Using an enlarger lens for Dslr scanning negatives.

[MrDrizz]

So my thinking behind this is that an enlarger lens is (should be?) designed to work better on flat image so it should work well, with extension tubes and an adapter, as macro lens for digitizing negatives?

And it's way cheaper than a dedicated macro lens.

Is this the stupidest idea you've seen for a while?

 

[FishyFish]

You could buy some extension tubes to allow full 1:1 macro with one of your existing lenses instead. Quality should be excellent and they don't cost much.

 

[MrDrizz]

You could buy some extension tubes to allow full 1:1 macro with one of your existing lenses instead. Quality should be excellent and they don't cost much.

That is what I'm doing now but there's too much barrel distortion that isn't easy to fix in post.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

An enlarger lens should work very well indeed. Some like the Companar and Comparon are designed to work better at small magnifications unlike the more expensive Companon which was intended for making large prints.
Since they will be used mainly to reduce the image, they would be somewhat better mounted in reverse.
most high quality enlarging lenses are available at a fraction of their original price.

A macro lens would almost certainly provide higher definition, as the definition requirements of printing paper was very easily met in that regard, and things like flatness of field fringing and lack of distortion was far more important.