Problems with Astron 4x5" enlarger

[Ferri Stefano]

Dear all,

I got a very old Astron enlarger, which accept negatives in
all formats from 24x35mm up to 4x5" but I am having a problem
with the largest size because I cannot find any way to assemble
the condensers so to have the corners of the negative properly
printed.

The enlarger comes with several condenser, all of them
are shaped as a slice of a sphere (plane on one side and spherical
on the other) and they differ only for their diameter and for
the radius of curvature of the spherical part.

I think I tried all possible combinations but I still have problems.

Can anyone give me a suggestion?

Thanks in advance.

Stefano

[Donald Qualls]

Post by Ferri Stefano
Dear all,
I got a very old Astron enlarger, which accept negatives in
all formats from 24x35mm up to 4x5" but I am having a problem
with the largest size because I cannot find any way to assemble
the condensers so to have the corners of the negative properly
printed.
The enlarger comes with several condenser, all of them
are shaped as a slice of a sphere (plane on one side and spherical
on the other) and they differ only for their diameter and for
the radius of curvature of the spherical part.
I think I tried all possible combinations but I still have problems.
Can anyone give me a suggestion?
Thanks in advance.
Stefano

I have an Omega D2V for which I don't have the condenser lenses (it came
to me with a cold light head installed), but I do have the instructions
for assembling the variable condenser.

There's a fixed portion consisting of two of the lenses, spherical
surfaces toward each other, in the lowest positions -- the bottom one
will be just above the film carrier. For 4x5, the third lens is left
entirely out of the enlarger, to spread the light over the whole frame;
for 6x9 cm, it's put in the lowest available position, curved side down;
for 6x6, the next higher, and for 35 mm in the highest position. Your
Astron most likely works similarly, in leaving the uppermost lens out
for 4x5 negatives -- give it a try!
--
I may be a scwewy wabbit, but I'm not going to Alcatwaz!
-- E. J. Fudd, 1954

Donald Qualls, aka The Silent Observer
Lathe Building Pages http://silent1.home.netcom.com/HomebuiltLathe.htm
Speedway 7x12 Lathe Pages http://silent1.home.netcom.com/my7x12.htm

Opinions expressed are my own -- take them for what they're worth
and don't expect them to be perfect.

[David Nebenzahl]

Post by Ferri Stefano
I got a very old Astron enlarger, which accept negatives in
all formats from 24x35mm up to 4x5" but I am having a problem
with the largest size because I cannot find any way to assemble
the condensers so to have the corners of the negative properly
printed.
The enlarger comes with several condenser, all of them
are shaped as a slice of a sphere (plane on one side and spherical
on the other) and they differ only for their diameter and for
the radius of curvature of the spherical part.
I think I tried all possible combinations but I still have problems.
Can anyone give me a suggestion?

Yes; so far as I know, condensers are always used in matched pairs, not in
other odd combinations, so if the largest (or smallest) size doesn't work, you
may be missing the right ones for 4x5.