A simple question about enlargers

Frank R · Aug 9, 2006

I just bought an enlarger on a whim:

Ebay Item Number: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=016&item=260016144068&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I have never used one and I have not been in a darkroom since high school (over 20 years ago). I know next to nothing about the whole darkroom thing. I just wanted to start printing my own black and white prints.

My question: This enlarger will do black and white just fine won't it? Their is nothing about the color part that will mess with it, will it?

eric · Aug 9, 2006

$100 bucks?!
You suck.
That's one good deal

Monophoto · Aug 9, 2006

Claire Senft · Aug 9, 2006

The color filtration will be a plus and make your enlarger more versatile. If used with VC paper magenta filtration will increase the contrast, yellow will loiwer the contrast. Having a stabilized power supply will also be very nice.

Enjoy.

johnnywalker · Aug 9, 2006

It will work just fine from what I've read. You can use the colour filters to control contrast in black and white.
That looks like a very good price, especially with all the lenses and negative carriers!

DBP · Aug 9, 2006

I bought a smaller version specifically for black and white, as I had gotten tired of cleaning filters in the dark. The extra convenience of the dichroic head is really nice. The price is amazing! Congrats!

BTW, take a big vehicle to pick it up, those things are huge.

wildbill · Aug 9, 2006

That's the setup i have and i paid $300 about 4 years ago. Most vc papers come with a guide for color heads, there will be a chart somewhere inside the box. Is the power supply included? You'll need that.

Jadedoto · Aug 9, 2006

Oh wow, I hate you.

I bought an Omega D2 fixer-uper off eBay today for $6, and I have the feeling I'll be making carriers and buying lenses...

But I have the smaller version of the Super Chromega- the C760, and used it fine for 6x6 and35mm work. Dichroic filters are nice to have.

raucousimages · Aug 9, 2006

One of the industry standards, about the best you can get.

J D Clark · Aug 9, 2006

Frank R said:
My question: This enlarger will do black and white just fine won't it? Their is nothing about the color part that will mess with it, will it?

If you want to experiment with variable contrast papers using the color head, and don't have the chart that relates the dicroic filter settings with the contrast grade, a place to start is with an excellent article by Paul Butzi:

http://www.butzi.net/articles/vcce.htm

His article also goes into the procedure of speed-matching the various contrast grades, which is a truly wonderful thing!

John Clark
www.johndclark.com

raucousimages · Aug 9, 2006

I never liked using the color head for B&W, it will do a great job I just don't like it. There is nothing wrong with kicking the color filters out of the way (a little lever does that) and using multigrade filters under the lens if you don't like the color head..

donbga · Aug 9, 2006

raucousimages said:
I never liked using the color head for B&W, it will do a great job I just don't like it. There is nothing wrong with kicking the color filters out of the way (a little lever does that) and using multigrade filters under the lens if you don't like the color head..

You've said that more than once, I have to say I don't understand what the problem is with using a dichro head.

Dichro filters work just fine and don't sit in the optical path.

A simple question about enlargers

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