4x5 enlargers still in production ?

Vania · May 17, 2011

Hi,
Just curious to know if there are still some 4x5 enlargers in production that will allow to print at least on 20x24 and possibly past that without having to project the image on a wall. I can't find any info on the net and most well known manufacturers websites are dead, malfunctioning or don't mention their enlarger production anymore.
Thanks.
Vania

P.S. I would need something easily accessible in Europe, and preferably France.

vpwphoto · May 17, 2011

The Bessler 45 allows removal of base-board to project lower.... of course lens selection has a lot to do with it.
I use a 80mm lens for my 35mm work.

wildbill · May 17, 2011

I see no reason to buy new darkroom gear at this time. The market is flooded with top notch used equipment for pennies compared to new prices. Check b&h under 4x5 enlargers.

Vania · May 17, 2011

In more that 12 years of serious photography, I've only bought used photo equipment from reliable sources so far (a lot actually) and had only horrible experience 99% of the time. I can always send back a camera or lense, etc., but a 4x5 enlarger... As for b&h there are in the US, and I'm in Europe. But thanks for sharing.

Rick A · May 17, 2011

The Beseler 45M series uses a bracket that locks the head back for wall projection , any dimension you choose.

ic-racer · May 17, 2011

The question is "can you get a 120mm WA enlarging lens?"

I think the Rodagon 120mm WA is out of production.

I do think that with a common 135mm lens most 4x5 enlargers made will do 20x24, but that is probably the maximum.

According to the specs of the Omega D5 XL it will do 7.5x enlargements with the 135mm lens. That would work out to 30x36" on the baseboard.

Luseboy · May 17, 2011

the beseler 45m is one of the very few that is still being produced. If you can get your hands on an "adjus-table" table for it, then you can lower the baseboard way down and most likely be able to do some really huge prints. The table is just nice in general.
Hope this helps,
Austin

Ian C · May 17, 2011

A 20 x 24 print likely needs at least a 21 wide projection. To that you need the following focal length and negative-to-print distance combinations:

150mm, 1196.4mm

135mm, 1076.8mm

120mm, 957.2mm

The negative-to-print distance is easily measured.

Martin Aislabie · May 17, 2011

DeVere 504 with a 150mm lens will project a 20x24 print onto its base board from a 5x4 neg

Made in the UK - http://www.odyssey-sales.co.uk/

They make a new units but also sell refurbished existing units

Martin

rjmeyer314 · May 18, 2011

20x24 on baseboard

I use an 80mm Repromaster on my Omega D2V. It will cover 4x5 and gives me 20x24 prints on the baseboard. The one negative point is that the lens is f/9. However, I find it bright enough to focus.

Vania · May 18, 2011

Thanks everyone! I guess I should contact Beseler about international sales, they seem to be the only survivor in this market... I used a few 45 at some point and, although I prefer diffusion heads, I was very happy with them.
Thanks Martin for the odyssey-sales website, definitely looks interesting.

RalphLambrecht · May 18, 2011

wildbill said:
I see no reason to buy new darkroom gear at this time. The market is flooded with top notch used equipment for pennies compared to new prices. Check b&h under 4x5 enlargers.

That's not my experience, unfortunately. It seems to me that al the still-good stuff found a new home and all that is left is mostly junk.

RalphLambrecht · May 18, 2011

This is the only make, still available new, I know of:

http://www.kienzle-phototechnik.de/Vergroesserer/pdf/E/T912_prospekt_E_internet_290404.pdf

Top notch from what I saw at Photokina.

ic-racer · May 18, 2011

There are sixty enlargers listed new on the B&H site. About five for 4x5 and even the Super Chromega F.

