why leitz made focomat IIc without filter drawer?

[lukas.erba@gmail.com]

why leitz made version of focomat IIc without filter drawer?

thank you🙂!

 

[kbg32]

http://manuelsphoto.free.fr/leitz_focomat2c_instructionsforuse.pdf

This clearly shows a filter drawer. "C" designates color. Are you missing the lower half of the condenser housing?

 

[M.Hilo]

If you mean why Leitz did not always include the filter drawer while the enlarger had the opening for the filter drawer: until the mid-nineties we had socalled graded b/w paper. One bought different gradations of the same paper to get the right contrast: soft, normal, hard . . . If one only printed b/w there was no need for the filter drawer, which was originally made for color printing.

 

[M.Hilo]

http://manuelsphoto.free.fr/leitz_focomat2c_instructionsforuse.pdf

This clearly shows a filter drawer. "C" designates color. Are you missing the lower half of the condenser housing?

I don't think the "C" stands for color. There were Focomats 1A, 1B and 1C. And 2A, maybe 2B and 2C. I think they just follow each other in production. The first Focomats 1C did not have any possibility for color / filter drawers.

 

[lukas.erba@gmail.com]

If you mean why Leitz did not always include the filter drawer while the enlarger had the opening for the filter drawer: until the mid-nineties we had socalled graded b/w paper. One bought different gradations of the same paper to get the right contrast: soft, normal, hard . . . If one only printed b/w there was no need for the filter drawer, which was originally made for color printing.

make sense! but you know, i own focomat IIc, the newest version (white baseboard). There are two types of these, with and without filter drawer. Also there is older version black color focomat IIc with wooden baseboard, all of these have filter drawer. thats why i wonder! thank you.

 

[M.Hilo]

All of these Focomats IIC have the slot for the filter drawer. But they were sold with or without the filterdrawer. If without, the slot was closed off with a black wrinkle paint plate without the round knob on the outside. Or in case of the grey IIC, the plate was painted grey.

Obviously, when the multigrade filters arrived it became essential for b/w printers to have the filter drawer. But if I am correct, by then Leitz had stopped to produce the Focomats. So we will always see a shortage of original Leitz made filter drawers. Kienzle made and/or still makes them and like everything with Leitz a bit pricy.

I have two black IIC's and both have the filter drawer. I have Focomat 1C enlargers, also the first version without the slot for the filter drawer. For that one I installed another brand metal under-the-lens filterholder, using the screw-in hole for the redfilter. All quite easy. I am sure one can do the same with the IIC. I find under-the-lens filter holders to work fine, despite contrary opinions.

 

[lukas.erba@gmail.com]

dear mr.hilo,

thank you for answer, this is what i thought...i am thinking about buying under-the-lens multigrade filters, the question is, if the filter is scratchy, you will downgrade a quality of final print...if I use drawer, there is nothing extra between lens, negative and paper..am I right? thank you! lukas

ps: kienzle is really expensive, if you know someone selling his/her filter drawer, let me know🙂

 

[M.Hilo]

Lukas,

Don't worry about scratched multigrade filters, I have seen a lot of them and almost always people have taken good care of them.

I am curious how you plan to proceed. I will have a look at the 2C and some filter holders I have, to understand what's smart to do . . .

Michael

 

[M.Hilo]

Lukas, if you have the 2C redfilter, it is easy:

you need to find a box of Ilford multigrade filters 8.9X8.9cm. Often they were cut down to fit filter holders, like the Focomat 1C takes 7X7cm. This is the size I just tried.

There's 12 filters in this box, numbered 00 - 0 - 1/2 - 1, etc to 5 . . .

I just tried on my 2C. Take out the red plastic of your redfilter and just lay the multrigrade filters on this. It is the simplist and most effective way to know if you like the under-the-lens filters. What is the most critical is to make sure the round black part of the holder is not in your image. The closer you bring it to the lens, the least possibility of problems . . .

Should you like this way of enlarging (I know MANY photographers who print like this), the next step would be to find a metal filter holder of any brand, that you can make to fit the situation . . . I had a look at a Beseler filter holder (23C) and I am sure it will work, it is just a question of drilling a hole ion the right place . . .

Michael

 

[Ronald M]

No they have to be new condition. Scratchy is no good.

Pop the top off and lay a VC filter over the condenser.

Or I made "carriers" from balsa wood. which fits into the slot. It is a plate with a condenser size hole and strips to locate the filter. Paint black.

Add a proper size block at one end of the base so the lower head does not leak light.

I have around 8 of them, one for each filter. I never touch the filters.

 

[M.Hilo]

Yes, laying the filters on the condenser works too.

However, I do not like the idea of constantly taking off the top of the enlarger. This mostly because I let others use my enlargers as well . . .

 

[Rangefinderfreak]

Throw away the condensers and filters and get a MULTIGRADE HEAD !!! They are usually available in ebay.

 

[M.Hilo]

Multigrade heads will work too, sure. Everyone his own ways !!

I just never saw a reason to change the beautiful Leitz design and I prefer to give beginning photographers inexpensive solutions.