V35 too bright

[Richard Wasserman]

I recently got a Leitz V25 enlarger with a color head. I put in a new bulb and have been successfuly printing with it, but my printing times are very short; on the order of 2-3 seconds. Is there a way to dim this machine down a bit? I use VC papers and did try adding cyan which helped a bit, but makes me nervous. Thanks

Richard Wasserman

[Loose Gravel]

You can add cheap theatrical light gel ND if you have a spot that doesn't get hot.

[df cardwell]

Some ND or diffusion medium above the negative carrier. Tough Rolux from Rosco.

[SoulSurround]

I recently got a Leitz V25 enlarger with a color head.

You mean the V35, right?

I put in a new bulb and have been successfuly printing with it, but my printing times are very short; on the order of 2-3 seconds. Is there a way to dim this machine down a bit? I use VC papers and did try adding cyan which helped a bit, but makes me nervous.

The V35 I own doesn't have the problem, BUT I do always buy the original (expensive) Philips 13139 bulb for my unit (there are two versions: see the following website: http://www.bonavolta.ch/hobby/en/photo/v35.htm ).
Hope this helps,
Jeroen

[Ryuji]

If you use Kodabrome or something, change the paper to AGFA MCC/MCP. That would double the exposure time. Then change to Fortezo. That would double the exposure time again!

Also, the exposure time changes over the course of the lightbulb's lifecycle. It can get very short just before the bulb burns out. I'd look for a new bulb now!

[Petzi]

You can add all three color filters at the same time to dim it down.

Or you can just stop down the lens. Which f-stop you are using? If you make small enlargements, say up to 5x7, there should be no penalty in using f/8 or f/11.

Other than that, if your results are good, why does the exposure time of 2-3 seconds make you nervous?

[df cardwell]

I'll second Petzi's suggestion. Go back to f/4.5 for an 8x10.

AND might be time to change timers....

I remember when I started printing with my Ic, with short exposures,
I started having trouble with burning and dodging !

I went to my sensei/boss/mentor and he said, " Pay more attention shooting ".

Good advice. Thirty years later, I'm trying.
.

[Richard Wasserman]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am using a new and correct bulb. This is obviously a problem with small enlargements so maybe all I have to do is stop the lens down more. I don't like to stop down more than about 2 stops, hoping for best possible quality, but I'll try it and see how things look, hopefully Leitz will live up to their reputation. I will also try gels on top of the negative carrier, it looks to be a tight fit, but they just might work. I like Sensei's advice, he's very wise. Pay more attention.....

Richard Wasserman

[SoulSurround]

This is obviously a problem with small enlargements so maybe all I have to do is stop the lens down more. I don't like to stop down more than about 2 stops, hoping for best possible quality, but I'll try it and see how things look, hopefully Leitz will live up to their reputation.

I tested my focotar 40 f/2.8 and found f/8 to give the most pleasing results (Leitz claims f/5.6). What size prints are we talking about by the way?

[Claire Senft]

Firstly, when printing with VC paper I do not believe that the use of cyan fitration is capable of helping you at all. Of course, this may well indicate that once again am I mentally constipated. Try this: make a satisfactory exposure with your magenta and yellow. Dial in the mamximum cyan as an addition to your current filtration. Make a second exposure, Woo, that surely made a difference ania?

So what color might help? Red? Maybe. but it will be rather strong medicine.
A light red such as a cc50R could be useable. Neutral density is preferable.
Where to put it? Well, I can think of three spots. It has been a longtime since I have owned a V35...like 25years. If you can open your mixing box easily then put a polyestedr ND filter inside. If you like 15-20 second exposures then use an ND .9 3 stops of light decrease. This will put the rather fragile polyester filter where it will stay pristine. Second choice tape it to the top of your diffuser on the negative carrier but the filter will be subject to scratching etc. which may cause no harm but is, I feel, certain to cause no improvement. Thirdly, I do not recall if the 40mm Focotar has filter threads on the front. If it does get a high quality glass MC ND filter of the appropriate strenght and screw it into place,...UMMM make that 4 choices remove your red filter and replace it with an ND filter..again use a glass filter that is MC and of high quality.

If a 2 stop correction will do the job, and you already own a polarizer then the polariser in any orientation into the light beam...YAh, Yah, Yah I already know that a polarizer has a standard filter factor of 2.5x but it has a neutral density that is extremely close to .6.

The V35 is, I feel, a wonderfully elegant enlarger. It is so handy to use. My ownly regret is that Leitz did not offer it with the 50mm Focotar II and appropriate cam. For myself I would glady settle for a reduction in maximum print size and an increase in optical quality were I to own a V35.

Enjoy your enlarger.