Versatility, sturdiness, ease of operation- Spark Plugs and Ignition Coil repair

none . . .

One of the best 35mm cameras ever made. For sure the best Pentax 35mm camera. I can say that: I own four LX and 12 other Pentax bodies. Westminster Bounce House Rental

None . .

Super steady enlargers. Very sharp. I have used these very same enlargers for the last 15 years and for 35mm work, they are the best!

Autofocus feature needs an adjustment. This is a well-Used enlargers that are super sharp. They don't have a "show-room" look anymore but they don't look banged-up. I can email pics of them to whomever wants them.

2-Leitz V35 Focomats, each with its own 40/2.8 Focotar. Excellent quality enlargers. Comes with timers and extra halogen bulbs. I use SLR digital cameras and medium format so I don't need these enlargers. I have an Omega D5 for enlarging. I'd like to sell them and I'm open to suggestions re price. In the meantime, I'll browse the net for the appropriate price.

Similar Products Used:

Leica copystands, Leica M-Series cameras

For instance Focomat V35 is the only enlarger available, that is equipped with halogen lamp even without the color module.

None.

I have used many enlargers during my 30 years with photography and I must say that Focomat V35 is simply the best equipment money can buy. I have owmned Durst 350 with Nikon 2,8/50 mm lens for a few years, but I wasn't satisfied with the condensor enlarger and its harsh contrast.

Customer Service

I have owned Focomat for 17 years and never needed any.

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There is none, 'cause this is nowadays the only machine with the auto focus function.

Sharp lense. Strong build.

Only 35 mm. And I did not find the Af very easy to use. Did not like the film carrier, hard to make the film stay in one place...

Overpriced. Sharp lense, but I prefer the Nikkor 50mm/2.8 lense with a Durst 370 or 670. The Nikkor looks more black&white. And at distance looking at prints the Nikon looks sharper cause they look more black and white and looks like they have more contrast or something....just better...

Similar Products Used:

Durst

Versatility, sturdiness, ease of operation

None

As it was said by the Leica CEO just recently. "Leica produces cameras and, at one time, enlargers to show the unsurpassed quality of their lenses". An that's all one needs to produce high quality photographs.

Customer Service

Never

Similar Products Used:

Durst

Lens quality
Sturdiness
autofocus
ease of use

Inability to use with negs other than 35mm.
Price (if your that sort of person).

In 25 years of photographing I have spent a huge amount of time in the darkroom. Two enargers stand out above all others. Saunders 4500 (see it's review) and the Leica Focomat V35.
If you shoot exclusively 35mm (or have the space for another enlarger), the Focomat is near perfection. The Focatar 40mm lens allows you to do 20X24 prints on the baseboard (though without an easel). No wall or floor projections. As well it means that when doing prints up to 16X20 there is no reaching high above your head to focus or adjust filtration.
The lens is as sharp as anything I have used in the higher priced APO category. (note: some people have tried to put this lens on other enlargers...it won't work. It has been designed in combination with the mixing chamber and light path design...it lacks crispness when used elsewhere.
The auto focus is a joy. One minute you can do a 5X7, then rack the enlarger up for a 16X20 and it is still in focus - guaranteed!
Helicoid focusing (like a camera lens) ensure that there is no focus creep from print to print, or during long exposures.
Built like a tank.
If you are a 35mm photographer who demands the best from his camera and lenses, this is the enlarger for you!

Customer Service

Never required

Similar Products Used:

Saunders, Beseler, Omega and Durst.

Autofocus is convenient, carrier is easy to handle--very fast enlarger to use for lots of 35mm printing

Crude and antiquated VC mechanism, extremely poor value, 35mm only (competes with most enlargers made for all formats up to 6x7).

At the end of this enlarger's production life it was rumored to have been selling fewer than 200 units annually. The reason was not that it was a bad machine, but simply that it offered spectacularly poor value for cost. The reason I'm bothering to post this is simply to counterbalance the unthinking opinion that everything Leica does is perfect and can't be improved on, and so "must be" worth the money. No. A couple of companies make enlargers that are "better" for less--in particular, see the Durst and Saunders models. Also, Leica enlarging lenses are not the absolute best money can buy, despite the received opinion. This enlarger has one great strength--it is very fast to use when you're making lots and lots of quick-and-dirty workprints. Otherwise, I'd advise people to think carefully before making knee-jerk assumptions prior to purchase. Tough call between 3 and 4 stars, but I think I'll go low since so many other people will go high "just because it's Leica."

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You name it--I have a degree in photography, have designed and built darkrooms for individuals and commercial clients, have supervised and worked in many commerical darkrooms, have written for many darkroom publications in the U.S. and Europe, and for 6 years was editor-in-chief of the world's largest darkroom-oriented photography magazine

Strong, robust good B&W AND color enlarger. Easy to use, reliable, rock solid. The 40mm Focotar is an outstanding lens, Without a doubt the BEST enlarger I have ever used

would be nice if the column went upo another couple inches

This enlarger out performs any other 35mm enlarger.

Similar Products Used:

Leitz Focomat 1C
Omega DII
Durst Pro 4500

accurate
fast

75 watts max.

It's all good except that large prints require very long exposure times. So long, in fact, that I use a Beseler for prints larger than 8 X 10.

Similar Products Used:

Beseler
Omega