Finally got an enlarger to print 16mm Negs! LONG POST!

After a year of work I finally have an enlarger that will handle my

16mm and 110 size negatives easily. I didn�t think it was going to

be this involved just to be able to quickly make 11x14 prints from

my sub-miniature negatives.

 

Let me back up. The first camera I bought was a Minolta MG 16mm

that I found in a pawnshop outside of Ft. Hood in 1972. I had

always been fascinated by the Minox cameras and the Minolta MG

looked cute. I used it for 8 months then my Dad gave me a 120 6x9

folder. I�m not sure but I think I sold the MG in 1974. In 1979 I

picked up a few more Minolta 16�s. In 1983 I bought a used Pentax

Auto 110. I sold all of them in 1989.

 

I have about 150 to 200 B&W negatives that I always wanted to print

but it was tough with my Besseler 23C. With a 50mm lens I couldn�t

get the magnifications I wanted. So I bought a Voss 25mm lens. It

would not focus on the 23C so I got the recessed lensboard for the

23C. The 25mm would focus but I could not see the lens settings and

I cobbled up a lever to stop down the lens. It wasn�t easy to use.

There had to be a better way

 

Last year when I built my darkroom in our new home I resolved to

solve the 16mm printing problem. I purchased a near new Rodenstock

28mm f/4 Rodagon enlarging lens off of ebay for about $50 ($389 new

from B&H!). When I mounted it on a flat Beseler 23C lensboard it

would not focus a negative. So I popped it into the recessed lens

board and it still would not focus correctly. Rats!! I guess it

was not meant to print 16mm negs on my Besseler 23C with a short

lens.

 

I looked around for other enlargers that might work. I settled on

the Beseler Printmaker 35 (same chassis as the Printmaker 67 but

with different condensers). I bought a basket case Printmaker 35

off of ebay for $25 plus $20 shipping. When it arrived it was in

bad shape (the seller had described it accurately!). After some TLC

and parts hunting I got the Printmaster 35 (PM35) into shape. After

locating a 39mm lensboard I mounted up the 28mm lens and gave it a

go. Murphy�s law struck � it too would not focus the 28mm lens

properly. Double rats!

 

The problem was that the 28mm lens was to far from the negative.

The 28mm lens included a 39mm adapter ring that was actually like a

short extension tube. Taking the adapter ring off of the 28mm lens

and holding it in the lens stage I determined that the PM35 would

focus the 28mm lens if it were mounted without the adapter ring.

The mounting size was about 25mm and Beseler doesn�t make a

lensboard with this smaller size hole. Rats again!

 

I packed up the 28mm lens and a Beseler 39mm lensboard and sent

them to SK Grimes. Joel made a new lens board, drilled it, made a

proper retaining �jam� ring, and counterbored the lensboard on the

lens side to get the lens as close as possible to the negative.

Total cost including shipping was $85. The lensboard was beaded and

black annealized. In the meantime I located a used 110 negative

carrier for the PM35 from B&H for $28 and bought a set of Ilford MG

3 �� filters as well.

 

Victory! I got the 28mm lens back from SK Grimes yesterday and it

focuses correctly on the PM35. The Voss 25mm lens also focuses

easily. I�ve decided to keep both lenses as I may need the 25mm to

enlarge center portions or for use with Minox negs should I ever get

a Model B.

 

Bottom line is I�ve spent $175 or so making �improvements� to a $25

enlarger! But now it won�t be a chore to print those 16mm negs.

And I just acquired a Minolta MG and a film striper (35mm to 16mm)

for the frozen rolls of AgfaPan 25 that I have in my freezer.

 

I am now looking for an Aristo cold light head for the enlarger!

 

Sorry for the long post but I thought the sub-mini community might

be interested in a printing solution for 16mm/Minox negatives.

I have the same problem with my 16mm B&W negatives from my Wirgen Wiesbanden Edixa 16M. I cannot find an adapter for my Enit Color

25mm lens to fit on my 35mm enlarger.<p>

For the time being, I use a Canon FS4000 scanner to scan my 16mm

negatives.<p>

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<img src="http://www.photo.net/bboard/image.tcl?bboard_upload_id=18234584"border=6,width=600><p>

Edelbrock<p>

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Edixa 16M, Schneider Kreuznach 25mm/2.8 lens<div></div>

Rail<div></div>

Martin, I am sure that SK GRimes could make you an adapter. Give Joel a call.

Also, I like the photos! What film did you use?

Anthony, I use Agfa Copax Rapid Pan unperforated 16mm bulk film bought from frugalphotograher.com

Duchess Pub<div></div>

Boutique<div></div>

Inn<div></div>

Bistro<div></div>

Italian Cafe<div></div>

Vienesian cusine<div></div>