Enlarger Lenses

[Roy_H]

An interesting post over on The Online Photographer (http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/05/darkroom-isnt-dead-part-vxxxix.html) got me thinking about the value of good enlarger lenses, mainly because I've never really paid a lot of attention to them over the years other than to always try and get the best I could afford at the time.

The article linked above is about an Apo El-Nikkor 105mm f5.6 enlarging lens that just sold on eBay for $3000.

Now I've never got involved in producing colour separations so never really considered an apochromat lens as a 'must have', but I do happen to have one in service - an Apo-Rodagon 50mm f2.8. I can't say that I've ever noticed a stunning difference for general purpose printing but also add that I've never done a head-to-head comparison with a non-apo lens.

I'd be interested to hear the groups' views on the topic, if anyone has experience of both perhaps?

I also wondered what the general consensus on enlarger lens quality is? There are plenty of camera lens comparisons around but I don't recall ever seeing a similar consideration of the not-so-humble enlarger lens.

Most of mine are Rodenstock Rodagons; I started using the brand at the outset and stuck with them over the years - apart from a dalliance with Computar and a short affair with a Componon-S. I have never used an El-Nikkor though, so have no idea how they compare.

[B&W Neil]

I have used the other lenses you have mentioned (not the APO!) and found them all to be excellent performers. I don't think I could tell at large print size which lens was used. Currently I favour EL- Nikkors just as I like the way they operate and I can read the f stops on the lens easily in the dark. There are some odd enlarging lenses out there that are worth looking out for and my favourite EL-Nikkor for doing small pints with 35mm in a EL- Nikkor 63mm lens. I spotted it on Ebay a few yeras ago and managed to get it at avery reasonable price :-)

Neil.

[Dave miller]

Having used APO and standard enlarger lens I cannot claim to see any practical difference in results, but then I’m not printing in colour. As an aside I have seen the evidence of the use of enlarger lens that can only be described as canine. It seems odd that anyone would want to economise on the equipment chain at the final stage, but it seems that some do. Printing through bottle bases may, on occasion, be artistic, but cannot generally be recommended. Good quality enlarger lens are available very economically second-hand, and also remain available new for reasonable money, when compared with the price of prime camera lens as HERE (http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=1869&PT_ID=444).

[Mark Burley]

I would agree with Neil in that I recently switched to Nikon EL lenses over companons. I certainly noticed that I can now see the aperture readings far more easily than before.

As for sharpness - I am not 100% sure but they do seem to have a bit of an edge over my older lenses. But then my eyes are pretty crap!

[alfie]

I'll vote for the 63mm EL Nikkor too, super lens. For economy the Mepota Anaret series are very good too, just go for the next focal length up, grain from corner to corner. For 5x4 I have a Shneider(sp?) APO 200mm something, that will give grain corner to corner wide open, I got that at a very good price. There is lots of top notch second hand stuff out there now, worth spending a bit on the best glass, not much compared to 2K for a Summilux ASPH.

[Rob Archer]

Like camera lenses, I find enlarger lenses have their own particular qualities, that are not necessarily realted to pure sharpness. I have a couple of old Minolta EL lenses that are probably about as sharp as you can get, but they give noticably lower contrast (about 1/2 grade) than my Durst Neonons. I've never had the pleasure of trying an APO lens, but I suspect they would only come into their own for colour work.

I've also got an ancient Wray 75mm f5.6 lens (British made!) that is only really sharp in the centre of the image area, but I have used it for some prints that are helped by a bit of softness at the edges.

Rob

[Richard Gould]

For 35mm work I use a durst neanon, works great, but I also have an old Jessop's 6 element enlarging lens,50 mm, which looks exactly the same as my neonon, it could have been made on the same line, and for medium format I use a meopta meogon,which out performs the nikkors I used to have,and is,i think made by shneider, and I would'nt swap either as I get great results, and that's what counts,Richard

[photovergne]

The article linked above is about an Apo El-Nikkor 105mm f5.6 enlarging lens that just sold on eBay for $3000.

