Leica 35V Fotomat Enlarger

[mwellman]

I am considering purchasing a Leica 35V enlarger. I remember reading about the enlarger 23-35 years ago but until the other day I had never used or seen one. I have been doing some internet searches. Here's what I've learned so far:

-- light bulb is an important item to check. You don't want an earlier version with the 6604 bulb. Look for a modified light base using 13139 bulb
--make sure it has the Leica WA-Focotar 40mm f/2.8 lens.
--newer versions are better than the older (I'm assuming because of the light bulb issue)

I would love to hear from anyone who has used this beautiful enlarger. What your experience has been and anything you can pass on about the enlarger. I would especially like to know:
--how do I determine what light is being used?
--how can tell the age or manufacturing date?
--what I should looking for when checking it out before buying.

Thank you
Michael

 

[Jesper]

Hi, I have one with the old lamp and one with the new. Getting 6604 lamps is not easy but Leitz made a conversion kit so if you get an old one for the right price you could convert it (KHB Photographix sells the kit).

If you find one make sure that auto focus works and that it has the right setup for your work (there is a multigrade light box and a colour one). As with any enlager, check to see that all parts are included, sometimes the negative carrier is missing. Apart from that there is not much to say. It is very nice to work with.

 

[logan2z]

I had one for years (with the Focotar 40mm lens) and it's a beautifully engineered enlarger. However, all of the replacement bulbs I tried (including those from KHB Photografix) were too dim, resulting in long exposure times. For that reason, I retired the enlarger and recently donated it to a community darkroom. YMMV, of course. I would check to see how bright the image is at the baseboard before committing to it, unless you are ok with long exposure times.