Meopta Magnifax + Ilford Multigrade filters

Hi

I've recently acquired a Maginfax 4a and am wondering if anybody has a solution for fitting an Ilford below lens multigrade filter set to it. When using a 50mm lens for 35mm negs, you have to invert the lens mount (concave) and the filter holder won't fit that way round. If you turn the mount the 'wrong' way round the mount fits fine, but unfortunately that means that it's impossible to focus.

Has anybody used below lens filters with a Magnifax using a <105mm lens?

I don't have an above lens filter set.

TIA

John.

not on a Magnifax but I have used them on a durst with recessed lens tub. The three pronged leg thingy did stick out enough but it was very fiddly.

You can also mount the holder using the three rubber ended screws which fit horizontally through the filter holder and grip the end of the lens so the three legged thingy isn't required. But if the lens is all the way up into the recessed tub that wouldn't work.

Alternatively I think there are some filter holders which swing in and out like the red focus filter does. I don't know if there is one available for the magnifax.

There is one for Kaiser which if you were lucky you might be able to rig an attachment to your magnifax.

http://kaiser-fototechnik.de/en/produkte/2_1_produktanzeige.asp?nr=4495

Thanks.

I may have to see if I can rig up something that will work. I was just hoping somebody had used the Ilford below lens filters with a Magnifax already. Chances are somebody must have at some point! ;-)

Anyway, to give my question some context, my darkroom is now finally ready to use whenever I can.

I have enlarger alternatives; One of the benefits of buying darkroom equipment these days is that you can pick up job lots for not much cash, and as such I've ended up with more than one enlarger. The Magnifax was an unintentional purchase! It came with other equipment I wanted including an f-stop timer, so the enlarger was a bonus that has given me too much choice!

I was hoping to settle on the Magnifax as it seems a bit sturdier and more 'pro' feeling than the Durst M670 I also have and I wanted to start off in my darkroom with a settled equipment list. If not I'll end up spending all my time playing with the different options rather than getting down to properly learning how to print! Which is what happened last night when I tried to do my first test print and hit a snag when I couldn't use the below lens filters with the Magnifax. I ended up having to switch to the M670 and by the time I'd finished setting it all up I'd run out of time.

One further option would be to use a color3 head with the Magnifax, but I like the idea of condensor enlargers even though they show up all the dust I shouldn't be getting on my negatives I don't really like fiddling with the colour dials to change grades, and wanted to use the below lens multigrade filters.

Perhaps I should just forget about the filters and just stick to colour heads.

That's a choice I thought I'd already (finally) made! ;-)

Stop worrying about the under the lens filters, it's more like a makeshift solution for enlargers without a filter drawer. Your Magnifax has a filter drawer, so you can use above the lens filters easily, but you will have to buy the larger of the two sizes available ($$). Meopta offered a Meograde head (specialized head for VC papers), but they are rare and difficult to find. The Color 3 head is much more readily available and can be had cheap, but make sure you get the proper diffusion boxes for your needs (35mm, 6x6, 6x9 types available) as they are also getting rare. I would like to have a Meograde head, but have not been lucky enough to find one at a reasonable price myself, so I live with the Color 3 head for the time being.

mnemosyne said:

Stop worrying about the under the lens filters, it's more like a makeshift solution for enlargers without a filter drawer. Your Magnifax has a filter drawer, so you can use above the lens filters easily, but you will have to buy the larger of the two sizes available ($$). ....

Click to expand...

The above lens filters are indeed $$ (£££) and I have got to the point where I have enough equipment now and need to just get on with it and start printing! I already have below lens filter set and was hoping to use that.

So, I either figure out a way to make a holder for the below lens filters that uses the red filter column or I will just use the Durst instead.

And hopefully a cure for GAS is forthcoming