The IFF Auregon - Chapter 2........read on

When I wrote a Blog on 16/5/19 I realised I had found a rare enlarger-in the UK at least-but research found a few on Auction sites that had Italian sales. The only British reference found was to the late Barry Thornton who had published a photograph of his darkroom with a black paint version of my acquisition.  He shared my confusion as to the auto focus side of the machine. The Auregon (Automatique) had, in both cases, arrived without a matched 50mm lens but could be used as a manual machine without difficulty. The manufacturer being no longer able to help on the Auto focus problem.

Since 2019 I have been trying to sort out the lens question and think that 'lock down' has provided enough time for thought, and tinkering, to solve this.

Illustrations from Italy often show a modern lens fitted such as Schneider or Nikon lenses but the fitting looked strange. In the event it became clear that the lens was fitted into a slim extension ring that probably lived with the lens. When removed this left a 39mm threaded plate similar to almost all modern enlargers. The lens therefore required a short extension or lowering to engage the Auto Focus with accuracy. A trial and error search of all suitable 39 mm rings (standard Leica thread) then took place and in the end a 8 mm ring was found. This is very thin but is probably the second ring in the FED range of extension tubes that are easy to find, designed for the obsolete range of Russian/ USSR/ Ukraine FED and Zorki cameras. Having the correct thread at each end it instantly paired up with a Nikon 50mm f2.8 (First Type) and 'lo and behold' I had automatic focus.

A special note- a 7 mm ring also exists which does not work, at least with the machine I have. There is another small point to check. Sharp focus may only be achieved on three sides of the empty film frame which is simply adjusted. The enlarger has a unique negative holder with a separate mask that can be used to display negative margin numbers. This mask can be rotated in its holder to conceal such numbers - as I prefer to work.  The mask is not locked horizontally and can be slightly adjusted by hand for those who are after margin printing effects. By and large, it's just an annoyance that is easily removed and in any case it would be hard to get the full 25mm x 37mm 'Leica' edge in prints. This small problem results from the edges in the carrier being at very slightly different levels- unless adjusted- and the effect has no bearing on the negative focus plane which remains constant.

There are two important cautions here. Firstly, The figure of 8 mm is the measured depth of the ring taken from each bearing face, ignoring thread depth. With the ability to reproduce the odd Leica thread pattern it would be quite possible to introduce a small degree of fine tuning to a custom adapter with set screws but, for me, the solution as stated seems to work!

The second caution is rather more simple. The Auregon is provided with a basic means of manual focus. To allow the Auto focus cam to work fully the sliding bellows adjustment should be moved to it's lowest point against the final stop at the base of the vertical slider that supports the bellows and locked out of the way.

Examination of the cam wheel suggests that only one shape was produced and made to work for all (nominally) 50 mm lenses, possibly by shims, or custom adapters.

Hope the above helps any reader with a similar problem!  

The Little Leica Man

Throughout the history of Leica and The Leica Society there has been an image of a little man with a camera. This familiar figure( and various amendments) has appeared in magazines, Society stationery, and publicity but, no doubt, with the 1930's connections, has eventually become rather rare and suggestive of all that the commercial side had left behind!

However I am kindly reminded of our use of advertising and publicity drawings by a note from Philip Gray, the Editor of our Society Magazine distributed quarterly to members. Philip has supplied me with a print of a what I can call- possibly incorrectly-a draftsman's sketch of a similar nature.

I have been looking at this in the light of the original sketch and feel that whereas the first little man has an air of the 1930's this version may have a suggestion of German advertising from 1950's, but I could be right off the mark.As ever the comment box awaits reactions.

 

Mystery ,or Enigma ?

Today's Blog arrived in the time of lock down and is more of a request for research or further information than an attempt to impart words of wisdom.

It concerns an enlarger (as ever) known as the Agfa Varioscop 60. This was a heavy machine, painted off white, with turret lenses and auto focus and, judging from the focal lengths chosen, the design brief owes more than a passing debt to the Leitz Focomat 11. I had a chance to examine an old example and was told that it was born of a project to help unemployed young people. Where this idea came from I do not know but is was offered as an excuse for the quality of a rather lower standard than the Focomat and perhaps fitted the post war mindset. However, it had coated condensers! Some web references date this machine to the 1950's.

The machine I saw needed new lenses as an alternative to costly cleaning. I found that the adaption of other lenses would not be the simple job that is often possible. Even new flanges seemed to pose problems. Few are seen on sale in the UK but I would regard it as a good investment if the lenses are spotless. Some spare parts are available new from Kienzle in Germany. These include more modern colour fittings.

The story about the manufacture was accepted and half forgotten  until I started to use an I.F.F. Automatique Colour enlarger (where does he find them?) made until the modern era by IF.F Industrial Photomechanical of Firenze (Florence, Italy) who made lighting and enlargers but have now left the enlarger field.

