6 x 9 question

RattyMouse · Nov 4, 2012

I am interested in learning about enlarging negatives in the 6 x 9 format. I recall long ago that ease of enlarging stopped at 6 x 7 and that with the 6 x 9 size, the number of available enlargers decreases dramatically. In other words, the 6 x 9 format is much more rare to print due to the need of a special type enlarger.

Is this true? If I am interested in printing at home in future, should i stay with 6 x 7 or smaller? I know nothing about enlarging and am only going on a long, distant memory.

Thank you for your help!

mopar_guy · Nov 4, 2012

One of the most common enlargers available in the US is the Beseler 23 series and they go up to 6x9 (2-1/4 x 3-1/4).

eddie · Nov 4, 2012

It's not a "special type enlarger". You just need one with a large enough head/light source to cover the negative size you use. Most cheap, hobby enlargers were meant for 35mm to 6x6, or 6x7, so there were far more of them. Still, enlargers for 6x9 are not rare. A 4x5 enlarger would work, too.

Bill Burk · Nov 4, 2012

The Omega DII is probably the most common enlarger on earth (an off-the-cuff remark, probably not an accurate remark). It goes up to 4x5.

A 105mm enlarging lens is appropriate for the job.

But seriously you can do it. 6x9 makes a satisfying contact print.

And that is something you can do with equipment you probably already have.

Jim17x · Nov 4, 2012

You can pickup a Beseler 45 4x5 enlarger for peanuts that will do up to 4x5.. I have 3 of them..

RattyMouse · Nov 4, 2012

It is just stupid how fast questions get answered here. I've never seen a place so helpful and full of people who know what they are talking about. HUGE thanks.

Are 6 x 9 enlargers significantly more costly by chance?

Jim17x · Nov 4, 2012

I dont know how much room you have but i was able to put a Beseler 45 in a 4x6 area.. I picked this up on Craigslist for $50 2 years ago.. You can get a 6x9 carrier for cheap, i just gave a 6x9 carrier away to another Apug member a couple days ago. Here is a photo of mine.. Also they are motorized for raising the head up and down..

Mark Fisher · Nov 4, 2012

RattyMouse said:
It is just stupid how fast questions get answered here. I've never seen a place so helpful and full of people who know what they are talking about. HUGE thanks.

Are 6 x 9 enlargers significantly more costly by chance?

It is hard to say since any enlarger would be expensive to ship to China. The most common in the US is the Beselar 23c which isn't any more expensive than any other medium format enlarger. Any 4x5 enlarger will work also. I see that Lucky makes one in China. It will be much less expensive if you can find one in Shanghai.

RattyMouse · Nov 4, 2012

Mark Fisher said:
It is hard to say since any enlarger would be expensive to ship to China. The most common in the US is the Beselar 23c which isn't any more expensive than any other medium format enlarger. Any 4x5 enlarger will work also. I see that Lucky makes one in China. It will be much less expensive if you can find one in Shanghai.

Ah! I'm an American working in China. My question is with regards to future plans, once I am back in the US. I have no space or darkness to work here in China. I'm toying around with buying a 6 x 9 camera and am trying to make sure that decision fits with what I want to do back in the US, which is print negatives made in China.

Thanks again!

mopar_guy · Nov 4, 2012

Two or three years ago I bought a Beseler 45 MXII off of eBay for less than $20 through The State surplus agency, but I had to take a day off of work to go pick it up.

Newt_on_Swings · Nov 4, 2012

I have been contact printing my 6x9 negs recently, its actually pretty fun. Ive been cutting a long roll of ilford rc with a rotary trimmer and making the mini contact prints with it. Mostly just messing around until I source an appropriate neg carrier and decently large piece of AN glass to modify for my LPL670. I made a carrier out of mat board for the lpl 6x7 in 6x9 size, but it didnt have the correct thickness/light blocking guides so it didnt work.

I have bought a 4x5 enlarger over the summer just for 6x9, but it is missing the baseboard. I'll have to make that, and find space to put the thing in my darkroom.

I have also enlarged cropped areas of the 6x9s using a smaller carrier, and the quality is quite nice (fuji 6x9).

Bill Burk · Nov 4, 2012

Yes, I'd contact my 6x9 negatives if I were in your situation.

I often reduce my 4x5 negatives. So small prints are a good idea.

When you get back, you'll have plenty time to find a suitable enlarger.

I'd look around a few threads for advice on that front. While I'm perfectly happy with the Omega DII, I know plenty people are much happier with dichroic color head enlargers, because then you get the advantage of diffuse light source and not have to mess with filters for multigrade printing.

p.s. I've got 2 rolls of TMY-2 with 6x9 shots washing right now...

eddie · Nov 4, 2012

If you're waiting until you get back to the States, you'll have a ton of options. Don't worry about it now. Concentrate on making negatives. (If you can, the advice to contact print them now is a good idea.)

