Anyone else fascinated with enlargers?

[Don_ih]

And here I think of my 5x7 Elwoods (3 in total) as light and compact compared to my 5x7 Besslar (commercial) and way smaller/lighter then their bigger brother, my Elwood 8x10's (2 in total).
In the photo you see two of the 5x7's, the common diffusion head and less common condenser head (in the spot where they may finish up) and one of the 8x10's support arm and (most of) head, sitting on the floor in the horizontal projection position. I still need to build another building to continue emptying this one to then finish out as the darkroom it was planned on being...

The one on the right looks like mine - but I think the mast of mine is taller. May just be the perspective.

 

[t-royce]

The one on the right looks like mine - but I think the mast of mine is taller. May just be the perspective.

I do suspect it is the perspective and the fact that both of the heads are most of the way in the down location, the tops of the masts is above the top of the lamp housing in that image.
Full height and they are around 5 feet tall.
The 8x10 is about that tall when all the way down and almost 10 feet tall at full height on the stand it came with.

 

[Sirius Glass]

For me any enlarger that was available to me was a good enlarger, but then while I was working at Kodak I started using the darkrooms available to the employees after hours and I really got to like the Chromega Dichroic II 5D-XL and the Kreonite machine. So when I set up my own darkroom I bought the Chromega Dichroic II 5D-XL, and the Arkay dual•dri Professional Model 150 Dryer. Now if I could only afford, find, install and use the Kreonite machine enough to make it practical for me ...

 

[Michael Firstlight]

I'm with you and many others about enlarger love. I've used many over my 50 years. I loved my Durst for its build quality, but my favorites by far, are my LPLs - an LPL 4550 XLG and an LPL MXL 6700 (7700 in Europe). Their build quality, precision, and function are a joy to use. I have both the VCCF and interchangeable color modules for the 4550. I'm even more fascinated with the notion of upgrading the 4550 to a cold LED light source and automatic filter split-grade system from Heiland (still saving up for them); that would be the ultimate for the work I do mostly with 6x7 and 4x5 format. I also have a great collection of enlarging lenses short of one 150mm Rodagon-G that I'll eventually snag. About the only thing I could wish for beyond the LPLs, my Photothrerm SK-8 and Fujimoto CP32 would be a big Colenta processor if I ever win the lottery LOL.

Mike

 

[Don_ih]

Full height and they are around 5 feet tall.

Yes, mine is identical with that. It's currently sitting on the floor in my darkroom. I have a separate masking mechanism that I should install. I think I need to fix the diffusion before I bother to use it, though - it's too centre bright. I also have no place to permanently set it up, unfortunately. My 5x7 camera is a piece of junk so I don't have much reason to use it - except odd size negatives from older cameras (like a postcard camera).

 

[Chan Tran]

I don't find how they make enlargers is interesting. DeVere are making some very good enlargers new.

 

[MattKing]

LPL MXL 6700 (7700 in Europe)

And 7700 in the rest of the world too - it is only in the US that it is sold with the 6700 designation.

 

[Sirius Glass]

And 7700 in the rest of the world too - it is only in the US that it is sold with the 6700 designation.

So the ones in the US got demoted.

 

[MattKing]

So the ones in the US got demoted.

No re-badged - because of that peculiar desire of some US distributors to add the distributor's name to product, and to change its badging to one that only they offer.
Just like Bogen tripods and, to a lesser extent, Gossen meters.

 

[logan2z]

No re-badged - because of that peculiar desire of some US distributors to add the distributor's name to product, and to change its badging to one that only they offer.
Just like Bogen tripods and, to a lesser extent, Gossen meters.

And Honeywell/Pentax cameras

 

[nbagno]

This one has been on sale forever. Now down below $2K

 

[Sirius Glass]

I can get excited about grain focusers, such as the Peak Grain Focuser. One can make a real difference.

 

[logan2z]

This one has been on sale forever. Now down below $2K

IIRC, it was at $2600 (or maybe $2300) when it was first listed.

There's a Leitz Focomat (either a IC or IIC, can't remember) that's been on the Bay Area CL for years as well. I just looked and it's not there anymore, but I'm sure it'll be relisted shortly. The seller was asking $850 which I guess is a little high

 

[logan2z]

I can get excited about grain focusers, such as the Peak Grain Focuser. One can make a real difference.

+1 Love my Peak Model 1. Shockingly, you can still buy replacement mirrors at BH.

 

[gone]

What I would like to do, though, is to try several so that I can choose the one that works best for me in the long term.

That's probably what most if us did (or ended up doing). It's something where you get what you pay for, not necessarily in sharpness but in ease of use. The lower priced enlargers tend to be aggravating because the focus is not precise. You can get it focused right, but it's more effort than w/ a better enlarger.

Beware of things that add to the cost like bulbs that may or may not be available, lens boards, negative carrier, etc. The Durst lens boards can be very costly. You'll have to decide whether you want a condenser or diffuser enlarger, if you have old negs that have issues a diffuser will be better.

I had an old Durst that I wish was still here. It wasn't an expensive one but it could do 6x6 and the negative laid right on top of the condenser. Maybe a 606? The controls on it were precise, and everything on it was simple, well designed and over built.

 

[Michael Firstlight]

I had an old Durst that I wish was still here. It wasn't an expensive one but it could do 6x6 and the negative laid right on top of the condenser. Maybe a 606? The controls on it were precise, and everything on it was simple, well designed and over built.

Maybe the Durst M601? That was my main enlarger growing up and well into adulthood- a great enlarger. I sold it when I went to 6x7 and that's when I bought my first LPL. The M601 went up to 6x6.

Mile

 

[mshchem]

I love the smell of ozone from my Beseler elevator motor. It smells like Victory!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

To each his own but I did have a thing for my Fujimoto...

 

[Sirius Glass]

To each his own but I did have a thing for my Fujimoto...

To each his own but I did have a thing for my Chromega Dichroic II 5D-XL...

 

[mehguy]

Maybe the Durst M601? That was my main enlarger growing up and well into adulthood- a great enlarger. I sold it when I went to 6x7 and that's when I bought my first LPL. The M601 went up to 6x6.

Mile

Still my favorite enlarger

I lucked out and found a second one locally that was stored in a barn and had the proper lens board and condenser to do medium format. I am now set and I don't think I will ever need to upgrade

 

[Don_ih]

I have a Durst M600 that I've never used. I got it with a bunch of other stuff (you know how that goes) and cleaned all the dust out of it (there was a lot) but I've never actually tried it out. It's currently hanging out in a closet with a small Omega enlarger. Not sure what they'd produce if they mated.

 

[Fujicaman1957]

Well, I wouldn't turn down a Federal 450 or 470. I had one 35 years ago and I loved the built in focusing target in the negative carrier.

 

[nbagno]

Just noticed your Amiga Avatar. I loved them in the day. A500, A3000.

 

[MARTIE]

What's NOT to like about enlargers?
They have lenses, bellows, a light source and a timer.
Most of all, they allow reproductions greater than the format of the negative.

The enlarger is to the negative what a projector is to colour reversal and motion picture.

 

[Sirius Glass]

People with enlargers do not need to buy or use those male enhancement products.