CommodoreMan
Hello everyone!
I started working in the darkroom not too long ago. My basic kit includes a Kaiser Multigrade Enlarger System V, model VPM 6002. It’s actually more than decent for a starter kit. I’m really thrilled with the machine.
The previous owner had only used it to enlarge 35mm films. Consequently, it’s fitted with a 50mm lens.
I’ve just tried loading a recently developed medium-format negative (6x6). In theory, the enlarger is suitable for medium format. The condenser opens wide enough and the viewing stage is large enough too.
But I’m getting a ring of vignetting in the image.
Am I right in assuming that this is due to the wrong focal length of the lens? The manual does state that for 6x6, at least the corresponding standard focal length – i.e. 80mm – is required.
If that is the case, I suppose I’ll have to get a different lens.
And now for the main question: what do I need to bear in mind when buying a lens? Is there as much variety in mounts and threads for enlargers as there is for cameras, or have the manufacturers agreed on a standard?
What must the lens have / be capable of so that I can use it on the Kaiser enlarger?
And last but not least: if I were to enlarge a 35mm film with the 80mm lens, would there be any other disadvantages apart from the fact that my maximum image size would naturally be smaller, and should I therefore always change the lens even for small prints?
Regards, Christian
TR
Hello, yes, it does seem to be down to the lens. In principle, the focal length has little to do with the size of the negative. But as the ‘angle of illumination’ is limited, the lens has to be placed further away from the (larger) negative: the focal length needs to be longer. You’ll need at least an 80mm lens.
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I believe the standard here is a 39mm screw mount. Your “plate” should have this thread.
If you’re on a tight budget, buy a “four-element lens” (e.g. “Anaret”). Nowadays, however, you can also buy second-hand six-element lenses (“Rodagon”, “Componon” ...). You probably won’t be able to tell the difference in quality compared to the four-element lens.
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80mm lens for 35mm film: Here, the reproduction ratio is simply smaller. This means you simply have to raise the enlarger head higher. I always use an 80mm lens for 35mm film, as this gives me better “illumination” of the negative surface. The downside is that exposure times increase, though this is actually an advantage when using smaller paper sizes. With a 24x30 cm sheet of paper, I get around 25 seconds at f/11. Ideal.
CommodoreMan
Thanks for the quick and helpful reply!
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I’ll go and have a look for a lens then.
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Lower brightness with KB isn’t a problem for me. I usually have an ND filter in the enlarger as well as stopping down, as otherwise, with the Foma paper I’m currently using, I end up with exposure times that aren’t much fun to work with when using a hand-held light source, etc. I reckon about 20 seconds should be fine. A bit longer would be fine too.
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Regards, C-Man
Urnes
Lenses up to medium format usually have an M39 thread, and your Kaiser has a mount to fit it. You can see the difference between a 4-element and a 6-element lens, even if you were only comparing lenses made in Germany. Of course, you won’t be able to tell whether it’s a 4-element or 6-element lens from a single print, but if you place two identical prints side by side, you’ll see that the 6-element lenses have better sharpness. However, you don’t necessarily need an Apo lens, especially for black and white. You should then consider the maximum size you want to print. Both the Rodagon and the Componon are available as wide-angle lenses. This means you’ll have a shorter distance to the printing board during projection, which in turn means you can produce larger prints on the printing board. For 6x6, you’d then need a 60mm wide-angle lens instead of an 80mm.
Regards, Sven.
Bonderer
A different lens board is also required for medium format – this was the case with Dunco-Durst and Kienzle, and will be the same with Kaiser. Without the right board, it won’t work.
It’s still available new for Kaiser, so a new one shouldn’t be too expensive.
CommodoreMan
Hmm.
Well, the manual only mentions different lenses. It doesn’t say anything about changing the circuit board. It merely mentions that it can apparently be rotated to accommodate different lens types. I’m not quite sure what that means exactly.
I don’t think I need to worry about the lens’s optical performance as a reference to the number of elements. For me, medium format isn’t in the same league as Hasselblad or Rolleiflex; I just have a simple Yashica TLR.
Regards, Christian
Bonderer
Kaiser still has the manual for older models; this one has a lens board for 50mm, and when rotated, for an 80mm focal length. There’s a picture of it there too.
Urnes
The plate is rotated so that the 50mm lens sits closer to the film plane, giving you the correct magnification.
Why stop just short of the finish line? If you stop down the Yashica a little, you won’t be able to tell the pictures apart from those taken with the Robla. So you’ve got a decent enlarger and a decent camera – why should you now be working below your potential? If you can get a 6-element lens at a good price, you should go for it.
Regards, Sven.
CommodoreMan
I’ve had a proper look around now.
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With a Rodenstock Rodagon 80mm f/4.0, I should be in pretty good shape. You can already find them on eBay for €100 via Buy It Now from second-hand sellers.
