Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/24
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Harvey Weiss wrote,
>Can any provide their experience with the R60/2.8 used as an enlarging lens,
presumably with an R to LTM adaptor?
I asked about this a while back - though referring to the Leitz-condoned
practice of using the 50M summicron for high mag enlargements. My
conclusion: possible, not very practical and not very worthwhile given the
options. My advice for you: get Apo Componons, Apo-Rodagons or Rodagon Gs,
test until you find the best example and its sweetest aperture learn how to
make and use unsharp masks then get back to taking the photos!
My reading of the quotation you attached is that enlarging lenses are not
recommended for macro work rather than macro lenses being recommended for
enlarging. Nevertheless I doubt whether the 60R is a better enlarging lens
at any magnification than the 50 Focotar II I use.
Just as there are macro lenses optimised for specific ranges of
magnification there are enlarging lenses made for specific ranges of
enlargement. There may in some situations be lenses that work well in both
enlarging and macro work but in general you are better off getting the
appropriate tool. Enlarging lenses are designed to handle light coming from
the rear of the lens and out the front and camera lenses for the other
direction so it is unlikely the coatings for example will be optimal if you
use an enlarging lens for macro work (unless you reverse it).
As for the 60 on an enlarger: I don't think it is physically possible to fit
the lens in its focussing mount onto any regular enlarger in any case. It
needs to be awfully close to the film in the carrier for high mag
enlargements especially. Given that the 60 is optimised for 1:10 ratios (as
are most 35mm enlarging lenses) I don't see much scope for improvement: the
50/2 might conceivably be a better choice...
My experience with enlarging lenses as macro lenses is that they work but
they are not that great: and I have Rodenstocks, Nikons, Leica lenses and
Apo-Componon Schneiders. None is truly flat field at high magnifications.
Nor are the internal focussing camera lenses I have tried on bellows (wide
or medium tele). All are a bit weak in contrast too. Even the Apo-Elmarit
100 is not that good on bellows according to Leica literature.
For 1:1 only you might find duping lenses are usable taking lenses(such as
the Apo-Rodagon 75mm lenses for slide duplication) but why bother?
If you are really after the ultimate enlarging lenses then I have been told
by an authority that the Zeiss S-Planar lenses made for microfilm printing
are the ones to look for (long out of production, rare, expensive and
limited in coverage). You might find a drum scanner and Lightjet or Lambda
prints more practical and gives sharper results than any conventional
enlarger though...
BTW if high resolution is the main goal of your enlarging set-up you should
probably be looking for a point source enlarger: ask Tom Abrahamsson about
his special super high res ex-military Focomat IIc. Horrid looking prints
but super sharp!
HTH
Adrian
- --
Adrian Bradshaw
Corporate and Editorial Photography
Beijing, China
tel/fax +86 10 6532 5112
mobile +86 139 108 22292
e-mail apbbeijing@yahoo.com
OR adrianpeterbradshaw@compuserve.com
website: http://www.apbphoto.com
http://www.liaisonintl.com/bradshaw.htm
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