What is an Enlarging Lens?

[Jetl3on]

Can anyone summarise the above? What is it and what does it do? Im looking at a Nikon f2.8 50mm Enlarging lens, anyone have samples of shots taken with it (assuming it has that finction).

thanks

[tog]

It would be for an enlarger, as used in the darkroom.

[Jetl3on]

tog said:

It would be for an enlarger, as used in the darkroom.

An enlarger? (Newbie here), Is that some kind of contact sheet magnifier?

PS: I dont want to buy one, was searching for Macro lens and this popped up, didnt know what it was.

[LooneyTunes]

Erm no, an enlarger is what those of us who still use negatives use to get the image from the neg to the paper!

[Simpo Two]

Negative goes in the top and light is projected through it onto the paper below to make a (larger) print.

[tog]

Optically, it would be designed to give best results at close distance, and with particular attention to flatness of field, so that the whole image is in focus across the paper. 50mm is standard for 35mm enlarging, but you could also find 40mm which makes it easier to print bigger prints with less height required for the enlarger head.