The Automatique is a rather nice 35 mm machine based on the general layout of the Focomat 1c and finished in off white and blue. Examination of my enlarger in detail reveals-

* Square film holding cups of an unusual type not seen elsewhere
* Many circular heat vents in the base of lamp house
* A semi circular magnification scale, that works as a cam.
* Swinging arm forged to resemble stock parallel bar with diamond    patterns within,sharp square edges.
* Unusual lens mounts- not seen elsewhere.
* Split arm joints that both tighten and grip on the arm pivots.

I had never seen my enlarger before I bought it but a picture did appear in one of the books by the late Barry Thornton who was equally mystified by its origins. It was a long search to trace the history but I am delighted to have the condenser machine that I use in the Circle.

HOWEVER........The Agfa Variscop 60 has all of the above features and it is impossible avoid the conclusion that the larger machine was made in Italy and is a good solid enlarger. A Variscope is a rare machine in UK but retains a following in Europe where a Heiland split grade conversion has been listed and may still be available.

M'lud,I rest my case!

The above rant should not leave you in any confusion with the Agfa enlarger of the last days of Agfa called the Agfa C66 Colormat which is a Durst 605 adapted with complex exposure electronics in the baseboard. It was sold in the graphics market with a Agfa branded lens. Drawing on corporate memory perhaps, it is also white!

I do have one vestige of Varioscope history in the shape of two Agfa Colourheads, The latest, which is illustrated below is of a  modern design and does most of the things the last colour heads did. It is entirely mechanical, at mains voltage, with a projector type large mains bulb.

The bulb is around 250 (volt and watts) but the brochure suggests that it should come from the factory, no doubt as it is matched to local voltage over a wide range. Rather pointless I.M.H.O. unless one has a good voltage regulator as EEC voltage standards would have defeated the plan. In the case of this last type of head there is also an adapter plate to Focomat Ic which is of typical Leitz Quality and finish. I can only describe the interior as rather a special case of a small projector. It still works and could be used, with a second condenser being supplied to fit the 1c.

This started as a little reading project in time of Virus,I am glad to have the benefit of the 35 mm enlarger.

Here are the pictures-

The unit as supplied

The Leitz adapter 17775.

Inside view

Finally, should any reader have a IF.F enlarger that is causing

problems with auto focus it may help to tell you, after months of   thought, I started to replicate a ring found in a photo of the   enlarger on sale on Ebay in Italy. This fits between lens and   flange. Taking a Nikon 50mm f2.8 (Original) lens I found that an 

extension ring of 8mm depth made the auto focus work. Small adjustments could, no doubt, be made by altering this ring or shims, -or just use it with manual focus! 

More thoughts on enlarger earthing

The Darkroom manuals make it quite clear that electrical safety is important in your Darkroom, stressing proper earthing arrangements and safe wiring.

Previous Blogs of mine have mentioned the need for enlarger earthing.  Where possible I have felt that some of the (pre-war?) systems of serpentine time-expired leads passing through the enlarger column are best by-passed in favour of simple leads from lamp to timer.

I came across an unusual aspect of this problem yesterday while fitting in my Kodak Precision enlarger of the 1939 US type which has been out of my darkroom for some time. I reserve this machine for 6x9 prints and should explain that it is of the very attractive gray and polished alloy type with lots of stainless steel, duralumin, and nothing likely to corrode.

The enlarger was originally designed for 110 volt use with built in US 2- pin fittings to get the power to the lamp. This enlarger is not to be confused with a UK produced machine from the 1950's(and early colour machines) derived from the original, but not so visually attractive.

After fitting this in my Darkroom I tested to confirm that the supply to the head had an earth connection and found continuity with the lamp globe and its mounting. Nothing else was earthed. This strange situation resulted from Kodak's use of fiber gaskets to assemble sections of the head and copious use of black felt to prevent light leaks in the negative stage. Strange to say the insertion of a negative carrier restored continuity but heavy finish in crackle paint in parts also interfered with friction contact.

This is an unusual enlarger to see these days and it is most unlikely that anyone else will benefit from my experience but I have recorded this note to stress the dangers that old enlargers present when imported from US. Relying on friction contact with heavy paint finishes is unwise. Above all, get a professional test before switching on! And, don't forget, that 110 volt timers are usually driven by a 60 cycle motor so that the seconds, although constant, will not be good old British seconds!(and a transformer will be needed) This time difference will hardly matter for print work where any regular intervals can be worked with but could cause problems with development of films. 60 cycle mains can be replicated but the answer is not cheap-there are some suggestions on Youtube but this reference is made without liability. Back to Leica.............

Some Leica fans are dedicated to replicating the original wiring system and  I see that the early German three pin plugs with V shaped pins  are still available on Ebay for the brave and qualified worker.One problem will be the German wire colours of the 1950,s.