sfeisten
Hi everyone :-)
In the next few days, I’ll be the proud owner of a Leitz Focomator II!!!
I’ve decided to restore this piece of photographic history from scratch.
Unfortunately, the camera isn’t widely known, nor is it easy to find information about it online.
I’m asking everyone for help:
Does anyone have documents, manuals, photos, information or anything else about the Leitz Focomator II?
Not even the Leitz Museum had anything on this little gem :-(
Thank you for your help, and I’ll post some photos soon once this fantastic camera has arrived in my attic…
Best regards and good light always,
Sami
KlausWehner
Hello Sami,
Many years ago, I also restored a large-format enlarger.
It was a project that took up many hours of work – far more than I had originally anticipated.
If your aim is simply to get a perfectly functioning machine for your practical lab work, there are probably more practical options.
If your aim is to restore a historical piece of equipment properly, then time, effort and money shouldn’t be a major consideration. Otherwise, the result will be unsatisfactory and the effort won’t really be worth it.
The machine is likely fitted with ‘automatic focus’: when you change the magnification, the sharpness adjusts automatically.
This is very convenient – but it is quite complex mechanically and only works with the single lens for which the control curve has been individually adjusted.
In practical terms, this means you can only enlarge using the existing lens. However, if you are aiming for the best possible enlargement results, a modern enlarging lens would be very useful.
At this point, you are forced to make a compromise in this case.
A lovely and appealing project. But it helps a great deal to weigh up all the consequences beforehand.
Best regards
Klaus
sfeisten
Hi Klaus,
Yeah, that’s what I thought :D You plan projects like this, but they usually turn out quite differently... and take longer too.
You’re right that there are more efficient ways to do it. But what was your motivation for the restoration, and do you regret it? :shy:
I do want to use it properly, but I just find it really exciting to tinker with and restore a machine like this! Besides, it’s a real veteran and deserves a bit of attention.
Thanks for the tip: “Time, effort and money shouldn’t be a major factor. Otherwise, the result is unsatisfactory and the effort isn’t really worth it.” That’s something you should keep reminding yourself of with projects like this! Maybe I’ll write it in big letters on a poster on the wall in front of where I keep the camera: “Time, effort and money don’t matter!”
Regarding the comment about working with autofocus: I’ve heard that several times now, but there was also a suggestion that a 50mm Elmar might still work. So the Focomator II comes with a Focotar. They’re actually quite good and of decent quality, aren’t they? I haven’t had one in my hands yet...
Which camera were you working on back then, Klaus?
Best regards,
Sami
KlausWehner
Hello Sami,
The enlarger I restored back then was an Agfa 9x12 condenser model.
At the time, there were very few usable large-format enlargers available.
I was impressed by its very sturdy and well-designed mechanics, and I enjoyed getting it back into working order.
I also converted the unit to use a diffuse cold light source.
I used it to enlarge my first large-format negatives.
Just a quick note on your enlargement lens.
Of course, the Focotar you mentioned was an excellent lens in its day.
But there have been truly significant advances in optics over the last 50 years.
A good, modern enlarger lens will now visibly outperform your historic Focotar.
The Focotar will still deliver decent results.
But with a modern lens, the results would be just that little bit better.
I hope you enjoy the restoration!
Perhaps you could report back on how the work turns out at some point?
Best regards
Klaus
Urnes
Hi Sami,
The original lens is usually a 50mm f/4 Focotar. That’s the one that comes with it. It works well. However, you’ll notice a difference if you use a more modern enlarger lens such as the 50mm f/2.8 Schneider Componon (you can do this, though without autofocus, as there’s no proper curve). I enquired at Leitz years ago and was told that even the standard lens of the modern Focomate (I think it was the 2.8 40mm Focotar; but please don’t quote me on that, as I’ve never tried it myself) also fits the curve of the old Focomates.
If you have any further questions about the restoration, just ask. Oh, and if you happen to think of using bulbs with a higher wattage than specified because the 75 W (?) ones are too dim, the unit can generally handle it, but the bulb won’t. It simply overheats during prolonged exposure in the sphere and burns out. This wasn’t such a big problem in the past, when bulbs were still cheap and widely available.
Regards, Sven.
