Focoblitz Grain Magnifier/Focuser

[JackRosa]

Does anyone know where I could find (to purchase) a Focoblitz? My internet searches are yielding no results.

Thanks in advance.

 

[youngrichard]

They come up every couple of years or so, in my experience. You need to put in an ebay search worldwide - say, European countries, North America, Australia/New Zealand, etc. Then be patient. I am not sure what their original purpose was, but I doubt it was leisure photography. think they were made in Italy. I have to confess I have 2 but don't wish to part with either, I am afraid. As they are no longer obtainable new, so far as I know, I bought a back-up as I could not bear the thought of being without one. I think I paid about £120 for the second one, from somewhere in Germany.
Richard

 

[AgX]

It is from Italy. To my understanding a combination of electronic camera (to be placed on the easel) and a cathode-ray monitor.

What advantage on a classic grain-focuser working with aerial or groundglass image it might have?
Higher sensitivity for enlargements?
I rather guess the only benefit would be more comfort in viewing the image.

 

[JackRosa]

They come up every couple of years or so, in my experience. You need to put in an ebay search worldwide - say, European countries, North America, Australia/New Zealand, etc. Then be patient. I am not sure what their original purpose was, but I doubt it was leisure photography. think they were made in Italy.
Richard

It is from Italy.


THANK YOU Richard. I will put in an eBay search and be patient. Thanks AgX for confirming it is from Italy.

 

[youngrichard]

You are right it is ease and comfort of use. I have 3 autofocus enlargers Leica V35, Durst DA900, and a Focomat 11c. Fine-tuning autofocus takes time if one is to be completely satisfied, especially as the enlarger head makes repeated trips to top and bottom of the column; the arm gets tired, it is difficult to finely adjust a knob at arms length above your head whilst your eye is glued to an objective which you can’t quite get into your line of sight as your head is tilted as a result of one shoulder being raised in order to reach higher …. That is how it was for me anyway.

On top of ease of use, is what you learn as the negative heats up in a glassless carrier. There is certainly a “pop” at some point, but there is also a slow deformation before that and afterwards too, and corresponding reformation on cooling. Which means that when you are happy with your focus, turn off lamp, position your paper, turn on lamp again, you have no idea what is happening to the negative - has it “unpopped” and if so will it “re- pop” during the exposure?
The v35 is pretty good , I admit, with AN glass on top and glassless below. But for the DA900 and Focomat 11c, which I use for both 35 mm and MF negatives, there is only one solution and that is glass top and bottom (AN on top). Nothing else gives perfect grain whether the negative is hot, cold, or something in between.

Nowadays I rarely check the autofocus, perhaps once at the start of a session. I am not sure one should use it routinely for focussing in the absence of autofocus, because the cathode ray tube continues to glow dimly after switching off and this takes a while to subside. I haven’t tested for fogging as for me there is no need.
Richard