# What is the summicron of enlarging lenses?



## DocFrankenstein (May 13, 2006)

I am looking for a 50mm for my enlarger. 

Which ones do you recommend as the total best and which ones would be the best value for the money?

Is the Nikkor 50/2.8 a good lens?

Thanks


----------



## KevinR (May 13, 2006)

The Nikkor is really nice. So are the Schneider Componon-S or Rodenstock Rodagon. These are 6 element designs.


----------



## Hertz van Rental (May 13, 2006)

I have always used EL Nikkors. I never got on with Schneiders.
Minolta used to do some cracking lenses.
Don't look for value for money - get the best lens you can afford even if it means selling your firstborn.
An enlarger is only as good as the lens you use. A cheap enlarger with a good lens will produce far better prints than an expensive enlarger with a cheap lens.
If you have a top quality enlarger then get a lens to match. You'll be glad you did.


----------



## ThomThomsk (May 13, 2006)

DocFrankenstein said:
			
		

> I am looking for a 50mm for my enlarger.
> 
> Which ones do you recommend as the total best and which ones would be the best value for the money?
> 
> ...



I've managed to end up with two 50mm EL Nikkors, a Nikkor 80mm and a Minolta 50mm. All good, and all cheap on eBay. I use the Minolta back to front instead of a loupe.


----------



## DocFrankenstein (May 13, 2006)

Hertz van Rental said:
			
		

> I never got on with Schneiders.


 What do you mean? You tried them and didn't like them?

The Schneiders are 2x as expensive, and after reading up a bit some people are saying that "all the pro labs" used componons? What do you think?

EDIT: Originally I wasn't thinking of getting anything cheaper than the Nikkor 50mm. But I'm biased toward the german glass...

Now I'm torn between the EL-Nikkor and EL-Companon


----------



## Hertz van Rental (May 13, 2006)

I found Schneiders to be bland and a bit characterless - but it's nothing more than one of those personal things. The same as why I prefer Olympus cameras to Canon. Although I think a better analogy comes from Hi-fi: why do some people prefer vinyl to CD or valve to solid state? Can't quantify but you can tell the difference.
I just prefer the 'feel' of the Nikkor image.
Having said that I used Minolta Rokkors in a colour lab for a while and loved them. Later I bought one for myself and hated it. C'est la vie!


----------



## Torus34 (May 17, 2006)

I've found the Rodenstocks satisfactory.


----------

