Leitz Focomat 1c

[Magoo79]

Hello,
Someone gave away a leitz focomat 1c enlarger and I am the lucky person to get it. I am used to my Beseler 4x5 but am excited to try this new enlarger. For the most part there are no scratches, and this is in great shape. The only problem is the baseboard. It is wood and falling apart. I was thinking of building a new one, however I am reading that this enlarger auto focuses to either the baseboard or to the easel.
How exact does everything have to be for this enlarger, and is there a way to compensate and adjust? Are there any places that sell new or used baseboards for this enlarger? I checked ebay and only saw complete enlargers.

I have a reproduced manual on order. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[JLP]

Congratulation on your gift. The Focomat 1c is a great enlarger and you will find that it is quite a refined piece of gear compared to the Beseler.
There's a ring around the lens that holds two moveable fixing points and i think this is what you refer to as focusing on the baseboard and the easel.
These two fixing points can be moved by loosening a little screw and you can basically use those in anyway you want. Maybe you will have two different lenses and can adjust them to focus from one lens to the other.
Or you can use one for the easel and the other for the baseboard.

As long as your new baseboard is flat and in a perfect 90 angle to the column you will be fine.
Enjoy.

 

[Magoo79]

Thanks for the info.
I would still like to find a new baseboard, just because I like all my stuff to be original. but I can move forward and improvise for the time being.

Thanks,

Mike.

 

[JMC1969]

I am completely unfamiliar with this enlarger myself, outside of a quick Google search and read on a couple other forums,but have a sweet lady here in town has asked me if I can help find a home for it. I have not yet laid eyes on this enlarger, but if I recall correctly, this is a 35mm only enlarger, right? I did not think I would have much luck finding a home for it. Would it be worth getting to part it out to others? I read that the lenses are very nice and most all need to be re-wired, so it seems work is needed to most and maybe some fresh parts would be nice to find for those in need. I suspect this enlarger to be very clean as she told me she sold an Anniversary Leica with lenses for about $5000 a few years back. I find Leica owners to typically be very good to their equipment.

 

[John Koehrer]

Ayup. 35mm only, auto focus. usually with a 50/4.5 unless someone has swapped it out.
These are normally adjusted to the easel, but can be reset or focused manually. I'd suspect that an original base board would be hard to find but a Valoy should be the same.
Maybe.
Too many years have passed. I don't remember if the negative carrier/tray needed to be removed to changed negatives, but he condenser lifted by turning a lever and it may or may not have AN glass on it. The AN glass looks like a filter that slips on the bottom of the condenser.