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Leica Focomat Enlargers

G

Guest

Hello,

Leica lenses offer sharp contrasty negatives, but that's not the end, the final product is on photo paper! I feel like there is no point in taking pictures with a leica but then printing them through an enlarger with lens that don't offer the same quality. I've been searching around and have seen some Focomats for sale. What are your comments on these products? Any other brands reccomended for enlargers?

Thanks,

Daniel
 
G

Guest

> I have had a Focomat IIc since about 1976. It is really terrific once > one learns how to work with it. The glass negative carrier keeps the > film flat and the Focotar lenses (60 and 100 mm) deliver sharp images > equal to the camera's lenses.

My experiences have led me to abandon the wet darkroom. I now scan with a Canon FS4000 using VueScan software. I then use Photoshop 7 on a Mac with a gig of RAM under OS 10.2.2 My printing is on two Epsons, an 870 and a new 2200. I can say that the digital workflow result exceeds the performance that I could obtain using the Focomat.

I have reprinted negatives from 20 years ago and have compared, side-by-side, prints from the Focomat and the Epson. While inkjet is not silver gelatin, the use of both glossy photo stock and matte watercolor type papers produce very beautiful prints.

Leica glass produces fine image quality. If one can carry that quality forward through the film processing, the resulting negatives can be scanned, or projected by a Focomat through another Leica lens. The results can be every bit as satisfying regardless of the path taken.

Cheers,

Jim San Diego
 
G

Guest

My main enlarger in the darkroom is my Focomat Ic. I can't ask for a better enlarger. 16x20's are amazing. The auto-focusing on the old Focomat's will need some adjusting sometimes, but 90% of the time, the enlarger is dead on.
If they only made enlargers like this today.

I also use a CanoScan 4000FS and a Epson 2200. The Epson really is a damn good printer, but the Focomat still beats it if you want the silver gelatin prints.

If you have the $$$, get the Focomat V35. The 40mm lens is sharp!
 
G

Guest

I would be interested in a focomat II c in good shape in the region Austria and Southgermany. Who can help me??
 
G

Guest

Dear Focomat users:

I have just acquired a Focomat IC in fine condition and I am anxious to use it. But I am missing a pin that goes on the column. The pin looks like a chrome bobby pin. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement pin? Any help would be appreciated!
 
G

Guest

That sounds like a cotter pin which should be available in a hardware store, although not in chrome. Maybe someone who owns a Focomat IC could measure the pin for you. My Valoy II is similar in many ways, but does not use these.
 
G

Guest

The pin isn't really necessary. It is just an easy way to set-up the enlarger. The upper hole is the mark for auto focus using the Leica easel made for the enlarger. The lower hole is for auto focus on the baseboard.
Happy Printing.
 
G

Guest

Write to TS@leica-camera.com which is the Technical Services Department at Solms. It is amazaing what odd bits are still available. Last year they supplied me a beautiful tailored dust cover for my Focomat.
 
G

Guest

I have a Leitz Focomat 1C enlarger. Does anyone know where I can get the pin that goes inside one of the holes along the enlarger column?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
F

fanta51

New Member
Wich aperture is the best on a Focotar 60 M/M ?
I use the 5.6 and found it very good.
Is there another one better ?
 
H

hektor

Dear Jean-Philippe,

I have an original (English). Send me your postal address by e-mail and I will post you a photocopy.

Regards,

Justin
 
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