Mark Fisher · Nov 4, 2012

Ah, if you will be back in the States, get the 23C if 6x9 is as big as you'll go. If you go up to 4x5 Omega, Beslar, Devere and LPL are all fine enlargers to consider. The 23C or the Omega D2V would be my low cost recommenation $100 or $150 will get a nice one with a good collection of lensboards, neg carriers, etc. Good luck. China is the most amazing place I've ever been to photographically.

DWThomas · Nov 4, 2012

I haven't tried it out yet, but the early Omega B series like the B8 that I have will do 6x9. It's a bit less massive than a 4x5, a sort of mini-D2. I finally have all the needed accessories for 6x9, including a homemade lens cone to mount the El-Nikkor 105mm I snagged on ePrey, I just haven't produced a 6x9 negative I considered show-worthy, which is about the only stuff I print. I've been working (and enjoying some success) with the square 6x6 format and 80mm mostly.

tkamiya · Nov 4, 2012

RattyMouse said:
Are 6 x 9 enlargers significantly more costly by chance?

My DII was purchased for $45. My D2 was given to me for free but spent $60 or so to refurbish it myself. So it didn't cost me anything, really. Then there was a cost involved in getting 105mm and 135mm lenses. I had the condenser lenses already.

Difficulty might be to obtain a suitable negative carrier as 6x9 is not a common format. I know I do not have one but do have 6x7 and 6x8 for my enlargers. Depending on your gear, you can cut your own using mat boards and very sharp knife.

So I'd say it won't cost you anything more than getting to any other sizes provided you have a capable Omega enlargers. I have no idea about Beselers.

Pioneer · Nov 4, 2012

I have a Beseler 45 MX with the Dichro head for color work and it cost a total of $400 two years ago (shipping included, which was expensive.) As mentioned, it will handle all the way to 4x5. I enlarge 6x9 negs with no problem.

MattKing · Nov 5, 2012

6x9 carriers for Omega D series enlargers are fairly common.

tkamiya · Nov 5, 2012

MattKing said:
6x9 carriers for Omega D series enlargers are fairly common.

I've never seen one available. Where are you finding those?

MattKing · Nov 5, 2012

tkamiya said:
I've never seen one available. Where are you finding those?

Craigslist - with really decrepit D2 enlargers usually.

I should probably clarify that there are of course a couple of different types, and also a couple of different sizes (roll film and sheet film).

KHB lists a few for sale on their website.

adelorenzo · Nov 5, 2012

6x9 negatives are amazing... You should definitely get the camera.

I presently have two enlargers but both are only 6x6. I just got out of the darkroom and was printing a couple of 6x9 negatives using my 6x6 carrier onto 8x10 paper, so quite a bit of a crop but I got two really good prints. I'll eventually try to get a larger enlarger.

Trying a contact print or two sounds like a good idea as well. Will have to try that one day.

goodfood · Nov 5, 2012

Ha, there was a 6X9 enlarger made in Shanghai. It look like a long black lamp housing sit aside a ladder. A well build enlarger for B&W. check the local photo supply or used market.

Roger Cole · Nov 5, 2012

eddie said:
If you're waiting until you get back to the States, you'll have a ton of options. Don't worry about it now. Concentrate on making negatives. (If you can, the advice to contact print them now is a good idea.)

+1.

I'd actually recommend looking for a 4x5 enlarger once you're back, even if you don't think you'll want to print from larger than 6x9. For the Omega D2/DII (what I have) and Besseler 45 series, accessories are extremely common, and the bigger chassis will be more solid for working with all sizes, and leave you the option of going to 4x5 later if you should decide to do so. They don't even take up significantly more space than, say, a 23CII. But while common the 23CII is probably more common.

They're very cheap these days, the problem is shipping (even within the US) or even finding someone willing to ship them. A guy on the large format forum just gave away two nice looking 4x5 enlargers free for picking up, if you happen to be in his part of Canada. I got a spare Omega D2V for $25.

Roger Cole · Nov 5, 2012

tkamiya said:
I've never seen one available. Where are you finding those?

I have one someone threw in with the spare D2V I bought, $25 for the package. I don't have a 6x9 camera yet, but may, and wouldn't mind finding a 6x9 RF back for my view camera. I have a 6x7 roll film back now, though, so it's definitely nothing I'm in a hurry about.

ic-racer · Nov 5, 2012

RattyMouse said:
I am interested in learning about enlarging negatives in the 6 x 9 format. I recall long ago that ease of enlarging stopped at 6 x 7 and that with the 6 x 9 size, the number of available enlargers decreases dramatically. In other words, the 6 x 9 format is much more rare to print due to the need of a special type enlarger.

Is this true? If I am interested in printing at home in future, should i stay with 6 x 7 or smaller? I know nothing about enlarging and am only going on a long, distant memory.

Thank you for your help!

Maybe not so true in the USA, as the Beseler 23 (2" x 3" is about 6cm x 9cm) is a pretty common enlarger. Otherwise I'd say many people use a 4x5" enlarger to do 6x9. I think 6x9 is a great format but there are not a lot of 6x9 cameras out there. Which one do you have?

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