Discoman · May 18, 2011

Vania said:
Hi,
Just curious to know if there are still some 4x5 enlargers in production that will allow to print at least on 20x24 and possibly past that without having to project the image on a wall. I can't find any info on the net and most well known manufacturers websites are dead, malfunctioning or don't mention their enlarger production anymore.
Thanks.
Vania

P.S. I would need something easily accessible in Europe, and preferably France.

yes, there are. beseler 45mxt is still around, costs $2274.99 USD. black and white asis, if you want color, you need an accessory color head(may be harder to find.)
now, if it cannot do 20x24 (and in my experience, the previous model of 4x5 beseler could do so) just detach the machine from the baseboard and mount it on something. of course, controls are less accessible, but it gives more throw distance.
hope this answers your question.

vpwphoto · May 18, 2011

Vania said:
In more that 12 years of serious photography, I've only bought used photo equipment from reliable sources so far (a lot actually) and had only horrible experience 99% of the time. I can always send back a camera or lense, etc., but a 4x5 enlarger... As for b&h there are in the US, and I'm in Europe. But thanks for sharing.

This being said though the BEST enlargers were made before 1980... IMO things started getting cheapened. The best stuff seemed to be made in the 1960's. I know though there is refurbishing to be had... I am handy, I appreciate that you may not be.

patrickjames · May 18, 2011

You can still get good stuff used although you have to stumble into it. I picked up a brand new Saunders 4550xl with a whole bunch of other stuff a couple of months ago for $200. You can of course still buy this enlarger new for something like $3700ish at Freestyle. If you want to do bigger prints, the best option is to wall mount the enlarger.

Tom Kershaw · May 19, 2011

RalphLambrecht said:
This is the only make, still available new, I know of:

http://www.kienzle-phototechnik.de/Vergroesserer/pdf/E/T912_prospekt_E_internet_290404.pdf

Top notch from what I saw at Photokina.

Ralph,

Kienzle also seem to produce a 'C120' model which might have more appeal in certain sectors of the marktet. Unfortunately to the best of my knowledge I've never seen a Kienzle machine in the "real world".

Tom

RalphLambrecht · May 19, 2011

Tom Kershaw said:
Ralph,

Kienzle also seem to produce a 'C120' model which might have more appeal in certain sectors of the marktet. Unfortunately to the best of my knowledge I've never seen a Kienzle machine in the "real world".

Tom

Tom

I've seen them, good stuff and built like a tank! But, as others have pointed out, people interested in new enlargers still have several options these days. I didn't know that.

Martin Aislabie · May 19, 2011

RalphLambrecht said:
This is the only make, still available new, I know of:

http://www.kienzle-phototechnik.de/Vergroesserer/pdf/E/T912_prospekt_E_internet_290404.pdf

Top notch from what I saw at Photokina.

New DeVeres were still being made to special order last year - for an eye watering price

Martin

RalphLambrecht · May 19, 2011

Martin Aislabie said:
New DeVeres were still being made to special order last year - for an eye watering price

Martin

But they are refurbished models, right? Nothing wrong with that, just to be clear.

wiltw · May 19, 2011

Still available new (what I have owned for about 15 years)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3994-REG/Beseler_8545_02_45V_XL_Enlarger_Chassis_Only.html

RalphLambrecht · May 19, 2011

Great!

Sim2 · May 19, 2011

Hi there,

In the UK First-Call list an LPL 5x4 enlarger new that will print to 20x24 - not cheap though. Don't know about delivery into Europe but can't be impossible.

http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/682/lpl-c7452-colour

Sim2.

2F/2F · May 19, 2011

wildbill said:
I see no reason to buy new darkroom gear at this time. The market is flooded with top notch used equipment for pennies compared to new prices. Check b&h under 4x5 enlargers.

Yep. (Emphasis was added.)

I got my Beseler with computerized color head and three German lenses on boards (50, 80, 105), a nice grain focuser, Ilford enlarging meter, all the blueprints and instruction manuals for the enlarger and head, and a Beseler color analyzer locally for $60. I paid another $80 for a 150mm Rodenstock enlarging lens in perfect condition. I paid another $30 for two boxes full of tanks, reels, graduates, a film dryer, etc. Then I paid $100 for a tempered water bath and four tanks. For $270 plus the cost of a trip across town, I got probably $6,000 or $7,000 worth of equipment if it was priced as new.

All you have to do is patiently stalk your local Craigslist and APUG classifieds. Eventually, a deal will come up for you. The Beselers can be mounted with a drop shelf, or leaned back for wall projection.

4x5 enlargers still in production ?

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