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!
No comments:
Post a Comment