35mm Film Mask for a Leitz Valoy II Enlarger?

[peter_de_waal]

<p>I'm attempting to set up a black & white darkroom and recently purchased a Leitz Valoy II enlarger without a film mask to hold the negative.</p>

<p>The Valoy II's lamp housing swivels upwards slightly to allow the film in it's mask to be slid under the condenser lens. The film and mask are pressed flat by the lower surface of the condenser lens when the lamp housing is lowered.</p>

<p>I have the Valoy II brochure describing how to use the enlarger, but the illustration doesn't show the film mask clearly. The brochure lists some Leitz accessories:<br /> <br /> VNEOO - "24x36 film mask"<br /> <br /> NEWOO - "Film pressure frame for fitting over condenser lens to prevent Newton's Rings"</p>

<p>I also have a wrecked Valoy I and another Leitz film holder which I think belongs to one of the later Focomats. This film mask slides half-way into the film-gate slot (?) under the condenser lens on the Valoy I, but is unable to be used on the Valoy II. It folds open to allow film insertion and has slots milled into it with red translucent plastic inserts above and below the 24x36 frame area. I imaging these are meant for seeing frame numbers on the negative. There is an additional square frame for 127 film (see picture).</p>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>My Valoy II came with a mint 5cm Red-Scale Elmar lens and VALOO hood, but I also have a like-new chrome Schneider Componon 4/50mm, unfortunately with Compur OO threads - so I need a 25.5mm to 39mm adapter ring.</p>

<p>Has anybody got a spare film mask or holder for a Valoy II, or know where I can find one?</p>

<p>Cheers,<br /> Peter</p>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>The film mask at the rear is for 35mm negatives, the front one is for 127 film.</p><div></div>

[aplumpton]

<p>Peter, it might be a long shot, and their new prices may be quite high, but have you tried the Kienzle enlarger company in Germany. They mention that they have some new parts for the Valoy II.</p>

<p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.kienzle-phototechnik.de/home_english/home_english.html" target="_blank">http://www.kienzle-phototechnik.de/home_english/home_english.html</a></p>

<p> </p>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>Thanks Arthur. I've popped an email of to Kienzle, let's see how devastating the price is...<br>

I also have a number of pieces of Leitz optically flat glass that came with the Focomat masks, with black painted chamfers along one edge. Do you know if these can be used directly under the condenser on the Valoy II?</p>

 

[aplumpton]

<p>I am not sure about the Focomat masks. I bought a 1-c, but haven't used it yet as the bellows needed replacement (fortunately, the service technician has one in stock) and have been using another enlarger in the meantime. I am not even sure my second hand 1-c is complete with the negative carrier and I don't know much about the nature of the Valoy negative stage. If you can find some older Leitz literature your answer may be found there, or perhaps Leica may be able to give a reply. Perhaps also asking the question in the printing forum here or at the apug.com or the Leica Historical Society site, with a photo of your glass plates.</p>

<p>I sent a 1961 Leitz dealers catalogue to fellow member Robert Hooper recently. If you contact him he might be willing to find the answer for you in that booklet, if it includes parts for the Valoy. </p>

[swhiser]

<p>This is a helpful thread as, Peter, you've already aggregated some good information on part numbers of the Valoy II accessories. Any photographs are helpful, too, as it's difficult to know at this point in history and without sales literature what all the possibilities are for this enlarger. Kienzle seem to be the only source of parts (and knowledge) other than Glen Evans (whose summary on the "glennview" site is quite edifying) and a few Leica collectors in the Balkans.<br>

For example, what are all the lens and extension tube options? The Valoys have this curious history of adapting camera lenses (the Summicron and Elmar come to mind). And I am also curious what the answer to this question suggests for film format options and print sizing.<br>

"DMUOO" or 17672 - adapter / extension ring for the Summicron 50 f2 m39 lens<br>

"DOORX" or 17675 - adapter / extension ring for the Focotar 50 f4.5, EL-Nikkor 50 f2.8 or other enlarging lenses.<br>

