Old enlarger lens

divamum

So. I have the bug. Want more lenses (specifically something wider). But have run out of money!!

I am therefore clearing out some old stuff trying to figure out what I have lying around that I can maybe sell and realise that I still have a BW enlarging lens. It's this one

I'd like to at least get some more info on its potential resale value (if any) before I take it to our local store (which, of course, buys in very low) or, even better, check out some other sources to sell it. Nothing on the KEH website, and haven't found out that much by googling or on ebay (not muchthere, and what is there is overseas, so hard to judge local value) Not sure what condition it's in, really - the glass looks clean, although there's a little bit of corrosion on metal which holds the front glass in place.

I also have a Soligor Minolta-mount manual 2x converter (why I have all this Minolta stuff I have no idea, because I've never owned a Minolta camera!). Even worth trying to sell it in these digital, autofocus days?

In any case, advice on if there's any point trying to sell this stuff and, if so, where to look up any market value it may have would be great.

Now I have to decide if I want to sell the Elan 7e, too... I LOVED that camera.....

ziggy53

According to the information on this page:

http://photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/00Oxn0

... it looks like there were 2 versions of the "E Rokkor 50mm, f4.5" lens, one with an aperture adjustment and another with a fixed aperture.

Unfortunately it does look like it is an entry level enlarger lens. That's not to say there is anything wrong with it, but it's nothing too special or valuable either. I would guess a value at $25-$35 or so.

The Soligor teleconverter is worth maybe a bit less, say $15-$20.

A Canon Elan 7E is often found for $75-$100, but I recommend you hold onto it. You might find a need for it for specialized photography. AF speed was awfully good on that camera.

divamum

Thanks, Ziggy, as always (is there anything about cameras you don't know?!). Seems like they might fetch a little to put in the piggy bank, so I'll see what more I can find out. The one I have is the adjustable aperture, btw.

Now, if I can only find that Zeiss enlarger lens... that thing was STUNNING, but I have this vague but horrible memory that I might have donated it in a bag of goodwill stuff a few years ago on the grounds I'd never use it again so somebody else might get some mileage out of it.... :bash :cry

And yeah, that Elan was a pretty fabu camera; in some ways, it felt like a step DOWN when I got the XT (which I suppose it was in all ways except the fact that it's digital). I really miss that thumbwheel......

swintonphoto

Another thing to consider is marketing it as a large format camera lens. I have used a fair number of enlarger lenses that were mounted on lens mount boards and used as large format lenses. That might provide some more areas to explore.

divamum

swintonphoto wrote:

Another thing to consider is marketing it as a large format camera lens. I have used a fair number of enlarger lenses that were mounted on lens mount boards and used as large format lenses. That might provide some more areas to explore.

Really? Sorry, I don't know enough about large/medium format to even realise that could be an option - do they use the same screw mount and everything?

Tx!

puzzledpaul

Re the Minolta lens, you might also have a go at a bit of macro with it - reverse mounted - esp. if not going to get much for it?

A couple of yrs (or so) ago I paid about £25 for a 2.8 version of the 50mm and took a few pics with it before getting other kit.

pp

divamum

puzzledpaul wrote:

Re the Minolta lens, you might also have a go at a bit of macro with it - reverse mounted - esp. if not going to get much for it?

A couple of yrs (or so) ago I paid about £25 for a 2.8 version of the 50mm and took a few pics with it before getting other kit.

pp

Ok, I'm confused. It's an enlarger lens with a screw mount, much smaller than a camera lens. How does one mount it on a camera, either forward or backward? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm just completely out of my depth here and don't understand... TIA!

ziggy53

divamum wrote:

Ok, I'm confused. It's an enlarger lens with a screw mount, much smaller than a camera lens. How does one mount it on a camera, either forward or backward? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm just completely out of my depth here and don't understand... TIA!

You would have to adapt the lens somehow. If this is a lens made for the Mini 16 enlarger it probably will not work very well shooting forward. I suggest adapting it to shoot backwards and used in front of another lens. In that configuration it could probably produce interesting macros.

You might be best to choose a cheap lens cap for the host lens and have someone bore a hole in the lens cap and then mount the Minolta lens somehow onto the lens cap.

To test the Minolta just hold it backwards on the front of a host lens. You should be able to look at subjects like dollar bills much more closely than the host lens alone. Used this way the Minolta lens is called a diopter.

To get an idea about the concept, look at this site:

http://stephenelliot.com/2007/05/15/reverse-lens-macro-photography-tutorial/

puzzledpaul

<< How does one mount it on a camera, either forward or backward? >>

Various ways, depending on what you've got in your junk box or access to facilities etc.

In my case it was reverse mounted on the front of some bellows I already had.

I was lucky that the internal diameter of a clamping ring of a neg / slide duplicator attachment was just about the correct size for the (smooth) outside dia at the front of the Minolta lens (one layer of gaffer tape took up the difference)

Would have to dig it out to check what I did with the other side (mounted on the front of the bellows) ... but for a 'play / test' it would've been something simple / easy ... eg double sided tape

Whilst I'd do some things differently now, top pic was taken with the setup.
(uncropped, single frame)
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=947&highlight=

pp

divamum

Thanks both of you for the explanations!