[Leica] V35 and New Enlarging Lens

["A. Huntley" <prasepe@ibm.net>]

Fellow LUGgers,
Thought you all may be interested in a recent experiment of mine...for quite some time, I have considered
the purchase of a Schneider 2.8/40mm Apo-Componon lens for my V35 enlarger. However, the cost of it
compared to "normal" 35mm enlarging lenses kept me from ordering. As fate would have it, Calumet was
running a Free Shipping special on their website which, of course, meant that I could order it, try it out--that
is, compare it directly to the 40mm Focotar--and, send it back if my results were not visibly different; the
evaluation costing me next to nothing.

The results? BTW, for obvious reasons I was secretly hoping the Schneider lens would not "measure up"
to the Leica optic. I have used Schneider optics (both enlarging and LF) for many years so I wasn't expecting
it to "fail"...just maybe not be such a noticeable difference. Was I wrong! For the first set of prints, I set the
elevation on the V35 to produce approx a 16-inch wide print, switched only the lenses, and focussed very
careful just prior to exposing the paper; same neg, same contrast setting on the Vario head, same aperture
on each lens (5.6), same exposure time, same paper, etc. In other words, trying to eliminate all variables
except the lens.

Findings for first set: one noticed immediately that the S-Apo print was, at least, 1/4 to 1/2 grade contrastier
than the Focotar print. Closer inspection--unaided eye--revealed that the S-Apo print "look crisper", but I
could determine only that the edges looked "mushier" on the Focotar print.

Picked another fine neg and produced a second set of prints following the same procedure as before; expect,
for the S-Apo print I "backed off" the contrast 1/4 grade attempting to match the Focotar contrast. I have found
that contrast always seems to "fool the eye" into thinking something looks sharper than it is! Findings for second
set: same as the first...however, differences more obvious here because minute details along the edges.

Printed a couple of Tri-X negs with the Schneider just because I was there. Completed my normal processing
procedure and air dried all prints. After the test sets were dry, I evaluated each using a relatively mild power
magnifying glass...

Conclusions: the S-Apo prints are 1/2 - 3/4 of a grade more contrast than the Focotar prints; the central area
performance is fairly close between the two lenses, though I would definitely give the nod to the S-Apo; the
edge performance, however, is clearly superior (and easily visible) on the S-Apo prints...so much so that my
wife asked me if I had focussed the Focotar prints correctly! I assured her that I had established critical focus
to the best of my ability before each and every print.

Guess I'll be keeping the S-Apo! It does...better...what I want any 35mm enlarging optic to do: bring out every
bit of Leica M glass performance that is possible to get on paper! FWIW

Best regards,
Alan Huntley

P.S. - Thanks to John Collier and Bill Campbell for sending the missing digest.