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Half Frame Enlarging

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NortheastPhotographic

NortheastPhotographic

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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.
 

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Minolta Rokkor-X 30/2.8 was not meant for HF, but for 16mm film (or smalller).
 
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
 
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The 40mm will help, but a 28mm is MUCH better.
 
Just don’t assume that 28mm or 30mm will cover HF.
 
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.
 
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/
 
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Schneider 28/f4 image data. Diagonal of 18x24mm "Half Frame" = 30mm

So, a 11x14" would be about 14x 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.

Screen Shot 2025-09-04 at 5.43.45 PM.png
 
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brbo said:
Just don’t assume that 28mm or 30mm will cover HF.
Click to expand...

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.
 
110 is, however, similar in size to Micro 4/3 :smile:
 
ic-racer said:
So, a 11x14" would be about 30x enlargement.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Patrick Robert James said:
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.
Click to expand...

I've used a 50 and it worked fine. Am I missing out on something?
 
MattKing said:
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.
Click to expand...

What would they be used for now? Who would still be making them?
 
Cholentpot said:
I've used a 50 and it worked fine. Am I missing out on something?
Click to expand...

Depends on how much enlargement you want. If you can go high enough with your column to get to the desired enlargement you are not missing out on anything...
 
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Cholentpot said:
I've used a 50 and it worked fine. Am I missing out on something?
Click to expand...

There are definitely full frame 50mm lenses sharp enough for enlarging half frame... when I digitize I'm using a 50mm FF Pentax macro lens which handles 7300 pixels on the long side with good detail, where I'd be comfortable printing at 20 inches. I think the limiting factor is space between the lens and photo paper.
 
I only have a couple of 35mm 1/2 frame rolls made with an Olympus Pen & I *think* I used the 28 to print the negatives. When I get back home I will have to check. I do not have a 40mm enlarging lens so it is the 28mm or my 50mm lenses. I got the 28mm primarily for my Minolta MG 16mm sub-miniatures film cameras & my Pentax Auto 110 negatives. My enlarger is a Beseler 23CXL.

Here are frame sizes:

10mm x 14mm Original Minolta 16

12mm x 17mm Minolta MG/MGS 16mm frames

13mm x 17mm 110 Film negative size

18mm x 24mm 1/2 Half frame 35mm film size

17.3 mm x 13 mm Four Thirds/Micro Four Thirds sensor size
 
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