Best 75 watt #211 enlarger bulb?

chip j · