Half Frame Enlarging

[NortheastPhotographic]

Is the Schneider 28/4 the standard lens for making 11x14ish prints from half frame? That's the most common and very affordable one I see online.

I'm assuming it doesn't need any special mounting for an LPL 4550, other than reversing the plate as you do with the 50.

Just thought I'd check before I hit 'buy'. These Pentax 17 negatives look fantastic and I think will print beautifully.

 

[Paul Howell]

Rodenstock also made a 28 F4.0 6 element lens. You might need a recessed lens board. 11X14 from 1/2 frame is a challenge.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

Rodenstock also made a 28 F4.0 6 element lens. You might need a recessed lens board. 11X14 from 1/2 frame is a challenge.

This one? https://www.ebay.com/itm/3572014409...-bda1-2ae63dcc4759|iid:1|vlpname:vlp_homepage

It's listed as a 'macro' lens so I assume that's just incorrect...

 

[Paul Howell]

Folks use it for macro on digital bodies, but it is an enlarger lens. I have a vague memory of the Schneider 28/4 fitted for a Omega D5, the Air Force bought the entire set of matched lens from 28 to 150 for the D5 auto focus. I don't think it was ever used, just sat on a shelf. KBH might know if your LP needs a recessed board. I have a 1/2 frame Pen F, I got pretty good 5X7, just ok 8X10 but never tired anything larger as I only have 50mm lens.

 

[MattKing]

In a number of cases, the lenses that used to be sold for enlargers remain in production but are not advertised for use as enlarging lenses, because the market for new enlarging lenses is vanishingly small.
Instead they are marketed toward potential customers who would be expected to use them in different applications.

 

[aoresteen]

IIRC Minolta or Olympus made a 28mm enlarging lens for 1/2 frame & 16mm/110 frames. I have one but I'm out of the country right now and can not look.

 

[brbo]

Minolta Rokkor-X 30/2.8 was not meant for HF, but for 16mm film (or smalller).

 

[xkaes]

Here's a complete list of all the half-frame enlarging lenses -- and more. There's a lot to choose from. Some are hard to find, some pricey. Some lenses are recessed so a recessed board is not needed. You can check your enlarger by measuring the distance from the lensboard to the negative carrier with the bellows collapsed. Is it more that the focal length of the lens? Also, many short focal length lenses do not have 39mm threads. Some are 32.5mm or 25mm.

https://www.subclub.org/darkroom/lenses.htm

 

[Patrick Robert James]

The Rokkor 30mm won't cover 1/2 frame but it is excellent.

Do the 28mm lenses cover 1/2 frame?

I typically just use a 50mm for 1/2 frame but I do have a 40mm although I haven't tried it yet.

 

[xkaes]

The 40mm will help, but a 28mm is MUCH better.

 

[brbo]

Just don’t assume that 28mm or 30mm will cover HF.

 

[Paul Howell]

If not for 1/2 frame then what, 110 which is about the same size as 1/2 frame? As noted in earlier post I call that the Air Foce had a 28mm along with a 1/2 frame negative carrier, always though the 28mm for for 1/2 frame, we did not cover 1/2 in tech school so at point a bit puzzled.

 

[loccdor]

You may also wish to consider lenses made in the last 10-15 years for digital APS-C cameras if they allow manual aperture control. The possible advantage would be in resolution and flare reduction (especially if they were designed with macro in mind).

Mounting them could require some finagling though.

And here's an article on using a very high resolution scanner lens: https://www.closeuphotography.com/minolta-dimage-scan-elite-5400-lens/

 

[brbo]

If not for 1/2 frame then what, 110 which is about the same size as 1/2 frame?

HF and 110 are not the same size. 110 had just a bit more than half the area size of HF.

 

[ic-racer]

Schneider 28/f4 image data. Diagonal of 18x24mm "Half Frame" = 30mm

So, a 11x14" would be about 30x enlargement.

The table below only goes to 25x. The solid blue line is f8 at 25x which seems acceptable coverage at the corners. Just make very sure the lens is perfectly centered on the negative. I can describe my method with laser if interested.

 

[xkaes]

If not for 1/2 frame then what, 110 which is about the same size as 1/2 frame?

110 (13 x 17mm) is about half the size of half frame (17 X 24mm). A 25mm is better for 110.

 

[xkaes]

Just don’t assume that 28mm or 30mm will cover HF.

Nearly all 28mm enlarging lenses cover half-frame. Minolta's is an odd one. You would think it would cover because of it's longer focal length, but Minolta made it (6 elements) with a smaller image circle for 12 x 17mm -- so it clips the corners of half frame.

 

[MattKing]

110 is, however, similar in size to Micro 4/3

 

[grain elevator]

So, a 11x14" would be about 30x enlargement.

By my maths, it's about 14x. 24mm is nearly one inch, if this long dimension of the format is enlarged to the long dimension of 14"... it's 14x.