Anyone ever heard of this 4X5 enlarger?

Chrismat · Oct 28, 2018

Saw this ad for a Telesar 4x5 enlarger in Maine Craigslist:

https://maine.craigslist.org/pho/d/telesar-4x5-enlarger/6728540944.html

I don't need a 4X5 enlarger, I have an Omega, but I was curious. I couldn't find much info on the web.

AgX · Oct 28, 2018

It seems a brand used for rebranding. BUT it was not listed as brand for photographic items in the USA, which then seems strange.

Eric Rose · Oct 28, 2018

Looks like a cool b&w enlarger. For $75 I'd buy it.

tezzasmall · Oct 29, 2018

Looks like a beauty. Shame that I live 1000's of miles away, for I would buy it up straight away!

Oh well, someone's going to get a bargain.

Terry S

Jim Jones · Oct 29, 2018

It looks like it may have been copied from some of the features of a Testrite enlarger. I've used many brands of enlargers, and a Testrite was the worst of the lot.

darkroommike · Oct 29, 2018

Telesar, Testrite, Spiratone, Bogen, Vivitar, Hanimex, LPL, etc. were all importers, not manufacturers. The products could be identical but bearing different labels depending on which country you find the unit in. When folks are giving away the good stuff why buy up the junk?

choiliefan · Oct 29, 2018

Looking farther down on the Maine CL I see a Kodak Process Thermometer for $4.
Wow.
https://maine.craigslist.org/pho/d/kodak-process-thermometer/6733171899.html

Chrismat · Oct 29, 2018

choiliefan said:
Looking farther down on the Maine CL I see a Kodak Process Thermometer for $4.
Wow.
https://maine.craigslist.org/pho/d/kodak-process-thermometer/6733171899.html

Hmm. It's 240 miles round trip, with gas here about $2.80 a gallon and my car getting about 30 mpg, plus the $4 cost of the thermometer, it would come to be around $30. I may plan a road trip!

voceumana · Oct 29, 2018

I was under the impression that Testrite was a US manufacturer--I remember getting info on their products back in the 1960s/1970s--they offered "factory seconds" at bargain prices.

CMoore · Oct 29, 2018

I cannot really tell how that goes together, but it looks like there might be a center Pole/Shaft.....then it cantilevers off of that.?
If so, i am Jealous.
That is my main complaint with my Beseler.......it really handcuffs you under the enlarger head because it puts you (your hands/tool) right up against the focus rail.

Chan Tran · Oct 29, 2018

Looks like a nice enlarger and it's made in Japan and there weren't too many enlarger manufacturers in Japan.

AgX · Oct 29, 2018

CMoore said:
I cannot really tell how that goes together, but it looks like there might be a center Pole/Shaft.....then it cantilevers off of that.?

Seems quite simple:
-) main collumn (only the two respective clamps are shown, not the collumn itself)
-) parallelogram
-) film stage, bellows, lens stage guided by a rod

mshchem · Oct 30, 2018

darkroommike said:
Telesar, Testrite, Spiratone, Bogen, Vivitar, Hanimex, LPL, etc. were all importers, not manufacturers. The products could be identical but bearing different labels depending on which country you find the unit in. When folks are giving away the good stuff why buy up the junk?

Exactly

mshchem · Oct 30, 2018

Chrismat said:
Hmm. It's 240 miles round trip, with gas here about $2.80 a gallon and my car getting about 30 mpg, plus the $4 cost of the thermometer, it would come to be around $30. I may plan a road trip!

Do it ! I have one. I have two "primary standard " thermometers the Kodak process and an 3 electronic aquarium thermometers. All 4 agree, I triple checked with a standard glass lab thermometer it checks out as well. Every few years I double check my Color by Beseler, Japanese made, dial thermometers, last time I had to adjust one it was one I got in a trade.

I had a cheap dial thermometer I got in a box of junk, not adjustable and off by 5 F. I put in the trash.

darkroommike · Oct 30, 2018

voceumana said:
I was under the impression that Testrite was a US manufacturer--I remember getting info on their products back in the 1960s/1970s--they offered "factory seconds" at bargain prices.

That may have been true for some of their products but I'm not sure their enlargers were made in USA, I'm pretty sure their later enlargers were not.

darkroommike · Oct 30, 2018

CMoore said:
I cannot really tell how that goes together, but it looks like there might be a center Pole/Shaft.....then it cantilevers off of that.?
If so, i am Jealous.
That is my main complaint with my Beseler.......it really handcuffs you under the enlarger head because it puts you (your hands/tool) right up against the focus rail.

using a longer focal length lens will give you more room under the lens.

choiliefan · Oct 30, 2018

This is possibly a Fujimoto or Hansa enlarger.
The January 1966 issue of pop photo has a buyers guide with small pics and text.
Perhaps this issue is posted on the web someplace?

voceumana · Oct 30, 2018

As far as Testrite, I've never seen any other brand of enlarger that looked like theirs--all the Japanese private brand stuff had a different look, but similar to each other--i.e., Bogen, Spiratone, Lucky, etc. Maybe Testrite in later years was using private label imported equipment. Their early stuff was all diffusion head with options to add condensers.

Paul Howell · Oct 30, 2018

Looks to be similar to a 35mm, 6 by 6mm auto focus enlarger sold under the Bogen label. Never owned one but did used a Bogen at a rental darkroom in the 70s. Biggest issue is keeping it in aliment. Wonder what makes lens are, seems the negative carries and condenser or condensers are in the box.

choiliefan · Nov 2, 2018

The enlarger has a Telesar 150mm 4.5 lens serial #77109.

ic-racer · Nov 2, 2018

Did anyone buy this yet? I'm curious as to the type of light source.

choiliefan · Nov 2, 2018

You can contact the seller through his CL ad.
He's very forthcoming with information.

Chrismat · Nov 4, 2018

I got the Kodak Type 4 thermometer today. $4! Of course adding the cost of gas brought up the price, but it was worth it. The gentleman who sold it used to have a small lab in Boothbay Harbor. Very nice guy.

ic-racer · Nov 8, 2018

Chrismat said:
I got the Kodak Type 4 thermometer today. $4! Of course adding the cost of gas brought up the price, but it was worth it. The gentleman who sold it used to have a small lab in Boothbay Harbor. Very nice guy.

I got one of those also. Here is the instruction manual if you don't already have it.

Chrismat · Nov 8, 2018

ic-racer said:
I got one of those also. Here is the instruction manual if you don't already have it.
View attachment 210833

Thanks. They seller had the original box and instructions.

Anyone ever heard of this 4X5 enlarger?

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