Letz V35-Opinions- Any FS?

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Hi, I've been following the list for a little while and wanted to introduce my self. I'm Warren Allen from So. Calif. I just got a new M6TTL. I shoot digital and color for work. I intend on going back to my Tri-X with the Leica.

More about me as time /space permits, But I have a pressing question regarding the V35 enlarger. Namely what is the going rate ? I see they are auto focus but I'm figuring a used one may be slightly out of wack . Is manual focus an option? Are they genrally a "safe buy" ie they usually don't have trouble? What should I look for in one? I wont be able to actually print with the one I'm going to look at. I'm to look at one tomorrow and will have to decide quickly. Also if I pass on this one does anyone have one they are trying to sell?

Thanks and I hope I can contribute to the list in a positive way, Warren Allen

-- Warren Allen (whatrix@home.com), November 13, 2001

Answers

Warren: I purchased an older Leitz autofocus enlarger a few years ago. The cam can be adjusted to get the focus back in. It takes a little work, but then it stays on. I was unhappy with mine for a while until I looked at the condensor, and cleaned it. About 1 1/2 grades difference in the prints. I should have gone through the rest of it when I adjusted the focus cam. Make sure the lens mount moves smoothly when you adjust the head for magnification. Check what type of lens it has on it. Some-one may have skimped on the lens, but that can be used as a bargaining chip. Good luck.

-- Mark A. Johnson (logic@gci.net), November 13, 2001.

Warren,

Yes, check to see whether it has the Leitz focotar 40/2.8 lens as some models came with the cheaper Ysaron 50 mm lens which apparently is not as good.

Make sure it comes with either a color head (which can be used for B&W) or the Vario-Contrast head which is fantastic with VC papers. The autofocus can be adjusted easily to work with different height easels.

Check that it has the negative carrier as these are extremely expensive. The later model V35 has a different lamp set-up. Click here for additional information.

You could expect to pay up to $1,000 for a really excellent one. There is one up for auction on ebay right now.

They are the "Rolls Royce" of 35mm enlargers IMHO.

-- sam smith (Ruy_Lopez@hotmail.com), November 13, 2001.


I meant to add that you shouldn't have any trouble with a V35 particularly if it looks in good external condition, they are extremely well made and reliable. You can use it in manual mode like an ordinary enlarger if for some reason the auto-focus doesn't work.

You should also unscrew the lens and check it for fungus or heavy scratches etc. although this is unlikely.

-- sam smith (Ruy_Lopez@hotmail.com), November 13, 2001.


After months of looking, I found and purchased a V35 with color module last July for $500 (it was on consignment at a local camera store). It has the 40mm Leitz lens.

The AF doesn't work as precisely as it could, but certainly it's fine if I stop down to f/5.6. Anyway, you can very easily check focus as with a typical enlarger by using the lens mount and a fine-grain focusing aid, which I'd always do anyway. I've read how to adjust the AF, but have decided it's not a problem for me so haven't done it.

That being said, I'm now making the BEST 35mm prints I've ever made, thanks to this enlarger, no, I think this lens.

It is a joy to use!

Do look carefully at the negative carrier. Mine broken where it hinged and missing the single glass that covers the negative on top.

I was able to purchase, new for about $100, a double glass carrier which is slightly larger that the negative area (i.e.- gives a thin black border around the image when printed full frame) and I'm very happy with this. BTW, I filed out the older carrier to give a "rough edged" border for an optional "artsy" look and it works fine except when printing a neg at the end of a strip, in which case I have to use black tape to hold the neg flat at the end edge.

All in all, I'd have to say this is the best built enlarger I've ever owned and feel like it'd be worth twice the price I paid. You might inquire at the few newspapers who are still using film as I understand these were a standard piece of equipment for newspaper darkrooms.

-- David Haynes (studioblsp@mindspring.com), November 14, 2001.


Thanks for the advice, I saw and bid on one on Ebay , danged auction ened at 5:30am pacific!! I slept through an opportunity to go higher ( probably a good thing )I see another one had gone for over $1,500! I'll see what the one today looks like,

Thanks for all the advice and info, Warren Allen

-- Warren Allen (whatrix@home.com), November 14, 2001.



I recently saw one for sale in the UK for 300 GBP and they regularly appear at bargain prices here. They are an excellent piece of engineering and the print quality is very good. I have the heiland unit so do not use my B/W module, if you buy one without this mail me, maybe we can swap something....

-- Richard (richard@designblue.co.uk), November 14, 2001.

Your question just follows my enlarger question, so some useful answers here. The Focomat looks the ticket so long as it's in good condition. Here in NZ, due to lack of demand, the one I am looking at is substantially cheaper, but it's handy to know what to watch out for.

-- David Killick (Dalex@inet.net.nz), November 14, 2001.

Be sure to read this thread in photo.net and follow the links suggested in it.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl? msg_id=004Fa9

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), November 14, 2001.


In my view the V35 is the best 35mm enlarger by a long chalk and it seems to retain its value in the UK. You can get ex lab V35s for about £600 but the best cared for examples still fetch £900 to £1000. They don't show themselves very often so you can't bargain but just accept or reject the price asked.

-- Tony Brookes (gdz00@lineone.net), November 20, 2001.

You might want to try the Valloy 2...if you want to save $....great for B&W and I use a small beseler color head too when I need it...the head goes on a metal adapter plate I had made on top.This enlarger is small and totally manual helical focus...a joy to use. Simple and beautiful like the M camera.Focotar 2-50mm is great as well as the 50mm focotar-1 for lenses.I've never used the focotar 40mm 2.8 but I've heard the focotar 50mm's are better.Someone told me this enlarger is the type used be Eugene Smith in Japan for his Minemeta(?) series primarily because of the Valloy's portability.

-- Emile de Leon (knightpeople@msn.com), November 21, 2001.


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