Beseler 45M Series--What Came Out When?

[Chazzy]

I'm assuming that the first enlarger in this series was the 45M, and of course the last is the 45MXT. Does anyone know the order in which the other ones came out? It would help to determine relative age in eBay auctions. And if you know the year a model was introduced or what new features were on it, that would be valuable too. As I understand it, the things that are new on the 45MXT are the straight lower bellows, which makes lens alignment easier and also permits the use of a turret (supposedly the "t" in 45MXT stands for "turret"), and a neoprene seal which is supposed to help prevent light leaks from the negative stage. Was the model before it the 45MXII? I have seen those for sale used fairly often.

 

[ann]

Why not call Beseler and ask?

 

[Chazzy]

Why not call Beseler and ask?

It might be worth trying, but I'm not having much luck getting answers to questions by email. I just thought that some people who have been using Beselers for a while might remember approximately what order the models came out in.

 

[Papa Tango]

M stands for motorized, and X refers to the frame. The T refers to the head mounting. The earliest 45's had the frame adjustment bars facing forward. This got in the way of moving the easel about, and they were shifted backward. On these models, a swivel bar also allowed the enlarger to swing 90 degrees horizontal for really large projections. Yes, the models up to the T have the tapered bellows and a filter drawer. They were originally introduced in the early 1950s. You will also note that the older models are a turquoise color. All went to black in later production models, IIRC in the mid 1970s. There was a change also on how the lens and negative stage was held in alignment to the track bar. The older ones used brass shims along the back, whilst the newer models use a plastic/teflon shim.

Although the tapered models are still great enlargers (I have both), the later model with the square bellows is a better long term investment, mainly because of potential bellows problems as the enlargers age.

 

[mtbbrian]

That's a good question!
I recently bought a 45M and was wondering the same thing.
I emailed Beseler too, and they have yet to reply back to me as well....:confused:

The inside of the bellows on mine are red. Does that indicate any thing as far as when it was manufactured?
Brian

 

[Papa Tango]

A little clarification. It is impossible to date production runs based on the "letter " designation. Every Beseler 4x5 enlarger that is not in the V series and has been produced since their introduction in 1953 is a 45MX. The square bellows is in the late 1970s forward. There is little else except the logo stickers that varies onward in the production scheme.

 

[ann]

the blue version come from the 70's, not exactly sure about the date, but it was an anniversity issues. they did the same thing with the 23c's

 

[Chazzy]

That's a good question!
I recently bought a 45M and was wondering the same thing.
I emailed Beseler too, and they have yet to reply back to me as well....:confused:

I asked them in a different email how they expected us to mask the glass negative carrier for different formats, since they don't make anything for that purpose, and they sent me back just the part numbers for the two glass carriers. I guess I've been spoiled by Schneider, with all that wonderful information on their website even about obsolete lenses.

 

[Papa Tango]

the blue version come from the 70's, not exactly sure about the date, but it was an anniversity issues. they did the same thing with the 23c's

It would have been a 20th anniversary issue, around 73 or 74. All of the original 50's production models were turquoise blue...