In some cases and for reasons that are obscure, the extension rings are not necessary. I was able to fit my early EL-Nikkor 50 f2.8 to the Valloy II up under the helical assembly without an extension ring and the 35mm negative focuses nicely.<br>

I wouldn't be asking if this wasn't the most extraordinary enlarger I have ever laid hands on. Wouldn't it be nice to have a good reference in one place?</p>

 

[peter_de_waal]

<p>I would like to thank everybody for their replies. I'm sorry I haven't posted on this topic again, but I came down with double-pnumonia in late January and am still recovering. I lost a third of my body weight!</p>

<p>Regarding the bits and pieces I depicted above, the negative mask was for a V35, the square mask is V35 28x28mm and suits Robot (24x24) or Kodak Instamatic (26.5x 26.5). I sold both of them, thanks. The A-N glasses I had were for a Focomat IIc and I sold those too. </p>

<p>After much digging I found that the Valoy I and Valoy II take slightly different negative carriers. The Valoy I negative holder is known in Leitz parlance as the 'VDMOO'. The neg holder for the Valoy II is known as a 'VNEOO'. They look identical, except that the earlier Valoy I 'VDMOO' type has shorter twin black-painted locating pins at the back, because it has to fit into the slot in the front of the film stage. On the Valoy II you can tilt the condenser head back to allow the negative holder to locate. His is an image for the Valoy I's 'VDMOO' neg carrier:</p><div></div>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>Both negative holders go in with the two black-painted pins uppermost, the chrome wedges face towards you, and both carriers have a single short pin on the bottom that slides into a 'wedge' in the film stage and locks the carrier in it's correct position. The 'VNEOO picture is below (plain white background):</p><div></div>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>You can use the VDMOO Valoy I carrier on both Valoy models, but the long-pin VNEOO only works for the Valoy II and Focomat Ic. I subsequently managed to buy both the 'VNEOO' and a 'VDMOO' neg masks, plus a 3x4cm mask with an optical glass flat that I will get milled out to 4x4cm:</p><div></div>

[peter_de_waal]

<p> and the Leitz flat 24x36 mask for use with the folding twin glass plates:</p><div></div>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>Leitz folding glass negative holders #17545 for use with the above flat Leitz 24x36 mask</p><div></div>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>Sam, I'm keen to develop a resource for the Valoy models. I am impressed by the engineering quality of these enlargers. I have finished scanning the 1954 Leitz brochure for the Valoy II and I could write up my experiences so far in a more coherent way. Thanks to my illness I haven't got my darkroom up and running yet, but I have nearly finished restoring my Valoy I. The film holders were falling off because somebody put a couple of self-tappers in place of the M2.5 x 0.7 cheese-head screws Leitz built it with...</p><p>Regarding the anti-Newton Ring's glass, I have been told by more than one knowledgeable person that the round A-N filter and spacer for the Focomat Ix models does not fit the Valoy II well, or the Valoy I at all. The 'NEWOO' device Leitz made for the Valoy II is just a 0.5mm circular brass cap that fits over the base of the condenser lens and has a folded-over rim like a jam-jar and a cut-out for the 24x36 neg. The early Morgan Leica manuals have a template for a black paper mask which apparently works well. I'll try black paper first. It's cheap!</p><p>BTW: I am still looking for an adapter from 25.5mm to L39 thread for my chrome 50 Componon if anybody has one?</p>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>Sam, re your question about lens adapters for the Valoy II, from this Japanese page on the Visoflex:</p>

<p>http://bass.matrix.jp/Photo/visoflex.html</p>

<p>come these codes for ALL the Leitz lens mount adapters for third-party lenses on the Valoy II (and Valoy I?) If you click on the code it even brings up a picture of the adapter! I bought a Visoflex I in L39 recently, so I have been trawling through my 1962 Morgan & Lester, Andrew Matheson's "The Leica and Leicaflex Way" (1975), plus the web, trying to get my head around which lenses, what adapters, etc.</p>

