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placing multigrade filters above lens

NewMexican

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Jun 25, 2005
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Lincoln Coun
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Hello
I am using an older (blue) beseler 45 mcrx enlarger with a cold light source. I can't figure our how to put multigrade filters below the lens. Can I place the gel type filters above the lens by removing the lens board and placing the filter above the lens and then replacing the lens board. Is there another option?
charlie
 
I just gave away that same model enlarger to a needy friend. It has a filter drawer above the lens where you put filters. My Omega D2V also takes its filters above the lens.
 
Hey Terry,
I've wondered about that. I've never used the red filter but I know it's a piece of plexiglass which is quite stiff. Hoh do I get either the mounter or the gel type filters robust enough to work back and forth in this filter "drawer"?
 
The gel filters for above the lens will hold up quite well.
 
Rick A said:
The gel filters for above the lens will hold up quite well.
Click to expand...

Yes, indeed. And particularly because they go above the lens, the filter does not have to be perfect.

When you put it under the lens it's more important that there are no imperfections since the light shone through the filter is what reaches the paper surface. When it's in the filter drawer above the lens, it's less sensitive to imperfections, because the light is yet to travel through the negative.
 
Thomas Bertilsson said:
And particularly because they go above the lens, the filter does not have to be perfect.
Click to expand...

NO.

Any filter placed between the film and the paper, nonwithstanding on which side of the lens should be as good as possible.

However, a filter above the film can be of lesser optical quality.
 
AgX said:
NO.

Any filter placed between the film and the paper, nonwithstanding on which side of the lens should be as good as possible.

However, a filter above the film can be of lesser optical quality.
Click to expand...

Above the film is what I meant. Isn't that where filter drawers are usually located?
 
Yes, that's where they are. But as above in this thread there was reference to taking out the lens and putting the filter above it, at least in this context your "above the lens" is ambiguous. Thus my correction.
 
My original Beseler 45 was an ancient model with a condenser light source and no facility for using filters above the film. I bought a later Beseler 45 condenser light source off ebay which included a drawer for placing filters above the lens. Kodak used to make a filter holder designed for (roughly) 3 1/4 x 3 1/4 filters held below the lens. It was held on by plastic thumbscrews. They came in a kit including the filters in a nice little plastic box. I used such a kit until I got the light source with the above-the-negative filter tray, which I like much, much better. If you need the below the lens kit I imagine that you can probably still find them on ebay.

Mike
 
If you opt for below the lens filters, they must be of perfect optic quality, or it could distort the enlarged image or possibly show dust and/or surface reflections if they aren't kept spotless. My above the film set have smudges on some of them, but is not an issue as they never show up. I suppose I should invest in a new set.
 
AgX said:
Yes, that's where they are. But as above in this thread there was reference to taking out the lens and putting the filter above it, at least in this context your "above the lens" is ambiguous. Thus my correction.
Click to expand...

I have one of these polycontrast filter sets and holder of which you speak. Pretty nifty.
 
Thanks all,
When I replaced the condenser head with a diffusion/cold light source I gave up the above the lens filter drawer since it was part of the condenser head. Now all I have left is the place between the film plane and the lens. The red filter there is a piece of plexiglass about 2x2. is this adequate for multigrade filters?
charlie
 
You could also learn to split print. That way you only need two filters, namely, deep blue and a deep green coated glass filters suitable for below the lens.
 
Drew,
Do you mean the tri-color filters #47 & 58? Theres also a 61 that's an even darker green.
 
I am not quite sure what your set up is. You can put filters directly on top of the negative holder. Even a millimeter or two above the negative, any dust or scratches are way out of focus. The diffuser on the cold lamp further blurs any defect or dust.
 
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