BEOON the Leitz Copy Stand

[rbrooks]

I broke down and bought one.

The corners are weak with a Summicron and even worse with a Summilux. My 90mm Macro Elmar didn't work as the column does not extend high enough.

I've tried my 40mm Focotar but I cannot get a 35mm negative to fill the frame. I've tried different combinations of the tubes (B, C, D) and moving the column up and down. The best I can get is that with the B ring it fills the entire 1:2 carrier including the outside metal -- so almost the entire base. It's noticeably sharper in the corners but you can detect the field curvature as it waves from centre to corners.
Does this make sense to you? I think so as the 40mm would need to have an even closer distance focusing than the BEOON allows.

Another question: Would the 75mm Rodagon D work on a BEOON? The 90mm didn't, but maybe a 75mm would at the limit of the height? Can this be calculated before buying? I suspect this lens would be the ultimate. Has anyone tried this or can help crunch the numbers to see if it's theoretically possible?
Otherwise, I'll try 50mm enlarging lenses next.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger,
I think all you would need is a simple LTM-M adapter, but I don't know how you would focus it.

Dear Peter,

Thanks, but as far as I can see the BOOWU-M takes only the inner claws of (newer) collapsible lenses: I can sort of mount my pre-war Elmar but it doesn't really grip properly. I have the adapter for the removable 5cm lens head (Summicron) but no Summicron...

I'll have to look at it again.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Emile de Leon]

Do you mean that the Focotar II 50mm lens requires a 25mm spacer when mounted on the BEOON for 1:1 reproduction of the 24x36mm frame with a full-frame sensor like the M9? — (That is what one gets with the DR Summicrom focused at infinity with the A+D BEOON rings).

Measuring with a ruler I see that the B+C rings, together, are approximately 25.5mm; measuring more precisely with a Brown & Sharpe micrometer (a classic in itself), I get 25.4625mm for the B+C rings. If 25.000mm is needed for the Focotar II 50mm lens, I would think that the 0.4625mm excess can be compensated when focusing with the BEOON column. In this case, I should not need the DOORX tube — or am I misunderstanding something?


EDIT: After writing the above, a web search showed that the DOORX is 14.5mm wide; so I am not sure how that relates to the 25mm spacer that you refer to.

Yes you are correct..the DOORX total length is around 25mm..but when you screw everything together it is about 14mm..
OK..
Just checked the Focotar w/o DOORX..but with A/B/D ext rings..and it works perfectly!
Enjoy!
Emile

 

[Nowhereman]

My Focotar 2 lens just arrived from Japan — amazingly fast: ordered on June 2 it arrived today, on June 6. As good as it looked in the pictures.

Just tried it out. You're right: it gives perfect 1:1 on the 24x36mm BEOON mask with the B+C+D rings. I think you wrote "A/B/D" by mistake. I'm happy I don't have to get any additional spacers.

Too early to draw any conclusions, but looks like it's substantially more difficult to focus it on the BEOON at f/4.5, compared to the DR-Summicorn at f/2.0. I just made my first "scan" at f/8 and it's less sharp than my scan of the same frame with the DR-Summicorn at f/11 — I didn't find any diffraction problem with the DR-Summicorn at f/11 compared to f/8. Next, I'll try the Focotar 2 at f/11 to see whether that helps with the focus.

_______________
Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

 

[splitimageview]

Just tried it out. You're right: it gives perfect 1:1 on the 24x36mm BEOON mask with the B+C+D rings.

I use the same setup using the 50/4 EL Nikkor. I assume the negative is held down by the mask (i.e., no additional gap or space?)

How bright is your light source? I have no problem focusing at f/4.

 

[Nowhereman]

Right, the negative is held down by the mask only. I use a Logan Desk Top Light Box. Brightness is not an issue. With the DR-Summicron at f/2 the image virtually "snaps" into focus as you turn the milled focus ring on the BEOON column; with the Focotar 2 at f/4.5 the focus point is more difficult to fix. I'll try it again now...

 

[Emile de Leon]

F2 is always going to be easier to focus..as there is less DOF...and brighter..
But that said..I have no trouble at all focusing at F5.6..which is the Focotars best working aperture..not F11..
But try focusing an 8x10 cam..with F18 protar in dim light...now..thats a real bear..