<p>DOOBC(17671T) M->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>DMUOO(17672U) lens unit of the 50mm SUMMICRON->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>DOORX(17675X) PAXETTE lens->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVBH(17673V) FINETTA lens->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVCK(17674W) AKARELLE lens->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVMC(17676Y) LORDMAT lens->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVKY(17677Z) EXAKTA lens->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVHU(17678A) ROBOT->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVPI(17679B) ROBOT ROYAL lens->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVIW(17681N) DIAX I a->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVDM(17682P) CONTAX lens->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVFQ(17683Q) EXAKTA lens without pre-selector iris->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

<p>OOVGS(17684R) PROMINENT lens->L39 adapter ring for VALOY II</p>

[swhiser]

<p>Peter - <br>

It's a treasure trove! More than I imagined. Thank you ... very much (I hope you're well now.)<br>

If one were to put this into a web site format, what would be the Nav headings.<br>

-Valoy II<br>

o Manuals<br>

o Holders<br>

o Lens Compatibility<br>

o Bulbs <br>

o Parts Index<br>

o Mods<br>

o Users | Gallery<br>

o About<br>

- Contact</p>

<p> </p>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>BTW, regarding Kienzle, I emailed them, but they have don't have Focomat Ic or Valloy I/II neg masks. The Valoy is not really their thing. I understand that they were the originators of the Agfa Varioscop series thanks to seed capital from the German Govt. to help relieve unemployment in their area. The Focomat II series seems to be practically identical to the Agfa Varioscope, and I wouldn't be surprised if they made many pieces of that for Leitz too. These days Kienzle do new colour heads for the Focomat I & II and Varioscope's, plus remanufacture the lens revolver for the Focomat II's and the Varioscope so that you can fit modern Schneider or Rodenstock lenses into them.</p>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>Here is an image of the late Valoy II with grey lamp housing. You will note that this one has the lower surface of the condenser bead-blasted to stop Newton's rings. The official Leitz 'cure' for Newton's rings in the 1954 Valoy II was the 0.5mm "NEWOO" brass cap with a 24x36 cut-out. I would like one of those late condensers!</p><div></div>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>What has other people's experience been of using various enlarging lenses on the Valoy I and II series?<br>

<br /> Some people say the older metal-bodied EL-Nikkor 2.8/50mm works well on the Valoy II, others say the Companon-S is the only lens to have. I would like a Leitz Focotar of course, but they are expensive!</p>

<p>I have an older chrome Companon 1:4/50mm, but lack the 25mm-L39 adapter to mount it. How would the perfomance of this Schneider compare to the mint red-scale 50 Elmar that came with the Valoy II?</p>

<div></div>

[peter_de_waal]

<p>Just for reference, here is an image of the Leitz NEWOO (17665) anti-Newton ring brass cap which fits on the base of the condenser of Focomat I and Valoy I/II enlargers. This contacts the upper surface of the negative, the air-gap prevents Newton's rings.</p><div></div>

[m._hilo]

<p>Peter, nice thread !<br>

Are you now printing with your Valoy?<br>

All Focotar lenses are wonderful. The early versions will need stopping down 2 stops for sure, but they give a beautiful image. The Focotar-2 has more contrast and perhaps a slightly more open image. Never saw a reason to use any other brand lenses . . . (in 35 years ;-)<br>

I have the darkgrey Valoy II with the AN condensor, and also the 1C and 2C Focomats. I am in the process to attach the Valoy to the wall as I'd like to do larger prints with it . . . beautiful simple design, high quality enlarger</p>

 

[matthias_malle_i_]

<p>I have a valoy II for sale, condition is not great, needs cleaning. Any offers?</p>