IFF duogon focusing on floor issue

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fazadaoc

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Hello everyone,
I recently acquired an old iff duogon.
It has a 50mm and an 80mm (odd choice but it is how it is)
I am still on the cleanup and testing stages but I noticed I cannot focus the negative if I turn the column and project on the floor.

I assume this is because it'd need the lens to be closer to the negative?

The autofocus works quite OK and there's room to manually adjust focus.

I plan on trying to put a 105mm in order to print 6x9. I'll have to copy the lens panel (I have a 3d printer).

I cannot find any information about this model online, if anyone is familiar with it or has access to a manual it'd be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance! :smile:
 

koraks

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Often if you fail to produce a focused image with a short lens, the problem is indeed that the lens doesn't get close enough to the negative. Depending on the enlarger you may need something like a recessed lens board. I'm not familiar with this particular lens or the enlarger you're using (IDK what enlarger it is in fact).

PS: it helps if you provide complete information (such as enlarger type used) and a clear description of the question in the thread title (e.g. "focus issue with IFF Duogon enlarging lens on xxx enlarger")
 

Ian C

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You can get better answers if you provide the specific brands and models of the enlarging lenses that you are using.

If we know this information, we can likely find the flange distances of the lenses. Then, by specifying the film format you're using, and the required image size ranges needed, we can calculate the flange-to-film distance ranges needed.

I learned that IFF = Industria Fototecnica Firenze was a maker of photographic lighting systems and enlargers in Firenze (Florence) Italy.

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.F.F._-_Industria_Fototecnica_Firenze
 

MARTIE

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I'm guessing it's a condenser enlarger and you'll need to have the correct condenser setup for each lens/format.
 
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OP

fazadaoc

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Thank you both. I thought I had attached images but apparently not.
Here's the beast.

The duogon was a semi professional enlarger taking up to 6x9 made by iff in Italy. As the name suggests it has a cam driven mechanism for auto focusing 2 different lenses (as mentioned in my case 60mm and 80mm cams/lenses) via a rotating turret with 3 slots

There's pretty much no information online on this model (its the older one, they later made the duogon/s in the 90s I believe). An instruction manual would be very useful but I had no luck online.

Here's the most helpful links I found (both in Italian, the links are in English via Google translate)



I have some 30x40 and 50x60 paper I'd like to use
The baseboard is bigger than 50x60 but I cannot raise the column enough when on the table (low ceiling), I can get to about 30x40 but the projection goes over the far side of the board. I have yet to try to move the entire thing on the floor so to raise more the head and use the full board but lifting up and down the desk is well, difficult given its size and I believe the projection would again go outside the board.

I thought I could try rotating the column and use the floor but the projection is alway out of focus.

At this point since I'm still familiarising with it and cleaning it, it's more of a curiosity I had.

edit: i can't manage to attach images. is the filesize limit of 2mb per image or total?
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20251115_163037800.RAW-01.COVER.jpg
    PXL_20251115_163037800.RAW-01.COVER.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 2
Last edited:

grunf

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The IFF Duogon has a dual cam autofocus system, you must use only the two lenses it was set up at the factory in order to get the autofocus working. And it will work only if you project on its base. To project on the floor you must use the acccessory manual focus screw that raises the lens closer to the negative. You need that accessory also if want to print 6x9 and also need the right condenser for the 105 lens. I think with 6x9 and a 105 lens you can get a quite big picture in manual focus but I never tested how big you can go, for my needs the 50x60 cm that I can print on its base with my 100 lens is more than enough.
 
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fazadaoc

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The IFF Duogon has a dual cam autofocus system, you must use only the two lenses it was set up at the factory in order to get the autofocus working. And it will work only if you project on its base. To project on the floor you must use the acccessory manual focus screw that raises the lens closer to the negative. You need that accessory also if want to print 6x9 and also need the right condenser for the 105 lens. I think with 6x9 and a 105 lens you can get a quite big picture in manual focus but I never tested how big you can go, for my needs the 50x60 cm that I can print on its base with my 100 lens is more than enough.

grazie mille per le informazioni! hai mai visto condensatori in vendita o elicoidi per le lenti?

what does this manual focus crew look like?

also do you know what this knob might be for?

https://images2.imgbox.com/3e/cb/LgvBGR3I_o.jpg
Yufnpeet o
Lgvbgr3i o
 
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