Focomat IIa color, what lenses fit?

[NB23]

I use two enlargers side by side: a Focomat Ic color and a Focomat IIc.

I’ve stumbled upon a “IIa color” and purchased it. It will replace my beautiful Ic (well, I own three Ic, Loooove those things)

My problem is that the lenses on the IIa are not as stellar as my other, newer Focotars that are fitted on my Ic and IIc, it looks like the focomat IIa cannot accept the same lenses as the IIc and Ic, namely the 100mm focotar-2, 50mm focotar-1 Big Element and Focotar-2, 60mm focotar.

My question is: what lenses will work (focus within the range) on the Focomat IIa? Am I doomed to use the 50mm elmar (DOOUM) and 9.5cm (FOODE)?

 

[NB23]

Any regular lens? Not sure, the barrel seems tight.

Any focomat IIa experience around here?

 

[Lachlan Young]

Unless Kienzle can make you a new turret/ helicoids to fit other lenses, the 5cm and the 9.5cm are really the only choices (the Componon-S barrel is maybe a mm too fat, and the latest Rodagon is fatter still). Kienzle offer quite a pile of new components for the IIa (and dichroic heads, split-grade heads etc) but I've never got round to asking if replacement lenses are feasible on the IIa at a reasonable price (you'd likely also need new focus cams). If I did decide to replace the lenses on my IIa (and if the barrels were able to be fitted with enough clearance), I'd probably go with Apo Rodagon N's.

 

[Hilo]

Why don't you just stick to only the IIc? You have the Focotar 100mm and the Focotar 60mm, both fine lenses. The only real plus the IIa would give you is the larger negative carrier. The IIc carrier is sometimes too small for negatives from certain cameras. Now and then I have to reprint a negative from a Zeiss folder, including the black border and that negative is on the large side. So, I filed out an extra IIc negative carrier . . .

If you have 135mm negatives, I would think twice about letting go the Ic, as it gives you more possibilities next to the IIc.

 

[NB23]

Hey thanks!

I’ve analyzed everything and here is what I found:
- 100mm Focotar-2 will focus but it’s all the way to screwed to the end. There’s no slack, I’m afraid it’s too limit. Loss of autofocus.
Same thing for the small focotar 50 (small element). Usable but too limit.

-50mm focotar-2 and the one with big element will not focus. They’d only need to be screwed 1mm deeper (which would basicaly translate to one full screw turn).

-a 50mm componon would probably fit. not sure about the 100mm componon

- I could macgyver a solution to use both componon 50mm and 100mm lenses and it will wlrk beautifuly. Make the ring that controls the autofocus cams slightly FATTER. This will get the lens board that closer to the film plane, this making them work.

In exchange of losing autofocus (no biggie), I gain great lenses. I’m testing this this evening.

oy yeah, the elmar and 9.5cm lenses (the ones without the aperture f stops) are so bad, I almost can’t focus on the grain, they simply cannot resolve grain properly.

Unless Kienzle can make you a new turret/ helicoids to fit other lenses, the 5cm and the 9.5cm are really the only choices (the Componon-S barrel is maybe a mm too fat, and the latest Rodagon is fatter still). Kienzle offer quite a pile of new components for the IIa (and dichroic heads, split-grade heads etc) but I've never got round to asking if replacement lenses are feasible on the IIa at a reasonable price (you'd likely also need new focus cams). If I did decide to replace the lenses on my IIa (and if the barrels were able to be fitted with enough clearance), I'd probably go with Apo Rodagon N's.

 

[NB23]

You are absolutely right! The Ic is a dream machine. I own three and I will never part with my Gray Ic tall column, I will sell the other two, however. My wife knows: when I die, into my extra large coffin she’ll have to throw my Rolleiflexes, a few Leicas, pastrami, a few bottles of Whiskey, rolls of film, a few playboys, and my focomats Ic and IIc along with some other stuff. All over my dead body.
I will retire my beautiful Ic for a year or two but I will use it back again either by switching the IIa or with a bigger darkroom where I will finally be able to use three enlargers, just because I could.

Why did I buy the IIa? Because I need the 2x3 negative holder for future 6x9 film I plan to use. Also, when I enquired to Kienzle about a few extra negative masks for my IIc and a new negative holder, the price they quoted me was double that if the fine IIa that I purchased, and which came complete, with many masks and a filter holder with anti newton glass. It boiled down to either adding a fine complete IIa color focomat, or adding a negative honder and a few masks fir my existing Iic. The garbage lenses from the IIa was a sour surprise, though.
I also want to print negatives from my Nishika n8000 (all four images at once à la pano format) and the IIa will be good for this, as well as for 6x9 and even portions of 4x5 film (I have my ideas)... all in all, it was an opportunity, I would never buy this thing off ebay and having it shipped.