Now I've never got involved in producing colour separations so never really considered an apochromat lens as a 'must have', but I do happen to have one in service - an Apo-Rodagon 50mm f2.8. I can't say that I've ever noticed a stunning difference for general purpose printing but also add that I've never done a head-to-head comparison with a non-apo lens.


A few remarks :

To be able to see the difference between apo and non-apo, you have to work meticulously. Your enlarger has to be perfectly aligned, use a two glass negative holder, perfectly flat and aligned easel, do extensive flare-tests, test at several enlarging ratios, etc. etc.

An extensive test of enlarger lenses by Ctein published in Post Exposure (http://ctein.com/booksmpl.htm) revealed that the Apo El-Nikkor 105mm f5.6 is the only real apo-chromatic enlarger lens that exists. Hence the $3000 on Ebay. As he states "Apo is as Apo does". All other apo lenses are sometimes marginally better, but not really apochromatically corrected for all three colours. They are specially corrected for wide open apertures though. But two or three stops down they don't outperform normal quality six element enlarging lens designs.

Barry Thornton had similar experiences with an 80 mm apo-Rodagon lens in his book "Edge of Darkness". It turned out to be an excellent performer. But at 2 stops down not any better than the much cheaper but excellent 80/4 Meogon S. He also did a test of 50-ish mm enlarging lenses. The hands down winner was a Focotar 4.5 at all apertures, with a WA Rodagon 40/4 and a surprising Anaret 50/4.5 as second bests. But 2 stops down the difference between all lenses was hardly noticeable.

I did an extensive test myself of 135-150 mm lenses for 4x5 inch some years ago. Ten lenses ranging from several specimens of 150/5.6 Rodagon and 150/5.6 Componon S, to a 135/5.6 Fujinon EP, an Apo-Gerogon and an antique Boyer Saphir. (No apo, sorry.) To make a long story short, my findings were:

* A real improvement has been made between old enlarging lenses and modern ones. But the very old Boyer has a quality all his own, that should work very well with romantic portraits.
* Exceptional designs like the Focotar apart, 6 element lenses (Rodagon, Componon S, Meogon S, Fujinon EP etc.) are considerably better than 4 element lens designs (Rogonar, Componar, Neonon, etc.) But it only shows at bigger enlargements. At 8x10 inch or smaller, you can use as much any lens you like. At small enlargement ratios and 2 stops down, you can hardly tell the difference between top lenses and very cheap ones.
* Individual differences between modern lenses were bigger than brand differences. One top-notch 150/5.6 Componon S turned out to be a real botlle bottom. It had probably fallen, although it looked like new. But other specimens of the same lens performed very well.
* The 135/5.6 Fujionon EP was the ONLY lens with exactly matching aperture stops. ALL other lenses had to be exposure corrected up to 1/3 of a stop, when changing apertures. I haven't been able to find a newer generation 150/5.6 Fujinon EX yet, but I am looking forward to testing one.
* The overall winner is a last generation 150/5.6 Rodagon. But other specimens of the same lens didn't perform as excellently (although still very good).

My overall conclusion is that with todays second hand prices for enlarging lenses, you should buy as many specimens as you can, and thoroughly test each one of them. Always twin-test, comparing a new lens against your best specimen under the same test conditions. Keep the outperformers, and dump the lesser ones (on the market, or in the dustbin.)

Just my 2 cts.

Wilbert
Phot-O-Vergne (http://phot-o-vergne.com)
Photo workshops in France
Darkroom Masterclasses

[Roy_H]

Many thanks Wilbert, that's a pretty good first post here - welcome to FADU!

I knew someone must have done some serious tests of enlarging lenses and yours certainly contains some very useful information.

I am pleased to say that I personally use the last generation 150mm/f5.6 Rodagon - let's hope it's one of good ones!