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As for the camera: the Yashica and I haven’t known each other for very long. Up until now, I’ve been sticking to 35mm on my own, with a Minolta 9000. But I reckon I’ll grow to love the Yashica too. The light well alone feels like a dream to the touch. I just can’t really judge it yet, and online you often read that it isn’t exactly bad, but it isn’t really good either.
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Regards, Christian
TR
If you provide adequate exposure for your Yashica 6x6 TLR, including "shadow detail", use a tripod, stop down to f/11 and use a cable release, you’ll get image quality exactly the same as with a Hasselblad that you use on a tripod, with a cable release, stopped down to f/11 and exposed for the shadows. You might need to shield the lens from ‘side light’, but otherwise you won’t notice any difference.
Morte
A Rodagon is good, but €100 is too much. With a bit of patience, you can get one for €50, maybe even cheaper. The ‘Buy It Now’ prices set by sellers are always a fair bit too high. They operate on the principle that ‘some clueless buyer will eventually snap it up’. They’re patient... So if you don’t need it straight away, I’d keep an eye on it. By the way, you can occasionally pick up a bargain on eBay Classifieds too, as fewer people are looking there.
highscore
Tip.
When I’ve come across listings on eBay with prices that are too high – ones I’ve been keeping an eye on for a while – I’ve simply messaged the seller on several occasions and made them an offer I’m happy with.
Of course, I’ve always explained why I’ve settled on that price.
And in my experience, some sellers are actually open to negotiation.
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Regards,
highscore
jonny
Buying from a retailer and paying a bit more is fine if you want to avoid any hassle. For 100 euros, however, you should get a spotlessly clean, externally flawless Rodagon-S of a recent vintage (i.e. multi-coated and with a lens hood), including a cap and a plastic storage box. Otherwise, a price of around 75 euros from a dealer would be more realistic in my view. At a private auction, you’d probably pay somewhere between 40 and 60 euros for a six-element lens, but you run the risk of being sold a lens with mould, fogging or other issues, and then potentially having a hassle with returning it. Unfortunately, it is in the nature of things that enlarger lenses in particular have often been and continue to be stored improperly over long periods (i.e. in damp environments, such as the darkroom). Given the price situation, I wouldn’t waste time on a four-element lens, especially as four-element lenses with a focal length of 75/80mm (i.e. for 6x6) aren’t, in my experience, all that common (you find them more often in 50mm).
CommodoreMan
According to the seller, what I saw there was as good as new. It looked that way in the photos too. And it came with the plastic box.
Another question: I’ve often read about the dialling display. What exactly does this feature offer?
Are we actually allowed to post links to eBay items here?
Regards, C-Man
Urnes
This allows you to use a lever to open the aperture fully for adjustment, and then close it back down to your working aperture with a single flick of the lever. Aperture 8 or 11 can be quite dark even with a 75-watt bulb.
Regards, Sven
Gast
Hello everyone!
I started working in the darkroom not too long ago. My basic kit includes a Kaiser Multigrade Enlarger System V, model VPM 6002. It’s actually more than decent for a starter kit. I’m really thrilled with the machine.
The previous owner had only used it to enlarge 35mm films. Consequently, it has a 50mm lens fitted.
I’ve just tried loading a recently developed medium-format negative (6x6). In theory, the enlarger is suitable for medium format. The condenser opens wide enough and the viewing stage is large enough too.
But I’ve got a ring of vignetting in the image.
Hi,
are you sure the correct condenser is fitted? Vignetting on Kaiser enlargers occurs when the condenser is too small; I had that problem when I wanted to use a VPM6005 for 6x7, so I had to buy a different condenser back then.
Have a look here
http://www.kaiser-fototechnik.de/de/produkte/2_1_produktanzeige.asp?nr=4443
I’ve actually got a spare 6x6 condenser lying about somewhere! I could have a look for it if you need it.
By the way, I’m really impressed with the Kaiser VPMs; I have two of them side by side, so I can work on two negatives at the same time. That means if one test strip is in the developer, I can carry on working on the other one – I really enjoy it.
Regards, Klaus
Regards, Klaus
CommodoreMan
A quick update:
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I’ve now got an 80mm lens, but I haven’t had a chance to properly test it yet.
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The condenser seems to be the right one. At 80mm, the area is slightly larger than 6x6 (but not quite 6x7) and is evenly and uniformly lit with the other lens.
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I must say that I really like the enlarger too, in terms of how it feels to use and so on. It also has decent light intensity (up to now I’d always had a bit of ND filter screwed in) and the multi-grade capability of the head is also very handy.
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There’d never be room for two enlargers here. The Kaiser is already right at the limit in terms of size. It’s not a proper darkroom at the moment, just the old bathroom, which is next to my electronics workshop and is now only used by me as a toilet. But there’s water and the room can be darkened properly. That’s the main thing, after all. And since the toilet is only used by me anyway, none of the other family members can burst in whilst I’ve got the large pack of photographic paper open, trying to transfer the amount needed for the session into another bag ;).
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Many thanks for your help!
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Regards, C-Man