I plan to circumvent the IIa’s lens limitation by simply highering the focus cam blades by a few millimeters. It should work, and if it does, the IIa will become an upgraded Monster workhorse.

Why don't you just stick to only the IIc? You have the Focotar 100mm and the Focotar 60mm, both fine lenses. The only real plus the IIa would give you is the larger negative carrier. The IIc carrier is sometimes too small for negatives from certain cameras. Now and then I have to reprint a negative from a Zeiss folder, including the black border and that negative is on the large side. So, I filed out an extra IIc negative carrier . . .

If you have 135mm negatives, I would think twice about letting go the Ic, as it gives you more possibilities next to the IIc.

 

[NB23]

Well, what do you know... it worked!

Here it is:
- The newer and excellent 50 focotars (without the 17675/DOORX extension tube) will work on the Focomat IIa and will focus throughout the magnification range. For this, all you have to do is to insert the focus pin so the focus blades will lie on the thinnest part of the pin. (See pictures).

-For the Focotar-2 100mm, keep the pin as stated above. It will focus throughout the entire magnification range.

-the excellent focotar 60mm will also work, but it will have to be fitted with the extension tube 17675/DOORX, and be used with the Pin as stated above, inserted for the focus 50mm setting.

Also, I believe the Schneider Componon 50 and 100 shall fit, but I won’t buy them since I own the lenses above.

So there it is, the Focomat IIa has now become the IIc-minus.

Photos in the next post.

 

[NB23]

In the first picture, the pin is inserted as to provide autofocus with the native lenses (bad performers) and prevents any other (excellent focotars) to be used.

In the second picture, the pin is inserted as for the focomat IIa as to accept any and all other focotar lenses. But cancels accurate autofocus. However, you gain the best image quality.

Voila.

 

[NB23]

Last update,

For the use of 50/60mm focotars, it is best that you just take out the pin. Keeping it inserted as shown, it will get in the way if the lower Focus blade if/when enlarging quite big (16x20).

Taking off the pin completely solves the problem.

 

[Lachlan Young]

the elmar and 9.5cm lenses (the ones without the aperture f stops) are so bad, I almost can’t focus on the grain, they simply cannot resolve grain properly.

You might want to try and find a DOOUM - it's the small element Focotar, but in the correct barrel for the IIa - my IIa is a very late model & has it rather than the Elmar. Can't say that I'd characterise my example of the 9.5cm as unsharp and unable to focus on the grain when used within its intended limits and not pushing the edges too hard (much like the well known limitations of the 60mm).

 

[apbphoto]

Hi all. Just thought you might be interested in my latest Leitz enlarger: a 1930s vintage Vasex I. It’s the manual focus Valoy style precursor of the Focomat IIa. Actually they may have been contemporaries but the key thing about this machine, besides being an exquisite thing, is that it works with all sorts of lenses and no AF cam to worry about. I’d be interested to compare notes with anyone with Vasex experience. Especially the larger ‘trade darkroom’ version II.

 

[Hilo]

Congrats on this purchase! I considered bidding for this Vasex, but then decided not to do so. Too much of a hassle to bring it to where I live.

There were two reasons I was interested besides the reason you already gave us (the single non automatic lens construction).

First because of the counter weight, which is not unlike the Reprovit II's counterweight. I have a simmilar setup with a Leitz made solution to use the Valoy II attached to the Reprovit II. I love that counter weight, it is like an old elevator in a Hitchcock movie.

Second because I found a special lamphead for the Vasex enlargers. Which is a lamphead with four (yes 4!) bulbs that was used when printing glass plates. I never got that to work in the more recent Leitz enlargers.

I may know someone who has the Vasex 1 as well. Let me check.

 

[Hilo]

Here 2 pictures of the Valoy II and Reprovit II setup

 

[Saganich]

The lenses on my non-color IIA are FOODE 95cm 1:4.5, and Elmar FOOLY 5 cm 1:3.5. I find the FOODE excellent. I never could figure out how to use other 50mm lenses, which is why I picked up a 1C for 35mm...never used autofocus anyway...thanks for the pin tip. Does that work for both cams or just the 50mm?