Enlarger lense

[jon_miller]

Hi

 

I'm looking for a good enlarger lense that will complement my SL66

zeiss lenses (non hft). I 've narrowed my choices down to the

following lenses: Schneider Componon-S 80mm F4, Rodenstock APO

Rodagon N 80mm F4. I was told by a guy who worked in a camera store

that my zeiss lenses + componon - s will result in prints that are

too contrasty. I simply want an enlarger lense that will faithfully

reproduce the tonality and extreme detail in my negatives.

 

thanks

[art_haykin]

Both are top enlarging lenses, and I've owned both. But too much contrast is rarely the fault of the lens, but is more dueto film choices and processing....and the contrast grade of printing paper you use.

[arden_howell]

I can't speak for the Schneider, but the Rodenstock APO is my MF lens. I use Hassie lenses and love the combo. Art is right, film and developer choices will have greater impact on contrast than your enlarging lens.

[roger_michel]

tha apo rodagon is a great lens (80mm for you). the apo version is better in all significant respects than the non apo version and well worth the small extra amount of money. good luck!!

[paul_owen]

Take a look at ANY of the 80mm from the "big 3" - Schneider, Rodenstock or Nikon. They are all as good as each other!! IMHO you would probably be hard pushed to tell which print was made with which brand of enlarger lens.

[roger_urban3]

No argument here, with respect to Schneider vs Rodenstock vs Nikkor,

however that really depends on the size of the enlargement you make.

 

Lenses are designed for an optimal enlarging ratio, and that varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and even between their own respective lens lines. Case in point, the Rodenstock Rodagon-G lenses, which are optimised for extreme enlargements (murals, billboards perhaps, etc.)

[patrick_drennon]

Again, I agree with all of the responses. I have a 50mm f/2,8

Componon S, an 80 mm f/4 APO Rodagon and a 135mm f/5.6

ElNikor. All are great lenses. I do believe the Nikor to be the best

balance of cost and performance (IMHO).

[jon_miller]

Response to Roger Urban (I'm making 16"x16" prints)

[vartan_grigorian]

Generally if you are buying new, get the best lens you can afford. I.E. the APO lenses from Schneider or Rodenstock. If this is not possible, get a quality six element lens from the above two manufactures or from Nikon. The APO feature is probably less important for B&W (especially if you put a blue gel in your grain magnifier and focus the blue light). Some people claim that there is a large sample to sample variation in the quality of lenses. I don't honestly know if this is true or not, but if it is a good EL-Nikkor might be the equal of a middling Apo-Rodagon etc.

 

I suspect that the variations have more to do with the orientation of the lens in the breech of the supergun used by the mail/courier services.

 

I bought a used 80 mm f5.6 El-Nikkor and am happy printing 6x7 with it. I do not make prints larger than 12"x16" due to space limitations. If you intend to make larger prints an APO lens or at least one that is optimised for your intended magnification range will make sense.

 

If you have not already heavily invested in your wet darkroom, at least give some thought to the digital alternatives. I love my medium format system, but 35 mm and a filmscanner gets the most use. If I could justify a MF filmscanner (not flatbed) and an A3 printer that is the way I would go.