Leica Focomat B&W

[mervynyan]

I saw a Leica Focomat on craigslist, although I have 4x5MX already, thinking about a small foot print enlarge for contact or sample print. any thoughts?

 

[summicron1]

if it has a lens, all its parts, and costs anything less than $200 jump on it -- focomat is the best enlarger on the planet for 35mm. i have a IC, used it for 25 years, it will never wear out.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I saw a Leica Focomat on craigslist, although I have 4x5MX already, thinking about a small foot print enlarge for contact or sample print. any thoughts?

Hmmmm! I guess I don't totally understand your question. Now, to run a sample print from a smaller format 35mm(you don't say whether this is a Focomat IIc or not) it might be worth it, but for a contact print I don't think it would be any easier or better than your 4x5MX. Of course if it's "CHEAP" and has a good clean Leitz lens then by all means buy it. Sounds like you might be doing what I do way too much. Justifying a purchase? Finding a reason to buy something I really don't need, but really would like. Life is tooooooo short, buy it and have fun. Besides, if you buy it cheap enough you can always get your money back. JohnW

 

[tony lockerbie]

Buy it, they are a lovely enlarger and you will find that you will use it a lot. Probably the best 35 mm enlarger ever, just so easy to use especially if you can snag the MC head for it.

 

[fotch]

I saw a Leica Focomat on craigslist, although I have 4x5MX already, thinking about a small foot print enlarge for contact or sample print. any thoughts?

If your gear collecting, which many of us do, then getting another enlarger needs no reason. If you look at it from a production or result basis, the 45MX is all you need. Note! I have more than one enlarger because.......I can.

 

[clogz]

Yes, we can! Since prices are low enough!

 

[Richard Jepsen]

I use a 1c and Valoy 2. Both produce the same results and equally satisfying. Leitz is the best and make sence if your other enlarger is set up for a larger format.

 

[Mick Fagan]

The Focomat 2c enlarger isn’t exactly small, but certainly narrower than your current 4x5 enlarger.

Contrary to popular opinion they do wear a little here and there. The auto focus cam can and does wear after heavy industrial use, I have seen this wear myself in an industrial darkroom; but that’s about it.

As many of these enlargers were purchased for industrial use, this is one of the few bits that I know can wear out on this enlarger. Even if the auto focus cam and/or associated parts are worn, the enlarger is still perfectly usable; one just focuses by hand as per normal.

They usually came with a 60mm (I think) 35mm lens and a 100mm lens fitted to a quick change turret; brilliant piece of engineering. As a result 35mm enlarging usually required a high (ish) head height, which isn’t a problem as the head can go up very high.

Check that the lenses do not have any issues, if they do, then fitting other types of lenses could be problematic as far as auto focus goes.

If the one you are after has a diffused Ilford multigrade head, I would be running to get it; that combination is simply marvellous.

Mick.

 

[canuhead]

which Focomat ?

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Parts are expensive, so a 'good deal' on a Focomat is not a deal at all unless all of the parts are there and in good condition. I learned this the hard way and have to have a Focomat V35 repaired, and I am dreading to send it to Leica (since nobody else seems to want to touch them). Make sure it works!