4x5 enlarger conversion, DIY LED head

[L Gebhardt]

Resurgance, I built a VC head using blue and green LEDs. It works quite well. It's documented in a couple of blog posts here. It should be easily adapted to the 504 enlarger and you could maybe reuse some of the components you have from the other project.

 

[spijker]

However what I did not count on was how concentrated the light source from a 100W dichroic halogen lamp is, and instead was focused on the lumen output of the module, without thinking about it fully. The LED module is partially diffused from the start, or at least is not focused by a parabolic reflector like the halogen, I see now why it did not work. The light output was poor, and most was lost before it got to the mixing box, not being directed and all.

Hi Resurgance,

I have the same enlarger although with the colour head and I'm looking into a similar modification. Did you try to focus the LED light? My plan is to put a short tube with an inner diameter of approx. 25mm of a highly reflective metal between the LED module and the dichroic filter section so that practically all light from the LED module would be "guided" into the mixing chamber. Would something like that be possible with the VCCE head. Do you stil have your LPL enlarger with the LED module to try it out?

Menno

 

[NS1]

Check this out:

Beseler 45MXT adapted to use​

Intrepid 4x5 Enlarger as light head​

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