adrian_bradshaw
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Posts
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Thanks Robbie, I’ve actually got three different types of 50mm Focotar lens including the Focotar-2. I did eventually find a place to clean them and they sparkle especially with the Focomat condenser lighting. The Schneider built 50 and the Leica Focotar-2 are similarly great whilst the old 5cm originals are not impressive by the standards of any 6 element lens built since the 1970s.
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sorry about truncated message before: it's a bit weird but I cannot edit them correctly at the moment.
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Sorry - continuing last message...Leica could have continued to sell parts like negative carriers and lenses for their various enlargers and earned something from it. Moreover they should have continued to do so even if it were just rebranding some other manufacturer's products that maintain the functionality of all those Ic, IIc and V35 users out there stuck with machines lacking industry standard solutions. That's my 2 cents. I have a IIc which I managed to 'upgrade' with Schneider Componon 100 and 60mm lenses but it was quite a kerfuffle. I also managed to get a Schneider 40mm APO HM to focus correctly on my V35 (which I acquired lensless) but I just seem to have been very lucky there.
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Hello Gary, thank you for your thoughtful and detailed message. I have already found a solution which fortuitously presented itself on eBay: a fellow in UK was selling a broken down Focomat Ic and I asked to buy the cam follower from him. He agreed and all is sweet now. I had also contacted Kienzle in Germany who most likely could have helped out at some considerable expense as they fabricate most parts for Leitz enlargers and a bunch of others. They were very slow to reply and hard to get solid information from. Before I managed to get the right part by chance I had explored roller bearings made for drones and a number of other solutions. Leica UK proved useless just telling me I was on my own to find a 3rd party solution which was not very constructive. I can't help thinking that Leica could still be making some money selling negative carriers and lenses for their various enlargers and earned something from it. Moreover they should have continued to do so even if it were just rebranding some other manufacturer's products that maintain the functionality of all those Ic, IIc and V35 users out there stuck with machines lacking industry standard solutions. That's my 2 cents. I have a IIc which I managed to 'upgrade' with Schneider Componon 100 and 60mm lenses but it was quite a kerfuffle. I also managed to get a Schneider 40mm APO HM to focus correctly on my V35 (which I acquired lensless) but I just seem to have been very lucky there.riers and lenses for their various enlargers and earned something from it. Moreover they should have continued to do so even if it were just rebranding some other manufacturer's products that maintain the functionality of all those Ic, IIc and V35 users out there stuck with machines lacking industry standard solutions. That's my 2 cents. I have a IIc which I managed to 'upgrade' with Schneider Componon 100 and 60mm lenses but it was quite a kerfuffle. I also managed to get a Schneider 40mm APO HM to focus correctly on my V35 (which I acquired lensless) but I just seem to have been very lucky there.
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Thanks Bernard. I tried them. They say that they don’t do enlarger lenses. Waiting to hear back from the fellow in Milton Keynes.
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Thanks Bernard, I will check them out.
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Ben, if your 50mm El Nikkor is anything close to holding focus on a V35 you must have one of the very rare ones fitted with a 50mm cam. Does it have the 50mm magnification scale fitted on the adjustment arm? I’ve never actually seen one though I did hear a few people had early V35s converted by Leica to use the 50mm Focotar II as they found it superior to the 40mm Focotar. Of course your maximum magnification would be limited with the longer focal length.
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The V35 and the IIc have as I understand it cams matched to the lenses fitted at the factory. The Ic OTOH was designed to be adjustable for different 50mm lenses by the user and was provided with instructions on how to do this in the manual. That matches my experience (with three Ics of various vintages and 8+ 50mm lenses). I also have a V35 which I bought without the 40mm Focotar it would have been issued with. I am lucky to have got a 40mm Apo Componon HM that very closely matches the autofocus cam. I do however check the focus with a good magnifier whenever changing print size with that one!
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A little update. I managed to get the part salvaged from an incomplete 1c on sale on the auction site by making the seller an offer he kindly did not refuse. It is tiny but quite intricate with a built in washer on the inner end (i.e touching the enlarger arm side) and a revolving polished steel circle cam follower around a small screw presumably with some sort of bearing or nylon innards to ensure smooth rotation without play. It screwed in and I was able to set up the autofocus with perfect consistency over the 2-10x range. Wide open the Focotar is sharp edge to edge though as it has internal haze not as contrasty as I'd like. With 2.8 lenses the autofocus seems just as good - after calibration - though they are not sharp at the edges of the frame until stopped down a bit. As the Multigrade HLZ head is a bit dim even with the correct pair of 80w bulbs I may eventually use a 2.8 lens anyway. The roller bearings I ordered (from remote control plane/drone parts place) have not arrived but when they do I will see if they work okay too though for the moment problem is solved. Tks for all the tips!
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You may well be right but even if I decide to sell it it’d be best to have it cleaned up. I have an S-Orthoplanar 60mm, 2 x 40mm S-Biogons (long story) and a 40mm Apo Componon HM too so I know how good enlarging lenses can be. Still, none of these works properly on a 1c so I’m hoping to see what the Focotar is really capable of before reverting to a more sensible modern lens!
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I like the steel washers idea which I may well try if my other plans do work out! The enlarger lens in question is a Focotar 2 which is a top rated lens (and cost twice as much as an APO Rodagon when still offered new) and very sharp just losing contrast due to dust and haze. Not sure I would dare open it up myself: I have heard they are tricky to reassemble correctly. The first Focotar 4.5 is indeed in a different league but dates back to the 1940s or 50s.
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Thanks Bill, that is an ingenious way to solve the issue. Over the next few days I’ll be trying a couple of roller bearings I found from a remote control aircraft parts place and a salvaged cam follower from a Focomat of unknown age. Hopefully the latter will work but I’ve got a few good leads. My late father had some wonderful miniature steam locomotives but too late now...
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That's a pity as the Focotar 2 is a very sharp lens. Just with the haze it's losing contrast... I'll ask at about machining when lockdown is over. Refitting the darkroom is keeping me happily busy in the meantime!
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Alan, Conrad, thanks for your tips. I think I have found a solution which was to ask an eBay seller if he would part with the part from some incomplete Focomat assemblies he was selling. It's been quite educational in that Leica was not even willing to let me know the specs of the part nor any 3rd party help they might know of whilst the online community has been great. I had hoped the part was something generic that could be picked up simply but previous exposure to things Leica and Leitz should have indicated that if they could find a way to engineer something unique and hard to substitute that's what they would opt for! My search for enlarger bulbs for the v35 and the Multigrade unit (30v 80w ELB halogens anyone??) has been educational though to be fair it's Ilford's fault they chose a bulb that only some obscure Omega enlarger head used. Perhaps I should have started a new thread but where does one turn to get enlarging lenses cleaned up (internal haze)??
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Thanks Alan that’s very helpful. So is this part meant to rotate? I’d assumed it would do as to minimise wear over time but if it’s just a simple disc with a hole in the middle I guess it’s time to find a machinist. Don’t think I’ve ever come across such a service hereabouts but I’m sure there must be a few left in deindustrialised Britain!