Question on making B+W enlargements from 6x7 negs

[glt]

I'm currently using "public" darkrooms from Objectifs and PSS for my BW work. I've just bought a 6x7 MF camera and i just realized that i have couple of problems.

The enlarger that i am currently using is a Meopeta 7 (i hope i spelt correctly)
1. I get quite significant vignetting on the image that's projected from the enlarger. I am told it's got to do with the lens. What lens should i use for 6x7 negs? The one currently in the enlarger is a 50mm.

2. The neg carrier is takes upto 6x6 only. This means that i lose so "real estate" on my neg as well. Can i get a negative carrier for 6x7 for this enlarger? If so does anyone have any recomendations?

I hope that anyone who has experience in the darkroom with 6x7 can share their thoughts on my questions.

Thanks in advance.

PS : If you've seen this thread elsewhere, i apologize. My question is quite niche and therefore i'm posting in several places in hopes of catching the right eyes.

 

[ratboy]

Hi

Last i know
Ruby Photo carries Meopta products and have the negative carriers.
Alternatively, dont you have the glass carrier which should
take all size negs up to the max your enlarger can handle ?

The 'standard' enlarger lens for 6x6, 6x7 is 80mm

Lam

 

[moon]

The enlarger that i am currently using is a Meopeta 7 (i hope i spelt correctly)
1. I get quite significant vignetting on the image that's projected from the enlarger. I am told it's got to do with the lens. What lens should i use for 6x7 negs? The one currently in the enlarger is a 50mm.}}}}}}


For lense 50mm=35mm negatives. lense 75/80mm=6x6 120mm negatives. lense 105mm=6x9 negatives. And are you using the ColorHead 4-ES? If yes, there's a different light chamber for different negative formats.
Check with Ruby. They carry the Meopta products.

 

[glt]

Thanks guys, any idea how much the 80 mm lens and 6x7 neg carrier costs? I'll try checking with ruby later as well. Thanks.

 

[canturn]

Using a 50mm lens for MF enlargements is possible, but it means that your lens is going to be VERY NEAR to the lens board/paper if you're to do say an 8x10 print (just like OHP, if u have a full size transparency, you need to move it closer to the screen). You might have a problem using a grain focuser with the lens so closed to the paper. However, if you're doing say enlargement at 16x20, 50mm should be comfortable

And yes, you're going to lose the 1cm off the negative. Don't think you can use a 6x7 neg carrier. Probably end up getting light fall off from the edges if you do that.

 

[canturn]

Thanks guys, any idea how much the 80 mm lens and 6x7 neg carrier costs? I'll try checking with ruby later as well. Thanks.

Try ebay. Plenty of good Rodagon APO lenses around at fraction of the price you pay for brand new from shops here.

 

[glt]

Using a 50mm lens for MF enlargements is possible, but it means that your lens is going to be VERY NEAR to the lens board/paper if you're to do say an 8x10 print (just like OHP, if u have a full size transparency, you need to move it closer to the screen). You might have a problem using a grain focuser with the lens so closed to the paper. However, if you're doing say enlargement at 16x20, 50mm should be comfortable

And yes, you're going to lose the 1cm off the negative. Don't think you can use a 6x7 neg carrier. Probably end up getting light fall off from the edges if you do that.

But if i get an 80mm lens, would there still be light fall off from a 6x7 neg carrier?

I tried this yesterday for a print that's 12x16. The vignetting was about 30-40% of the the image.

 

[canturn]

But if i get an 80mm lens, would there still be light fall off from a 6x7 neg carrier?

QUOTE]

Sorry...my bad... Thought you were trying to use a 6x7 carrier on a 6x6 enlarger.

Some enlargers do have some light drop off whether it is 50mm or 80mm...prob have to burn in a little more for the corners. It could be the light mixing chamber tho. My 6x7 mixing chamber has some prob with the inner lining and causes light falloff on the left hand side of the image. Had to change to a 4x5 mixing chamber to overcome that prob.

 

[louislai]

Usually I will use lens bigger than the size of negs, so to squeeze every bit I can get out of the negs, and to remove any poor quality at the edges. So for 6x7 negs, go with 105 lens.

Lens only play a part. The enlarger head plays an important part too. If the light produced is not enough to cover the negs evenly, you will still get vignetting.

The enlargers at PSS are not suitable for 6x7 negs. At best only 6x6 negs. I think the ones at Objectifs are able to handle 6x7 negs.

If you have no choice, then don't frame your shots too tight. But this is a bad compromise.

 

[canturn]

Usually I will use lens bigger than the size of negs, so to squeeze every bit I can get out of the negs, and to remove any poor quality at the edges. So for 6x7 negs, go with 105 lens.

Lens only play a part. The enlarger head plays an important part too. If the light produced is not enough to cover the negs evenly, you will still get vignetting.

The enlargers at PSS are not suitable for 6x7 negs. At best only 6x6 negs. I think the ones at Objectifs are able to handle 6x7 negs.

If you have no choice, then don't frame your shots too tight. But this is a bad compromise.

Which is why 4x5 enlargers are worth getting, even for printing 6x7

 

[glt]

Usually I will use lens bigger than the size of negs, so to squeeze every bit I can get out of the negs, and to remove any poor quality at the edges. So for 6x7 negs, go with 105 lens.

Lens only play a part. The enlarger head plays an important part too. If the light produced is not enough to cover the negs evenly, you will still get vignetting.

The enlargers at PSS are not suitable for 6x7 negs. At best only 6x6 negs. I think the ones at Objectifs are able to handle 6x7 negs.

If you have no choice, then don't frame your shots too tight. But this is a bad compromise.

Louis, i think we've met b4 at PSS. Anyway thanks for the advice about the PSS enlargers. I don't think that i will be using Objectifs in the long term - anyway their enlargers only handle 6x6 i think.

So short of setting my own darkroom, i can buy 105mm lens and use PSS right (except my negs will be printed like it's a 6x6)? Will any 105mm lens do?

 

[louislai]

Hi glt, I am afraid not. First, the condenser there is meant for 6x6 negs only. Second, it has only got 6x6 neg carrier. Getting 105mm lens won't help.

I have a 6x7 camera myself and when I print at PSS, I just have to live with this limitation. So I try not to frame my shots too tight.

 

[glt]

ok. Thnx. Do you know if other darkrooms help? Safra?

You mentioned that Objectifs enlarger's can take 6x7? Well i know the neg carriers are 6x6. Does this mean that i need to buy a 6x7 neg carrier and a 105 lens?

 

[canturn]

6x7 is actually the perfect format, simply because it fits onto 8x10 almost perfectly. After your've cropped your negative due to carrier / enlarger, trying to squeeze a 8x10 out of a 6x6 requires some further cropping of the image.
Then again, MF does give you some cropping advantage, as in you can crop a lot w/o losing image quality... at 8x10, it shouldn't be too significant.

 

[ratboy]

Hi all

where's Objectifs ?
Is this a commercial darkroom that i can rent ?

Thanks - Lam

 

[glt]

Objectifs is at liang seah st. go to www.objectifs.com.sg for directions.\

I think their rates are $12/hr ($9/hr for ex-students)