (most were still good), the week before that was checking and cleaning condensers.

AgX · Mar 16, 2013

Stan160 said:
Does anyone know a source of caps, or even better keepers/bubble cases, in the UK or elsewhere in the EU?

Caps:
http://www.kaiser-fototechnik.de/en/produkte/2_1_produktanzeige.asp?nr=6900

Cases:
I don't think they were offered solely. You might try with the lens manufacturer.
But why? Those enlarger lernses are typically not carried around but stored at home or even at a darkroom. So any casing found at home might work.
Why not use a PE-box intended for the fridge/freezer? Glue with hotmelt some dividers into it and you got a customized dust-tight casing for several lenses.

Jim Rice · Mar 16, 2013

Leigh, I'm guessing the HMs are pretty damn nice. Did you happen to have the opportunity to try the Rodagon Ns?

Jim Rice · Mar 16, 2013

Leigh, I'm guessing the HMs are pretty damn nice. Did you happen to have the opportunity to try the Rodagon Ns?

edcculus · Mar 16, 2013

I got in a Schneider Componon 80mm lens today. It has front and rear caps.

ac12 · Mar 16, 2013

What I have observed is:
If the lens comes in a cardboard box it will have both front and rear caps.
If the lens comes in a screw in "jewel" case, it probably only has the front cap, as the rear is screwed into the jewel case. Then it is up to the buyer to buy a rear cap, if he wants one.

And all bets are off for used lenses.
Caps could be added or removed/lost.

If the lens is kept on the enlarger, there is a good chance that the caps will be lost.

ac12 · Mar 16, 2013

BTW Jeff,
In high school, when I carried my camera around ALL DAY, I rarely used a lens cap. And when I did use a lens cap, it got lost within a week, so I stopped buying caps.
Even now, when I go out to shoot, the lens cap is off the lens. The lens is not capped unless I have a reason to cap it.

brucemuir · Mar 16, 2013

I have 3 Omega lensboards with 50/80/135 respectively and rotate the 50 and 80 fairly often (have slowed down my 4x5 shooting recently)
Caps would be nice for these when they are in the box not in use. I do have then in sealable bubblewrap envelopes but caps would be nice also.

ac12 · Mar 16, 2013

@Bruce
I agree with you. I need to get caps for the lenses that came in jewel cases. So when I remove the turret or lens board with the lenses on, I can protect the front and rear elements when I store it away.

AgX · Mar 17, 2013

desertratt said:
I have a French-made enlarging lens. It did ot come with a cap, but with a beret.

I guess it is an older lens. Berets are out of fashion meanwhile...

George Collier · Mar 17, 2013

All of my El Nikors came with caps and barrel keepers.

AgX · Mar 21, 2013

Stan160 said:
Does anyone know a source of caps, or even better keepers/bubble cases, in the UK or elsewhere in the EU?

Caps:

http://www.kaiser-fototechnik.de/en/produkte/2_1_produktanzeige.asp?nr=6900

http://www.heliopan.de/produkte/objektivschutzdeckel.shtml

Both manufacturers offer the same range of sizes.

ac12 · Apr 13, 2013

I went shopping eBay for cases for some of my enlarging lenses....OUCH ! The prices some guys want for some of those plastic cases are more than a bare lens. It's almost cheaper to buy a junk lens, just for the case.
Well that puts me back into looking for caps for these uncased lenses.
The only lens that I could "jerry rig" was the Componon-S 105mm, with the cap from a 35mm film canister. But is isn't a very good fit, the cap wants to come off easily.
Looks like I'm going to be buying a lot of caps.

lxdude · Apr 13, 2013

tkamiya said:
You know... the heat from the lamp will cause a convection air current around the enlarger. The resulting flow of air levitates dust particles that will stick to the surface of the lens.... We certainly need a protection from this.

Right- I was just about to say that dust can indeed "fall upwards"!

lxdude · Apr 13, 2013

desertratt said:
I have a French-made enlarging lens. It did ot come with a cap, but with a beret.

Those French, they have style!

sepiareverb · Apr 13, 2013

I've capped all my lenses, a phone call to Rodenstock was pleasant and very helpful in tracking down one cap. Those rear caps can be a bear to get off once the lens is mounted.

SteveStrac · Sep 26, 2023

Commenting to a ten year old thread, but hopefully someone will pick this up.
I am looking for a lens cap for two of my enlarging lenses: Rodadon 50mm f/4 and Componon-S 50mm f2.8.
Do these exist?

Ian C · Sep 26, 2023

For flexible slip-on caps, measure the OD of the lens barrel. You can generally find what you need at B&H.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?q=slip on lens caps&sts=ma

You can use a standard spring-latch lens cap for the front of enlarging lens with front attachment threads. The 2.8/50 Componon-S uses 43 mm x 0.75 mm pitch threads at the front.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1486137-REG/sensei_lc_43_43mm_center_pinch_snap_on.html

Most enlarging lenses require slip-on caps for the rear. Some large format enlarging lenses will accept spring-latch caps on the both the rear and the front. A few smaller lenses require slip-on caps on the front, as they have no filter threads.

I don’t know the front attachment provisions of the 4/50 Rodagon. Hopefully someone will respond with that information.

GregY · Sep 26, 2023

All of my Rodenstock, Fuji & Schneider enlarging lenses came with lenscaps and some form of rear cap or bubble container w socket.

AnselMortensen · Sep 26, 2023

If the rear element doesn't protrude too far, a generic 39mm LTM rear lens cap will fit many enlarging lens' rear threads.

Ian C · Sep 26, 2023

I found a design drawing for the 4/50 Rodagon.

It indicates a front filter thread of 40.5 mm x 0.5 mm pitch. So the following lens cap should work for the front:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1500525-REG/sensei_40_5mm_center_pinch_snap_on.html

Sirius Glass · Oct 4, 2023

SteveStrac said:
Commenting to a ten year old thread, but hopefully someone will pick this up.
I am looking for a lens cap for two of my enlarging lenses: Rodadon 50mm f/4 and Componon-S 50mm f2.8.
Do these exist?

Welcome to Photrio.

I buy generic lens caps for my enlarger lenses whether or not they are mounted on the enlarger.

Enlarging lenses - why no lens caps for them?

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency