Leitz · Medium format · 1956–1983

Leitz Focomat IIc

Name: Leitz Focomat IIc
Brand: Leitz
Availability: InStock

Modern Photography titled its 1974 test The Most Expensive Enlarger We've Ever Tested, then measured almost no alignment error and the most even light it had seen. The Focomat IIc was made from 1956 to 1983, and owners like Thomas Eisl say it cost as much as a small car. It takes everything from 13x17 mm to 6x9 cm, with two lenses side by side on a sliding changer. Slide the changer and a Bowden cable swaps in the matching cam, so it stays in focus across the range for 35mm and medium format alike. Ed Buziak notes many worked in newspaper darkrooms. Early ones paired 60mm and 95mm Focotars, and later ones swapped the 95mm for a 100mm V-Elmar. Leica no longer has spare parts, but Kienzle in Germany still makes them, and even sells a modern successor, the A 69S. Collectors want both lenses clean, a full drawer of masks and an undamaged Bowden cable.

Early IIc with 60mm and 95mm FocotarsLater IIc with 60mm Focotar and 100mm V-ElmarIIc Color with a filter drawerSome with a pull-out light box under the baseboardLater versions with a laminated baseboard

Spec at a glance

Maker: Leitz
Format: Medium format, up to 6x9 cm
Stock head: Condenser
Launched: 1956
Made: 1956–1983
Takes: 13x17 mm to 6x9 cm, with fixed metal masks
Light source: 150 W opal lamp over a double condenser
Lenses: 60mm Focotar f/4.5 plus 95mm Focotar or later 100mm V-Elmar f/4.5
Autofocus: About 2x to 11x (60mm) and 1.4x to 5.7x (100mm)
Column: 80 cm, 6 cm diameter, on a 53.5x74 cm baseboard
Weight: About 40 kg
Also listed as: Focomat IIc, Focomat 2c, Leitz IIc, Leica Focomat IIc
Typical eBay ask (Oct 15, 2026): $900–$1,225

Darkroom check

Light, carriers, bellows and lens

Light source and lamp: A 150 W opal lamp in an E27 socket sits above a double condenser, per Leitz's 1976 price list and owner Thomas Eisl. The IIc Color has a drawer for 12x12 cm correction filters, and Leitz recommended a 250 W lamp with a voltage stabilizer for color work. Ask what lamp is fitted and for a photo with it lit. Kienzle in Germany sells halogen lamps and a mixing-box conversion for the IIc.
Carriers and condensers: The standard holder is a heavy hinged carrier with glass top and bottom and a 6x9 cm opening. Smaller formats use slide-in metal masks, from 13x17 mm up to 6x6 cm, stored in a drawer under the baseboard. Leitz also sold a single-glass 35mm pressure device, and Kienzle makes a glassless 35mm carrier. Ask how many masks are in the drawer.
Column and bellows: The head rides a counterbalanced parallelogram on an 80 cm column, and you loosen a knob to raise or lower it. There's a bellows by the lens carrier, and a Bowden cable switches the focusing cam when you slide the lens changer. Eisl warns the cable can break if the changer is forced, though Kienzle makes the spare. Ask for a video of the head moving and the lenses changing.
Alignment: Modern Photography measured almost no alignment error on its 1974 test unit. Eisl says the parallelogram can't be realigned after assembly and only goes out if the enlarger has been dropped. Ask about any drops and look for bent arms or unusual friction.
Lens: Two lenses sit side by side in a sliding changer, each adjusted at the works to its own cam, and Leitz says not to swap them. Early IIcs came with 60mm and 95mm Focotars, later ones with the 60mm Focotar and 100mm V-Elmar. Eisl says Leica still cleans these lenses but has no spare parts, so fungus is the costly problem. Ask for photos through both lenses against a light.
Timer and power: It's mains powered with a hand switch on the baseboard and a socket for an exposure timer, and the illuminated magnification scale has its own small lamp. The lamp must match your mains voltage. For color, Leitz recommended an automatic voltage stabilizer and its own timer.
Shipping and pickup: Eisl puts it at about 40 kg on a 53.5x74 cm baseboard. Leitz shipped it broken down into baseboard, column, parallelogram arms with their springs, lamp housing, condenser and Bowden cable. This is a pickup or a carefully crated freight job.

Should come with it

Both lenses in the sliding changer (60mm plus 95mm or 100mm)
The glass negative carrier and a drawer of metal masks
Condenser and lamp hood with an opal lamp
The Bowden cable and illuminated magnification scale

Hard to find if missing

A replacement 95mm Focotar or 100mm V-Elmar matched to the cam
The tilting device with bellows for converging verticals
The copying cassette
The 12x12 cm filter drawer on non-Color versions

Check the listing photos against these lists, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing carrier, condenser or lens board should come off the price.

What to check

Eisl lists the usual problems. The Bowden cable that switches cams breaks if the lens changer is forced, fungus in the Focotar or V-Elmar is costly to fix, and laminated baseboards can come apart after damp storage. Unusual stiffness in the parallelogram that oil doesn't cure points to damage.

