New guy Wondering if the enlarger I have listed here is a good one?

[amolitor]

I have Rogonar-S lenses made by Rodenstock. This is a middle-of-the line enlarging lens. Not their best, not their cheapest, but a pretty darn good lens (I am informed). I picked them up on eBay for $25 or so each.

The makers you're looking for are Rodenstock, Schneider, and Nikkor-EL. Anything else might be excellent, might be crap, and there's probably no need to bother with figuring out which since you can pick up something by the big 3 easily enough (unless you want to be an enlarging lens nerd, and there's nothing wrong with that -- search the internets, read, learn -- I just don't know anything about it!)

The big three each have 2 or 3 "lines" they have built over the years, usually a budget line and a better line, and a very good line (Nikkor-EL might be an exception here?). Within each line, it probably doesn't matter much which brand you go for. Budget Schneider is a lot like Budget Rodenstock is a lot like Budget Nikkor-EL, I am pretty sure, and so on.

I found that on eBay the Rodenstocks seem to go for much cheaper than the others, for equivalent lenses. The Rogonar-S line especially struck me as good bang for the buck (basically they're darn near free, and they're good lenses -- the next step up to the Better line seemed to be selling for Real Money back when I was looking).

 

[bsinmich]

So far nobody has mentioned the reason for the different lenses. 50mm lens is used for 35mm film, 75mm lens for 2 1/4 square and 90mm for the 2 1/4 X 3 1/4. These lenses will cover the whole negative and give a reasonable height on the enlarger.

 

[Schubacabra]

So far nobody has mentioned the reason for the different lenses. 50mm lens is used for 35mm film, 75mm lens for 2 1/4 square and 90mm for the 2 1/4 X 3 1/4. These lenses will cover the whole negative and give a reasonable height on the enlarger.

I'm going to have to teach myself what that means. Thanks for mentioning it. I'm off to do my homework right now.

 

[ann]

It just means, with different negative sizes (format) one needs different focal length lens to be sure the negabvtive is vcovered from edge to edge.

With your new enlarger you will also need to change the negative stage. You will find a list of negatives size along the right hand side of the enlarger . You just move the upper stage of the enlarger so the arrow on the enlarger matches the size on the strut.