Leica thread mounts as enlarger lens?

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RobertS

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What are the positives (if any) and drawbacks to using 39mm thread mount lenses intended for rangefinder cameras as enlarger lens?

Certainly it can be done... Aside from being able to focus the camera lens, what are the differences between enlarging and taking lenses???

Please share ideas or experiences for both 35mm and 6x6 Neg size.

Thanks!!
 
No experiences, but theory:

-) enlarging lenses are constructed for projecting images from a flat plane (the neg.) onto a flat plane (the easel), camera lenses (with the exception of macro lenses) are not.

-) it is said that the heat from the lamp in an enlarter head can damage the cement in camera lenses.

Roman
 
Enlarger lenses are optimized for the distances encountered in darkroom work, but some camera lenses in the past have been promoted as doing dual duty on the enlarger as well. Heard of a couple of Russian ones recently, one on a camera that has a lens that removes primarily for that purpose.

I'd think a typical macro lens might serve pretty well for enlarging, except for the incompatible mount. Roman's right of course about field flatness, and enlarging lenses have more stringent controls on other optical problems too I think, that are more acceptable for camera lenses.

Years ago I did press my 35mm Summicron into service for enlarging half-frame negs. I just couldn't get the enlargement size I wanted with the 50mm Focotar. I had a spare lensboard and just set the 'cron to f/8 and placed it on the lens board. I should dig around and see if I have any 8x10 or larger enlargements done that way and take a look, but as I recall I was pleased with the results then!
 
Despite being desigened for a different purpose, camera lenses can serve quite well as projection optics on an enlarger. The opposite can be true as well, some 135mm or 150mm enlarger lenses are mounted in shutters and used, sucessfully, as general purpose view camera lenses. Schneider Componons are a common choice when this is done.

In the days of the LTM Leicas, it wasn't uncommon for people to use the 50mm Elmar as their enlarger lens. Even in the erly 1960's, second hand Elmars sold for a bit of a premium because even photogrphers who didn't shoot with a Leica would use them on enlargers.
 
In general, the Tessar type of lens are more suitable as a enlarger lens, as they have flatter field. Likewise. they are also more suitable for use as a macro lens when mounted on bellows or extension tubes. So if you do no have an enlarging or macro lens, and have a choice of a 50mm/f3.5 Tessar type of lens or a 50mm/f2 six-element lens, pick the Tessar for use as an enlarger lens or macro lens.
 
I have two El-Nikkors (50mm F/2.8 and 75mm F/4) that I would love to use for macro work. The 75mm stops down to F45. Would they be used reversed or straight and does anyone know of adaptors for using them as macro lenses (or know of someone who could make a custom adaptor)?
 
I have used my enlarging lenses on bellows on my screw-mount Pentaxes. Not reversed, as the enlarging lenses have no filter threads. But if possible I want to keep the rear of the lens pointing in the direction of the nearer object, whether subject or film. Seems to me the 39mm-42mm adaptor was fairly easy to find... back then!
 
"In the days of the LTM Leicas, it wasn't uncommon for people to use the 50mm Elmar as their enlarger lens. Even in the erly 1960's, second hand Elmars sold for a bit of a premium because even photogrphers who didn't shoot with a Leica would use them on enlargers."

Exactly! I had an old (circa. 1931) Leitz Elmar which I used as an enlarger lens. From that experience, I knew that it made sharp black and white prints. Using it as a camera lens some twenty years later (after I finally got a used Leica M-3), I was pleased, but not terribly surprised, to find that this 70-year lens could also render nice color images! I believe that the Elmar has a "flat field" type design suitable for enlarging work.
 
Last edited:
Doug said:
I have used my enlarging lenses on bellows on my screw-mount Pentaxes. Not reversed, as the enlarging lenses have no filter threads. But if possible I want to keep the rear of the lens pointing in the direction of the nearer object, whether subject or film. Seems to me the 39mm-42mm adaptor was fairly easy to find... back then!
Click to expand...

The two El-Nikkors I have came with filter threads so it should be possible to mount them backwards.
 
Roger,

Thanks for the reminder. I'd still love to try it. It sounds like what I would end up with would be like a pin-hole camera image.
 
l.mar said:
"In the days of the LTM Leicas, it wasn't uncommon for people to use the 50mm Elmar as their enlarger lens. Even in the erly 1960's, second hand Elmars sold for a bit of a premium because even photogrphers who didn't shoot with a Leica would use them on enlargers."

Exactly! I had an old (circa. 1931) Leitz Elmar which I used as an enlarger lens. From that experience, I knew that it made sharp black and white prints. Using it as a camera lens some twenty years later (after I finally got a used Leica M-3), I was pleased, but not terribly surprised, to find that this 70-year lens could also render nice color images! I believe that the Elmar has a "flat field" type design suitable for enlarging work.
Click to expand...
My father is still using the Leitz enlarger that my grandfather gave him; it has had a Leica camera lens, probably the Elmar, in service during it's entire life. The results from this setup have been superb (my Dad's work - not my own 😀).
 
zeos 386sx said:
Would they be used reversed or straight
Click to expand...

Hi Zeos,

I would like to re-emphaisze Doug's comments : "But if possible I want to keep the rear of the lens pointing in the direction of the nearer object, whether subject or film." In a macrophotography setup, lenses may need to be be reversed when the lens to film distance exceeds the lens to subject distance---which means that you are trying to enlarge the subject. When you are using a camera lens in an enlarger, the lens to film distance is always shorter than the lens to subject "i.e., your photo paper) distance. Therefore you should not need to reverse the lens.

Tin
 
I don't see how there could be damage in this, Gustavo... I have used my Leica 35mm lens in my Beseler with no problem. Just stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 for the exposure.
 
I used a Pentax 50 macro on an enlarger. It was very good. Nice flat field.

The lens heads forom Leica DR or rigids are good at 5.6 where debth overcomes field curvature. The lens head from version 3 50mm has a flatter field and is even better. All three are superb for very large prints. The trick is find the lens cell to 39mm adapter.

The lens cells no longer remove for the last version, tabbed or non tabbed.

50mm elmars are not much differnt than the first focotar for small prints. They would probably make very good lenses for 20x24 and up as they are designed to that sort of reproduction ratio. The first version focotar 4.5 is not much good past 8x10, It design is optimised for 5x.
 
Forgot the 65 elmars. Very good as an enlarging lenses. Use the extension tube for a retaining ring/jam nut. Black ones are later and a better optical formula.

You can make a print any size you want with these.
 
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