 

[zerobuttons]

Could I bother you guys to point out any good references you know of, dealing with how best to invert (both b/w and colour), and how to deal with white balance when "scanning" with the BEOON? Of course you could also simply tell how you go about it......

 

[Wupjak]

Do you use Photoshop, Zerobuttons?

 

[Nowhereman]

F2 is always going to be easier to focus..as there is less DOF...and brighter..
But that said..I have no trouble at all focusing at F5.6..which is the Focotars best working aperture..not F11..
But try focusing an 8x10 cam..with F18 protar in dim light...now..thats a real bear..

The Focotar 2 may be best at f/5.6 for printing in an enlarger, but I am not sure that it follows that this is also the best aperture for using it as a macro lens on a BEOON. I just "scanned" a frame at f/5.6, 8.0 and 11.0, with the M9 and the MM. It looks like f/8 is best of these — but this is the first reaction after a quick look: it's not obvious and I'll have to analyze this in more detail and try some more frames. It's also not obvious if the results are better than what I've been getting with the DR-Summicron at f/11.

zerobuttons - I linked an article — I don't recall whether this was on this thread or another BEOON thread here —that discussed the questions you asked.

_______________
Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

 

[splitimageview]

Could I bother you guys to point out any good references you know of, dealing with how best to invert (both b/w and colour), and how to deal with white balance when "scanning" with the BEOON? Of course you could also simply tell how you go about it......

Well...that's worthy of a thread all by itself!

For white balance, look up youtube vids on how to set white point/black point/gray point.

This is quick and dirty and often good enough, with a well exposed color neg. Requires Photoshop:

Invert (image/adjustments/invert or command-I)
Add a levels adjustment layer
In the levels dialog box that appears, click on Options...
choose Find Light & Dark Colors
check Snap Neutral Midtones

This works for CS3. In CS5, the levels dialog box is found on the adjustment layer palette window, click on the drop down at upper right, and select Auto Options...

I'm assuming CS6 and later work the same as CS5.

Further adjustments to taste.

 

[zerobuttons]

Nowhereman, I´ll look for your previous posting. I found your article at your blog site.

Denis, I use Lightroom and Photoshop CC.

splitimageview, I´ll try out your recipe when I receive my enlarger lens one of these days.

Thank you, all.

 

[Nowhereman]

Nowhereman, I´ll look for your previous posting. I found your article at your blog site...

You must have found it in some forum post, because I don't have a blog. In any case, I just had time to find this article on camera scanning written by Mark Segal, who also wrote a long article comparing the Epson 700/800/850 scanners to the Nikon, Minolta and Imacon scanners; it's worth reading for anyone deciding on a scanning solution. The camera scanning article can be downloaded here.

_______________
Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

 

[Nowhereman]

BEOON with Focotar 2 vs DR-Summicron

BEOON with Focotar 2 vs DR-Summicron

I've now had a chance to compare carefully two Tri-X frames that I scanned with the DR-Summicron at f/11 and the Focotar a t f/5.6, f/8 and f/11. The first conclusion is that the Focotar has a flatter field than the DR-Summicron. In the corners there is slightly more sharpness than with the DR-Summicron. But the difference is so small that I have no need to rescan even one of the final scans I had made with the DR-Summicorn.

Second, the Focotar scan at f/5.6 and f/8 are virtually indistinguishable; the scan at f/11 may have very slightly less sharp grain than at f/5.6 and f/8. For the time being I'll scan at f/8.

I'll be interested what conclusion other people here draw on using enlarger lenses.

_______________
Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

 

[Peter Jennings]

I was using a Micro-Nikkor with the BEOON right after I got it, but now am using a EL-Nikkor f/2.8 (early non-N version). I notice less field curvature and better corner sharpness with the EL-Nikkor. I used both at about f/8. Focussing is easy with the A7 what with live view and zoom.

 

[Nowhereman]

Thanks, Peter. Interesting, sounds like the Nikon lenses you refer to parallel the difference between the DR-Summicron and the Focotar 2.