01Both lenses: Check the photos for both lenses in the sliding changer. A 60mm Focotar and a 95mm Focotar or 100mm V-Elmar is the full set.
02Lens glass: Ask for photos through each lens held against a light. Clear glass with no web-like fungus is what you want.
03Lens change: Ask for a video of the lens changer sliding across. It should move smoothly, with the Bowden cable intact and connected.
04Autofocus: Ask the seller to focus at the top of the range, then show the image at the bottom. It should still be sharp with each lens.
05Carrier and masks: Check the photos for the glass carrier and the mask drawer under the baseboard. More masks means more formats ready to print.
06Parallelogram: Ask for a video of the head moving through its range. It should travel smoothly and lock firmly with the knob.
07Lamp: Ask what lamp is fitted and for a photo of it lit. A 150 W opal lamp matched to your mains is standard.
08Baseboard: Look at the baseboard edges in the photos. Laminate lifting or peeling means it was stored somewhere damp.
09Pickup: Plan on pickup or crated freight for about 40 kg. The arms, springs and cable should be secured before it moves.

New to used enlargers? How to check a used enlarger covers the bellows, the column, the lamp and alignment, and condenser, diffusion and color heads explains which light source suits how you print.

Buying guide

Which one to buy

§ Oct 15, 2026

We'd look first at the $850 IIc from a 100% seller, the lowest of the only 3 for sale, though no lens or carrier is named. None of the 3 quotes shipping, so the $900–1,225 band is asks, not delivered prices, and it isn't a market read. The IIc weighs about 40 kg, so plan on pickup or crated freight, and look for both lenses in the sliding changer, a 60mm Focotar with a 95mm Focotar or 100mm V-Elmar, plus the glass carrier and the mask drawer. Ask for photos through each lens against a light, since fungus is the costly problem and Leica has no spare parts. The $950 one with a baseboard and lens comes from a zero-feedback seller, so pay only through eBay checkout.

Listed now: 3
For parts: 0
Typical ask: $900–$1,225
Full range: $850–$1,499

Cheapest
$850.00+ ship
The lowest ask on a IIc here, $850 from a 100% seller, and the photo shows the head and arm on the column. No lens, carrier or shipping is named, so ask for photos of the lens changer and the mask drawer, and plan on pickup or crated freight for about 40 kg.
RARE LEICA LEITZ WETZLAR 2C FOCOMAT 35mm ENLARGER IIC, Massive Heavy Estate Find
View on eBay ↗: RARE LEICA LEITZ WETZLAR 2C FOCOMAT 35mm ENLARGER IIC, Massive Heavy Estate Find$850.00 plus shipping (not stated)
Collector's pick
$1,499.00+ ship
Titled new in box in its original shipping crate, and Leitz shipped the IIc broken down into baseboard, column, arms, lamp housing, condenser and cable. Ask for an inventory against that list and photos of both lenses before paying $1,499, about 1.6 times the median.
NIB! Leitz Wetzlar 35mm Focomat IIc 2c Enlarger in Original Shipping Crate
View on eBay ↗: NIB! Leitz Wetzlar 35mm Focomat IIc 2c Enlarger in Original Shipping Crate$1,499.00 plus shipping (not stated)

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.

Snapshot

For sale on eBay

3 of 3 listed

Checked Oct 15, 2026. Some may have sold.

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.

Used
- Cheapest
RARE LEICA LEITZ WETZLAR 2C FOCOMAT 35mm ENLARGER IIC, Massive Heavy Estate Find
$850.00+ shipping
$850.00 · shipping not stated
Buy It Now$850.00
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
No lens or carrier named, and the title says 35mm though the IIc takes up to 6x9. No shipping quoted; pickup or ask.
Seller: wolfmarksales
100% positive
View on eBay ↗: RARE LEICA LEITZ WETZLAR 2C FOCOMAT 35mm ENLARGER IIC, Massive Heavy Estate Find
New old stock
- Collector's pick
NIB! Leitz Wetzlar 35mm Focomat IIc 2c Enlarger in Original Shipping Crate
$1,499.00+ shipping
$1,499.00 · shipping not stated
Buy It Now$1,499.00
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Titled new in box in its original crate, and the photo shows wrapped parts in crates. No shipping quoted; pickup or ask.
Seller: 1778dl
100% positive
View on eBay ↗: NIB! Leitz Wetzlar 35mm Focomat IIc 2c Enlarger in Original Shipping Crate
Used
- Check the seller
Leitz Focomat IIc Darkroom Photo Enlarger w/ Baseboard & V-ELMAR 50mm Lens
$950.00+ shipping
$950.00 · shipping not stated
Buy It Now$950.00
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Zero-feedback seller. Titled with a 50mm V-Elmar, but the IIc came with 60mm and 95mm or 100mm lenses, so ask. No shipping quoted; pickup or ask.
Seller: barnis-half
No feedback yet
View on eBay ↗: Leitz Focomat IIc Darkroom Photo Enlarger w/ Baseboard & V-ELMAR 50mm Lens

