Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have a V35 with a 40 mm Focotar lens, bought used a three years ago for $ 1250. The handbook says the lens has its optimal reproduction quality (whatever that is) at f/5,6 but I have found that maximum sharpness is at f/8. There is little visible difference at 10x magnification, but at 16x it is visible. A warning: the aperture on my enlarger had probably not been moved before I started doing it, and the surface treatment on the blades started to flake off when the blades were rubbed against each other. Having noticed that the quality of the enlargements started to deteriorate, I inspected the lens (placed on a light box) with a loupe that allowed me to focus on the inner lens surfaces. Full of tiny dots! I had the lens cleaned by Leitz at Solms, and it has now performed very well for the last year. I use it at f/5.6 except for 16x enlargements. So, cleaning your lens and stopping it down to f/8 may be an alternative solution to buying a ASPH-APO-lens! I only do black and white and I have a multigrade module. Previously I had the 1c with the 50 mm lens and I used Ilford filters below the lens. This is not as convenient as the multigrade module, but below-the-lens-filters do not impair enlargement quality although this is often said. I moved to V35 for more convenicence as the autofucus range goes to 16x vs about 10x on the 1c and as the V35 has the multigrade module. In 80% of the cases I use Delta 100 exposed at 200, the rest is Delta 400 (outdoors) exposed at 800 or Tri-X (indoors) exposed at 1600. I develop all these films in Xtol 1+1 for 15 mins at 20°/68°. Delta 100 pushed to 400 and Tri-X pushed to 3200 are developed for 20 mins. I do not push Delta 400 above 800. Please look at my b+w portraits. http://www.almqvist.net/chris Your comments will be appreciated. - -- christer almqvist eichenstrasse 57, d-20255 hamburg, fon +49-40-407111 fax +49-40-4908440 14 rue de la hauteur, f-50590 regnéville-sur-mer, fon+fax +33-233 45 35 58