True beginner

Marcus McCullough · Mar 1, 2021

I've decided to get back into photography and start to develop my own pictures. I did a little developing and printing back in college using the school's equipment and I want to get my own. I'm not the type of person who requires new equipment. So, I've been looking online for darkroom equipment. I've been looking at enlargers and I haven't decided on what type/brand to get. I don't care to try to create poster sized photographs. But, I would like the option to be able to print something larger than 8" X 10". I would appreciate anyone's input and/or suggestions.

I want to produce my own black and white and color photos. Part of the information I'm looking for is about enlarger lenses. Of course, I've found a ton of used enlargers and lenses for sale, but I have no idea what may or may not be compatible. I know not every camera lens is compatible with every camera. So, is it the same with enlargers and enlarger lenses? How would I find out if a particular lens would be compatible with whichever enlarger I decide to get?

Any information would ne greatly appreciated.

Original katomi · Mar 1, 2021

Hiya welcome
I just did a bi g web search
Shutterbug did an article on enlargers and lenses
Hope it helps

terri · Mar 1, 2021

Welcome to TPF! We're happy to have you on board.

Yes, a good lens in the darkroom is important . Question: are you shooting 35mm or 120 film? You can certainly take a good 35mm negative and get an enlargement to 11x14 with no problem. With a good sharp enlarger lens, you could go a little larger. If you're shooting medium format, of course, you can go way beyond that.

If you don't mind, I'll move your thread over to the Film forum. You'll get lots of opinions over there.

Space Face · Mar 1, 2021

Hello.

dxqcanada · Mar 1, 2021

Jeff15 · Mar 1, 2021

Hello and welcome.....

dxqcanada · Mar 1, 2021

M39 is the most common mount for enlarger lenses ~105mm
If you find a 35mm format enlarger then it most likely is M39.
Many large format enlargers have various adapters to mount different mount sizes.

webestang64 · Mar 1, 2021

I only print BW (4x5 cold light enlarger) and use nothing but Rodenstock lenses (which can be used for color as well). Other than Rodenstock I would suggest Nikkor (Nikon) lenses.

As for enlargers you can never go wrong with Beseler.

Marcus McCullough · Mar 1, 2021

terri said:
Welcome to TPF! We're happy to have you on board.

Yes, a good lens in the darkroom is important . Question: are you shooting 35mm or 120 film? You can certainly take a good 35mm negative and get an enlargement to 11x14 with no problem. With a good sharp enlarger lens, you could go a little larger. If you're shooting medium format, of course, you can go way beyond that.

If you don't mind, I'll move your thread over to the Film forum. You'll get lots of opinions over there.

I'm not familiar with Film forum. When I did a search for Film forum it takes me to a forum about movie films. Do you have a link to it?

dxqcanada · Mar 1, 2021

refers to our Film section
ThePhotoForum: Film & Digital Photography Forum

Your topic would be in the Darkroom

compur · Mar 1, 2021

Virtually all enlarger lenses have a simple threaded mount. The majority are 39mm in diameter, a few have a smaller 25mm thread. Normally, they come with a threaded ring that screws onto the lens' thread and is used to hold the lens in place when mounted.

With Beseler enlargers (and many other brands) the lens is simply inserted through a hole in a rectangular lensboard and the retaining ring is screwed onto the other side to hold it in place. Some other brands of enlargers have lensboards that are threaded and you screw the lens directly into the board so no ring is needed.

Maximum print size depends on the enlarger. Some small enlargers can only print up to about an 8x10 size.

A Beseler 23C-series enlarger can print up to 16x20 on the baseboard and even larger if you tilt the head and print horizontally.

Here is some info on different Beseler models:
Photography Enlarger | Beseler Photography Equipment | Beseler

ac12 · Mar 1, 2021

Enlarger and lenses should be set up to use the standard 39mm mount.
39mm is probably the most common for the enlarger and lenses. But you may find the odd sizes, like 25mm and 32mm.
Stick with 39mm.

Some enlargers use a removable lens board/plate. This lets you use different types and mount lenses on the enlarger, just by using a different lens board/plate.
Some 35mm film enlargers do not use a lens board/plate. You screw the lens directly into the enlarger. So you are stuck with the mount that the enlarger comes with. IOW, if you get an enlarger with a 25mm mount, you cannot put a 39mm mount lens onto it. However there was a 25 to 39mm adapter, so that you could use a 25mm lens on a 39mm mount.

Enlarger lens focal length is usually the same as the normal lens for that format.
Example 35mm film, normal lens = 50mmm, enlarging lens = 50mm.
You can use a longer focal length to make a smaller image. I did this when lowering the enlarger head close to the baseboard, made it difficult to easily open the paper easel. So rather than use a 50mm lens, I used a 75mm lens. Then I could raise the head higher, and could easily open the easel.

As for make and models:
Today, you can get EXCELLENT lenses for a bargain, so you don't have to scrimp like we used to back in the old days.
The big brands and models are: Nikon, el Nikkor; Schneider, Componon; Rodenstock, Rodagon.
For 35mm, I would get the newer 50mm f/2.8 lens, not the older/slower f/4 lens. The faster f/2.8 lens is also easier to focus with.

terri · Mar 2, 2021

Marcus McCullough said:
terri said:

Welcome to TPF! We're happy to have you on board.

Yes, a good lens in the darkroom is important . Question: are you shooting 35mm or 120 film? You can certainly take a good 35mm negative and get an enlargement to 11x14 with no problem. With a good sharp enlarger lens, you could go a little larger. If you're shooting medium format, of course, you can go way beyond that.

If you don't mind, I'll move your thread over to the Film forum. You'll get lots of opinions over there.

Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with Film forum. When I did a search for Film forum it takes me to a forum about movie films. Do you have a link to it?

I'm sorry for the confusion- I was referring to an actual "subforum" within The Photo Forum, just a way we have categories for types of photography here. You had posted your darkroom-related question over in the Welcome subforum, and I knew you would get more replies in the Film section here.

As far as where the Film forum is, you're in it now.

It's a large category with small subforums within, like the Darkroom, which is where I moved your your your original post.

Hope that helps! I do see some interesting replies here, so hopefully you'll get some info you can use.