Re: [Leica] Now Focomat 1C Question (was: Has the LUG a future?)

[Don McClure <mcclure1@erols.com>]

>The Focomat 1C is worth saving.  It is a precision machine, and is a joy 
>to use,
>especially with the autofocus capability from 2X to 10X magnification range.
>The autofocus requires a Leica Focotar or Leica 50 mm camera lens to operate
>successfully.  You will also have to use a Leica or other brand 25mm thick
>easeI, although this can be resolved by shimming up any easel thinner that 
>this,
>or by using a spacer on the locating pin on the column that positions the 
>head
>in relation to the base board or easel for thicker easels.
>
>I would encourage your friend to find the condenser and negative carrier,
>because they are expensive to replace new, and hard to find used.  If you are
>not in a hurry, wait him out, or volunteer to help him find it.  He will
>probably be so embarrassed, or his wife will be so embarrassed (much more
>likely!) about the mess, that he will find it in a hurry.  Chances are 
>that his
>kids used the condenser to burn up bugs with focused sun light.  Any way, the
>condenser and negative carrier are probably available from Leica, but at what
>cost?  Probably too much.  Negative carriers are hard to find, but the 
>search is
>fun, and if you have patience, you will be successful. 
>
>The Focotar lenses are excellent, especially in terms of contrast, i.e., in
>their control of flare and color fringing from f5.6 on).  There are three 
>50mm
>f4.5 Focotar optical  designs.  The first is a modified triplet, or Tessar or
>Elmar design that uses 5 elements, with the front element split into two
>elements.  it can be easily identified by the fact that the lens 
>information is
>printed on the front of the aperture ring (i.e., towards the easel when 
>the lens
>is mounted on the enlarger).  The second design is a Schneider design, and 
>is a
>five element, four component Gauss type.  The third design is called the
>Focotar-2, and is a six element, five component  gauss Leica design of superb
>performance.  These two lenses can be differentiated from the first design by
>the fact that the lens information is printed on the side of the barrel.  
>I am
>not knowledgeable about the performance of the Schneider designed Focotar, 
>but
>it is described by Leica USA as better than that of the first design, 
>especially
>for color work.  I have owned, used and tested the first design and the third
>design lenses.  The Focotar-2 lens outperforms the first design in 
>resolution at
>every aperture, but especially at f11 and f16, and at every magnification 
>from
>2X to 20X.  It also outperforms the current 50mm Nikor and Schneider Componon
>lenses in terms of edge resolution and contrast and lack of color fringing at
>all apertures, and in overall resolution at the higher magnifications.  I 
>have
>not tested it against the current crop of APO enlarging lenses, but I can't
>imagine any lens outperforming the Focotar-2.  The first design is an 
>excellent
>lens, and can be used for critical work at f8 at any magnification.  It is
>designed for optimum performance at 4X, and the Focotar-2 at 8X.  I also 
>own the
>40mm Focotar lens, and can tell you that it is no match in terms of 
>resolution,
>especially tangential resolution, to the 50mm Focotar-2 lens.  However, I 
>have
>made B&W prints with both of these lenses at 8X magnification, and can see no
>difference in the results.  We are talking here in terms of resolutions in
>excess of 120 lpmm for both lenses.  A better comparison is that at f5.6, the
>Focotar shows resolution in excess of 250 lpmm in both the tangential and
>sagital orientations almost across the whole field, whereas the 40 mm Focotar
>shows resolution that almost equals the Focotar-2 across the field in sagital
>resolution, but drops to about 120 lpmm at the edges in the tangential
>orientation.  From this aperture on, diffraction lowers the resolution and
>contrast of both lenses, so that at f11  and f16 they show the same 
>resolution
>across the field.  I don't know about their performance in color 
>enlarging, but
>I suspect that the 40mm Focotar is better.
>
>My Focotar-2 lens was purchased used with the proviso that the 
>considerable haze
>and dendritic fungus on internal elements could be removed.  The dealer 
>sent it
>to DAG for cleaning, and then it was sent by DAG to me.  I came to me in
>excellent condition, with just a hint of haze that does not seem to affect 
>its
>performance.  DAG charged only $50 for the cleaning.  This is very 
>reasonable. 
>
>And yes, the lens can be used on any enlarger.
>
>

Thanks for the great info! I will have the lens cleaned. It is marked 
DOOCQ, and has the DOORX extension adapter. Gotta love those names!

I took matters into my own hands and searched myself. In an old bag, I 
found the condenser (more below), along with the negative carrier. There 
was also a mint BOOWU copy stand in box, a bakelite case for a Summaron 
35/3.5 -no Summaron though ;(- and a couple of Leica film cassettes. Nice 
find!

My question about the condenser: Is it supposed to have more than one 
element? There is a metal tube with a lens at the lower (smaller) end. 
When placed in the enlarger, there is a bayonet fitting, but I don't have 
whatever it is that fits there. there is also a big spring that fits into 
the body of the condenser. What's missing?  

Don McClure
Abingdon, MD