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  #1  
Old 17th September 2014, 01:25 PM
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Default Opinions on the Focotar 50mm f4.5?

I'm looking at a beautiful Focomat 1C at a local auction that comes with this lens in as new condition. I've read something to the effect that the lens is great for moderate enlargements up to, say 10x8, but not so good above that. The Focotar 2 is said to be much better in that regard. Just wondering if anyone uses a Focotar 1 and what you think of it.
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Old 17th September 2014, 02:41 PM
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Hi Brock. If the Focotar 2 is better than the Focotar 1 then it must be really something. I've been using a Focotar 1 for about 5 years now to print my 35mm negatives and have found it to be a first-class lens. Very sharp with a lovely look to the prints. It came in a Leitz Valoy enlarger (a gem!) I got the lot for £20.....
Before that I used Minolta Rokkor and a Schneider Componon S lenses. In a direct comparison with these the Focotar 1 is slightly sharper.
Mine is a Focotar f4.5. At f5.6 it reaches maximum sharpness at the centre. At f8 this maximum sharpness extends right to the corners.
A super lens!

Alan
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Old 17th September 2014, 03:06 PM
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Thanks for that, Alan. It's certainly about the best made enlarger lens I've handled. To be honest, my cluttered darkroom needs another enlarger like I need a hole in the head but this 1C is in such nice condition that it's proving irresistible.
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Old 17th September 2014, 04:59 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brock View Post
I've read something to the effect that the lens is great for moderate enlargements up to, say 10x8, but not so good above that. .
A good find, Brock by the sound of it. I'd have been amazed if it hadn't been very good for enlargements beyond 8x10. In my night-school darkroom class we had cheap and cheerful Jessops lenses and even they were pretty good at 8x10 and probably OK at a little beyond

Mike
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Old 17th September 2014, 06:16 PM
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They say all lenses are good,bad or indiferent based purely on how well they have been assembled and quality control checked.

Those in the know will buy three of any lens, test them against each other and sell on the ones that don't beat the best. I even know of one quite well known photographer who buys 3 of each lens he wants new from Amazon, tests them and returns two with a full refund.

so one good 50mm rodagon can be noticeably better or worse than the next sequence number. Same will aplly with a focotar. Depends who's doing the report on its excellence or not and whether they've got a good, bad or indifferent one.

i.e. you just never know until you have the thing in your mits and can try it out for yourself to see if it meets your expectations.
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Old 17th September 2014, 06:24 PM
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You would hope that the quality control at Leitz in those days would have been second to none but I'm not sure if they actually made the Focotars and consequently how much control they would have had. But you're right that you don't know what the pudding is like until you've had a few spoonfuls. I'm going to bid for the enlarger and hope I don't get a lemon.
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Old 17th September 2014, 06:51 PM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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I'm sure you get a lot more than quality control when you buy a Leitz enlarger. Put it this way; I'm sure there was plenty of quality control when Cliff Richard made his records. The result is still rubbish. But the music of J.S. Bach is still sublime even when not performed to a high standard...
My Leitz Valoy 11 enlarger is a masterful piece of engineering, and a joy to use.

Alan
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Old 17th September 2014, 07:13 PM
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Hee, hee. That's a disgraceful slur against Cliff!
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Old 17th September 2014, 07:15 PM
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Hee, hee. That's a disgraceful slur against Cliff!
Cliff slurs are trending right now.
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Old 17th September 2014, 07:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Clark View Post
I'm sure you get a lot more than quality control when you buy a Leitz enlarger. Put it this way; I'm sure there was plenty of quality control when Cliff Richard made his records. The result is still rubbish. But the music of J.S. Bach is still sublime even when not performed to a high standard...
My Leitz Valoy 11 enlarger is a masterful piece of engineering, and a joy to use.

Alan

That doesn't account for a very old lens having been taken apart, cleaned and re-assembled by mr hobbyist do em up and sell em on down the road. You just don't know till you have it.
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