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Format

Light

Read

Leitz Focomat IIc

Spec at a glance

Maker

Leitz

Format

Medium format, up to 6x9 cm

Stock head

Condenser

Launched

1956

Made

1956–1983

Takes

13x17 mm to 6x9 cm, with fixed metal masks

Light source

150 W opal lamp over a double condenser

Lenses

60mm Focotar f/4.5 plus 95mm Focotar or later 100mm V-Elmar f/4.5

Autofocus

About 2x to 11x (60mm) and 1.4x to 5.7x (100mm)

Column

80 cm, 6 cm diameter, on a 53.5x74 cm baseboard

Weight

About 40 kg

Also listed as

Focomat IIc, Focomat 2c, Leitz IIc, Leica Focomat IIc

Typical eBay ask (Oct 15, 2026)

$900–$1,225

Light, carriers, bellows and lens

Light source and lamp

A 150 W opal lamp in an E27 socket sits above a double condenser, per Leitz's 1976 price list and owner Thomas Eisl. The IIc Color has a drawer for 12x12 cm correction filters, and Leitz recommended a 250 W lamp with a voltage stabilizer for color work. Ask what lamp is fitted and for a photo with it lit. Kienzle in Germany sells halogen lamps and a mixing-box conversion for the IIc.

Carriers and condensers

The standard holder is a heavy hinged carrier with glass top and bottom and a 6x9 cm opening. Smaller formats use slide-in metal masks, from 13x17 mm up to 6x6 cm, stored in a drawer under the baseboard. Leitz also sold a single-glass 35mm pressure device, and Kienzle makes a glassless 35mm carrier. Ask how many masks are in the drawer.

Column and bellows

The head rides a counterbalanced parallelogram on an 80 cm column, and you loosen a knob to raise or lower it. There's a bellows by the lens carrier, and a Bowden cable switches the focusing cam when you slide the lens changer. Eisl warns the cable can break if the changer is forced, though Kienzle makes the spare. Ask for a video of the head moving and the lenses changing.

Alignment

Modern Photography measured almost no alignment error on its 1974 test unit. Eisl says the parallelogram can't be realigned after assembly and only goes out if the enlarger has been dropped. Ask about any drops and look for bent arms or unusual friction.

Lens

Two lenses sit side by side in a sliding changer, each adjusted at the works to its own cam, and Leitz says not to swap them. Early IIcs came with 60mm and 95mm Focotars, later ones with the 60mm Focotar and 100mm V-Elmar. Eisl says Leica still cleans these lenses but has no spare parts, so fungus is the costly problem. Ask for photos through both lenses against a light.

Timer and power

It's mains powered with a hand switch on the baseboard and a socket for an exposure timer, and the illuminated magnification scale has its own small lamp. The lamp must match your mains voltage. For color, Leitz recommended an automatic voltage stabilizer and its own timer.

Shipping and pickup

Eisl puts it at about 40 kg on a 53.5x74 cm baseboard. Leitz shipped it broken down into baseboard, column, parallelogram arms with their springs, lamp housing, condenser and Bowden cable. This is a pickup or a carefully crated freight job.

Should come with it

Both lenses in the sliding changer (60mm plus 95mm or 100mm)

The glass negative carrier and a drawer of metal masks

Condenser and lamp hood with an opal lamp

The Bowden cable and illuminated magnification scale

Hard to find if missing

A replacement 95mm Focotar or 100mm V-Elmar matched to the cam

The tilting device with bellows for converging verticals

The copying cassette

The 12x12 cm filter drawer on non-Color versions

Check the listing photos against these lists, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing carrier, condenser or lens board should come off the price.

What to check

01Both lenses: Check the photos for both lenses in the sliding changer. A 60mm Focotar and a 95mm Focotar or 100mm V-Elmar is the full set.

02Lens glass: Ask for photos through each lens held against a light. Clear glass with no web-like fungus is what you want.

03Lens change: Ask for a video of the lens changer sliding across. It should move smoothly, with the Bowden cable intact and connected.

04Autofocus: Ask the seller to focus at the top of the range, then show the image at the bottom. It should still be sharp with each lens.

05Carrier and masks: Check the photos for the glass carrier and the mask drawer under the baseboard. More masks means more formats ready to print.

06Parallelogram: Ask for a video of the head moving through its range. It should travel smoothly and lock firmly with the knob.

07Lamp: Ask what lamp is fitted and for a photo of it lit. A 150 W opal lamp matched to your mains is standard.

08Baseboard: Look at the baseboard edges in the photos. Laminate lifting or peeling means it was stored somewhere damp.

09Pickup: Plan on pickup or crated freight for about 40 kg. The arms, springs and cable should be secured before it moves.

New to used enlargers? How to check a used enlarger covers the bellows, the column, the lamp and alignment, and condenser, diffusion and color heads explains which light source suits how you print.

Leitz Focomat IIc

Spec at a glance

Light, carriers, bellows and lens

What to check

Which one to buy

For sale on eBay

RARE LEICA LEITZ WETZLAR 2C FOCOMAT 35mm ENLARGER IIC, Massive Heavy Estate Find

NIB! Leitz Wetzlar 35mm Focomat IIc 2c Enlarger in Original Shipping Crate