Re: [Leica] I need help identifying Leitz Enlarger.

[Bill Welch <welch@pressroom.com>]

Gabe wrote:
> 
> It is called a Fotomat
> Ic and the lens is a FOCOTAR 50mm f4.5.  It has a built in easel also
> made by Leitz Wetzler. Does anyone know anything about this enlarger?
> How old it is?  The value? How I can get an old manual on it?  Any help
> would truly be appreciated.  I just tried it out and it works great and
> the lens is much better than the Nikkor lens I was using on my durst.
> Let me know if anyone can help me out.

Gabe,
The Focomat Ic is a great enlarger. I have one and still use it for a lot 
of my B&W work, with the same Leitz 4.5 lens. It's hard to say just when 
yours was built, as they made them for quite a few years. The older ones, 
like mine, have a black crinkle finish, but work just as well as the 
newer ones which have a blue, I believe, finish. Some people like the 
Leica easel because it clamps to the baseboard, but I pitched mine for a 
bigger Saunders. 
	I don't know about the manuals. I believe I have a Xerox copy 
somewhere, which I'd be glad to pass along if I could find it. But as I 
recall it doesn't have much useful information.
	You should check out the focus to see if the cam autofocus works. 
Even if not, though, it can be manually focused with little difficulty. 
Also, check to see if you have an anti-Newton glass attachment. The 
single condenser rests on top of the negative, with the carrier on the 
bottom. The anti-Newton glass is an accessory that fits onto the 
bottom of the condenser and rests against the negative. It prevents the 
rings from appearing. Without the glass, sooner or later you will get the 
rings.
	If yours doesn't have a filter drawer, you can still use VC 
papers by lifting the lamp housing and placing a gel filter over the 
condenser. Works just fine. 
	E-mail me direct if I can help with any other advice. Others on 
the list use the Ic too and may have some hints.

Bill Welch