StefLindeque
Newbie
Hi all,
Long time lurker here, just about to take the plunge into my first enlarger for 35mm. I've got the opportunity to a Focomat 1c (black head, color drawer) with a v1 Focotar 4.5 50mm. It looks to be missing the two little locating clamps around the helix / focussing mount. My question is, how critical are these? Difficult to tell from the manual and seems impossible to find them loose. Thanks!
Long time lurker here, just about to take the plunge into my first enlarger for 35mm. I've got the opportunity to a Focomat 1c (black head, color drawer) with a v1 Focotar 4.5 50mm. It looks to be missing the two little locating clamps around the helix / focussing mount. My question is, how critical are these? Difficult to tell from the manual and seems impossible to find them loose. Thanks!
Attachments
Erik van Straten
Veteran
They are important to fix the lens when using the autofocus. It is better to look for a complete Ic.
Erik.
Erik.
StefLindeque
Newbie
Thank you Erik, wise words.
It breaks my heart to hear how these went to landfill or being given away. Where I live it's not so easy to find anything locally, and anything decent on the famous auction site is usually collection only, which I totally understand.
The search continues..
It breaks my heart to hear how these went to landfill or being given away. Where I live it's not so easy to find anything locally, and anything decent on the famous auction site is usually collection only, which I totally understand.
The search continues..
Erik van Straten
Veteran
You can use the enlager, but without the autofocus. You'll have to focus manually. If the enlarger is very cheap, maybe it is an option.
Erik.
Erik.
Graybeard
Longtime IIIf User
The little clamps do appear on ebay.
There is a simple workaround-
You can use a large hose clamp (instead of the missing Leitz part) to fix the helix in place when adjusting the autofocus. Place the hose clamp so that it overlaps both the moving (male) part of the helix and the non-moving (female) section of the mount; when you tighten the hose clamp it will lock the two parts of the focus mount together.
I did this with my first Focomat Ic and the autofocus worked perfectly for years.
FWIW, I've been able to calibrate the Ic autofoocus with el-Nikkor 50mm lenses - the el Nikkor is superior to the Focotar and can be inexpensive.
There is a simple workaround-
You can use a large hose clamp (instead of the missing Leitz part) to fix the helix in place when adjusting the autofocus. Place the hose clamp so that it overlaps both the moving (male) part of the helix and the non-moving (female) section of the mount; when you tighten the hose clamp it will lock the two parts of the focus mount together.
I did this with my first Focomat Ic and the autofocus worked perfectly for years.
FWIW, I've been able to calibrate the Ic autofoocus with el-Nikkor 50mm lenses - the el Nikkor is superior to the Focotar and can be inexpensive.
PRJ
Another Day in Paradise
You could put a set screw in there too. You will find the right clamp thingy at some point. I have a parts one so I might have a spare.