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alex ph
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1571
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 1:11 am Post subject: An impressive no-name Leitz enlarger lens |
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alex ph wrote:
I've got a very basic and neat enlarger by Ernst Leitz Wetzlar, presumably produced in the 1930s. There is no marking of the model name on it, but a Wetzlar leaflet published in 1930 lets suppose it is a Vitox.
I unscrewed the lens to clean it from dust and found out there is no marking of the brand and name on it or anything else, but numbers of the aperture scale. So, it is a no name Leitz enlarger lens. The aforementioned leaflet speaking on Vitox says just "a lens of 50mm with a relative aperture of 3.5". It looks like in that era branding with names was reserved for parts of higher grade enlargers.
Here is the lens itself:
#1
#2
If my count of bulb reflexions is correct, the lens has 4 elements.
Its iron tube is too long for Sony mount to reach any distance from the object which is situated further than at 20cm. So I could only try some macro shots. And I am impressed by the sharp and clean aspect of the image, as well as by the pop-up. I'd say it is an excellent lens, with a very pleasing rendition, neater than the Soviet tessar-like enlargers.
#3
Due to freelensing here is some edge flare. But even in this case one may note the crisp rendition of details and a very good micro-contrast.
#4
I don't wish to break the enlarger functionality cutting the "extra" metal of the lens' tube. At least before trying to use it for its direct destination.
But I am quite curious about the lens type. I will appreciate much your hints about its name and/or its optic design. |
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fiftyonepointsix
Joined: 30 Apr 2017 Posts: 292
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 1:40 am Post subject: |
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fiftyonepointsix wrote:
The Varob was the Elmar 5cm F3.5 mounted in a rigid 39mm barrel with the aperture markings of 1 through 10. Your lens looks like the optics of the Elmar in a different tube. I took a Varob apart and made it into an M-Mount lens using the tube of an Elmar with bad glass. The images are what you would expect of an Elmar- it was not optimized for the enlarger. Later generation Leica enlarger lenses were optimized for that purpose. |
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Lightshow
Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3669 Location: Calgary
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 7:16 am Post subject: |
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Lightshow wrote:
I doubt the tube is iron, it's probably brass that's nickle plated. _________________ A Manual Focus Junky...
One photographers junk lens is an artists favorite tool.
My lens list
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lightshow-photography/ |
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kds315*
Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 16497 Location: Weinheim, Germany
Expire: 2021-03-09
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:12 am Post subject: |
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kds315* wrote:
fiftyonepointsix wrote: |
The Varob was the Elmar 5cm F3.5 mounted in a rigid 39mm barrel with the aperture markings of 1 through 10. Your lens looks like the optics of the Elmar in a different tube. I took a Varob apart and made it into an M-Mount lens using the tube of an Elmar with bad glass. The images are what you would expect of an Elmar- it was not optimized for the enlarger. Later generation Leica enlarger lenses were optimized for that purpose. |
I agree, it looks like that for me, too! _________________ Klaus - Admin
"S'il vient a point, me souviendra" [Thomas Bohier (1460-1523)]
http://www.macrolenses.de for macro and special lens info
http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos for UV Images and lens/filter info
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kds315/albums my albums using various lenses
http://photographyoftheinvisibleworld.blogspot.com/ my UV BLOG
http://www.travelmeetsfood.com/blog Food + Travel BLOG
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Currently most FAV lens(es):
X80QF f3.2/80mm
Hypergon f11/26mm
ELCAN UV f5.6/52mm
Zeiss UV-Planar f4/60mm
Zeiss UV-Planar f2/62mm
Lomo Уфар-12 f2.5/41mm
Lomo Зуфар-2 f4.0/350mm
Lomo ZIKAR-1A f1.2/100mm
Nikon UV Nikkor f4.5/105mm
Zeiss UV-Sonnar f4.3/105mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f1.8/45mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f4.1/94mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f2.8/100mm
Steinheil Quarzobjektiv f1.8/50mm
Pentax Quartz Takumar f3.5/85mm
Carl Zeiss Jena UV-Objektiv f4/60mm
NYE OPTICAL Lyman-Alpha II f1.1/90mm
NYE OPTICAL Lyman-Alpha I f2.8/200mm
COASTAL OPTICS f4/60mm UV-VIS-IR Apo
COASTAL OPTICS f4.5/105mm UV-Micro-Apo
Pentax Ultra-Achromatic Takumar f4.5/85mm
Pentax Ultra-Achromatic Takumar f5.6/300mm
Rodenstock UV-Rodagon f5.6/60mm + 105mm + 150mm
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alex ph
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1571
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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alex ph wrote:
Thank you for your judgements, fellows!
That gives a temptation to cut the tube. But I am still keeping myself away from that, as it will be irreversible and will disable the entire enlarger. |
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fiftyonepointsix
Joined: 30 Apr 2017 Posts: 292
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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fiftyonepointsix wrote:
The Varob has a set screw that holds the optical barrel into the tube. It is accessible through a small hole in the side of the tube. I would be inclined to look for a set screw, either through a hole or perhaps the cut tab on the tube. |
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alex ph
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1571
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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alex ph wrote:
Thank you for the hint, fiftyonepointsix. I only found two tiny screws that retain the aperture ring. I presume that unscrewing them and dismounting the ring gives access to the lens retaining plate or screws. Sometimes the aperture connection might be a bit tricky, so I will experiment later, with all the necessary precautions. I will give some news here then. |
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