Re: Enlargers

[Eric Welch <ewelch@gp.magick.net>]

At 12:44 AM 6/6/96 -0400, you wrote:

>Any comments would be appreciated. Right now I am leaning toward a Saunders
>VC 6x7 enlarger, and a nikon lens, but I am still in the early stages of
>deciding.

If you need more than 35mm, get the Saunders. If you only do 35mm, then the
V35 is a superb choice. You can find them used for about $1,200 with the VC
head, which I used to have and miss it a lot! But I didn't use it enough to
justify the money in it. Also, the old IC enlargers are very nice, and less
money. And I'd say they're as good as anything out there today. Though some
of the newer APO Schneider and Rodenstock lenses probably are as good. But
with the V35, the light source is matched.

Modern Photography did a review of the V35 and the two things that stick out
to me are:

1: No other enlarger came close in evenness from edge to edge (at most
1/10th of a stop).

2: The 40mm Focotar lens was the closest thing they'd ever seen to their APO
testing lens which at the time cost $1,500. At that time (early 80s) the 40
2.8 WA Focotar was about $300 if I remember correctly. Arthur Kramer (former
Modern and Pop writer) told me that APO testing lens was the best enlarging
lens that he'd ever seen. I can't remember the manufacturer but it was one
of the German ones so I guess Schneider or Rodenstock.

My personal experience with the V35 is that the image quality is amazing.
The autofocus really works. Never had to readjust it in 5 years and several
moves. It's very fast (don't have to refocus when you change the crop) and
the light is very soft, so negatives developed for Condenser enlargers (like
mine were for work in pre-photoshop days) were a bit flat, so needed a 4 1/2
filter to match grade 3 with a condenser enlarger.

==========================
Eric Welch
Grants Pass Daily Courier