 

[Emile de Leon]

The Focotar 2 may be best at f/5.6 for printing in an enlarger, but I am not sure that it follows that this is also the best aperture for using it as a macro lens on a BEOON. I just "scanned" a frame at f/5.6, 8.0 and 11.0, with the M9 and the MM. It looks like f/8 is best of these — but this is the first reaction after a quick look: it's not obvious and I'll have to analyze this in more detail and try some more frames. It's also not obvious if the results are better than what I've been getting with the DR-Summicron at f/11

OK..now I know why you are using f8 & f11...you are using the M9..and there is no live view on that cam..
I would think its extremely difficult if not impossible to get accurate focus with the M9...never really knowing if you are exactly in there focus wise...or not..and always estimating..then re estimating..and hoping for the best..and what if the negative..pops or shifts.... then you are out of luck..thinking you are still in focus..but are slightly out..
I would use a different cam for this..
Better to use a cam with live view and a tilting screen to make your life easier..and just focus 1x per neg and you are all done..as well as it being totally spot on at the wider apertures..where the Focotar performs best..
Its tedious and exacting enough..to use live view for this process...I cant imagine using an M9 for this..and getting accurate results..

 

[Nowhereman]

Emile - one doesn't focus with the M9: if you're using a DR-Summicron or another M-lens you focus the lens at infinity; if you're using an enlarging lens it has fixed focus. All you do in either case is focus the BEOON with the Milled Focusign Ring on the BEOON column, looking at a negative though the Magnifier (loupe with ground glass), which has an adjustment for your eyesight.

Once you hit focus you lock the the BEOON column at that position with the Locking Screw that is on the column. You then remove the Magnifier and put the M9, or other M-mount camera in place — the focus will be perfect if you focused perfectly with the Magnifier and if you've used the correct BEOON rings for the 50mm lens or the enlarger lens so that you have exactly 1:1 on the 24x36mm BEOON mask.

All I was saying is that with an f/2 lens it's easier to focus the BEOON with the Magnifier; with the f/4.5 Focotar, you have to be more careful in focusing the BEOON column with the Magnifier — but, once you get the hang of it, it's not an issue. That's what the BEOON design is all about: it's made with precision so that one doesn't have to focus the M-camera.

There is no reason for the negative to pop, unless you're using a hot light table: that is not an issue with LED light sources. If the negative shifts, you can see that by looking at the BEOON frame and by simply moving it back in position — and here the problem is exactly the same whether you use an M9 or a live view camera. Once you've locked your focus on the BEOON, it doesn't change: you scan hundreds of frames if you wish without refocusing.

_______________
Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

 

[splitimageview]

Yes, that's the cool thing about the BEOON, since it was designed for film cameras that did not have TTL viewing.

Once you hit focus you lock the the BEOON column at that position with the Locking Screw that is on the column. You then remove the Magnifier and put the M9, or other M-mount camera in place — the focus will be perfect if you focused perfectly with the Magnifier and if you've used the correct BEOON rings for the 50mm lens or the enlarger lens so that you have exactly 1:1 on the 24x36mm BEOON mask.

Actually just focus with the magnifier and you're done (and attach the M9 of course); the rest doesn't matter.

 

[Emile de Leon]

Once you've locked your focus on the BEOON, it doesn't change: you scan hundreds of frames if you wish without refocusing.

I never used the magnifier on my BEOON..glad I don't need to with my setup....
..but... there are many variables that can compromise sharpness in the BEOON chain of events that you are describing here....but I'm sure with the M9 it will work ok as you described..as long as you stop down a bit..
But that said..I still think you would be better off using a cam with live view..as I just think there are definitely some problematical variables there..as in..reataching the cam on and off after focus..and... focus shift and diffraction upon stopping down..and.. not being able to see the corners up close by 4x magnification to make sure you are really in focus....or in the center either..as you would with live view..
..and like it or not..different films are different thicknesses..so if you switch films..possibly..you are already out..a bit..
..and.. negatives do indeed have a life of their own..humidity etc can effect contracting and expanding....and the negs are right on a light box/heat source too...and there can be neg curl to different degrees as in relation to the whether its the middle of the roll or the end...it goes on and on..
So..
I just wouldn't trust the BEOON to stay in exact focus thru hundreds of negs..unless under a sheet of glass or such..
But we all have our ways of working.. I think the BEOON is custom made for a full frame cam with live view..
But I choose to focus on every neg I put in the BEOON for scanning..I used to do this on the Focomat enlarger too..I took the auto focus off..and refocused on every neg..as I didn't use a glass carrier...I sacrificed perfect flat focus in the glass carrier....for no Newtons rings or dust..
OK..that said..
Who would have thought..back in the day..that the BEOON..would have been so useful..
Good luck!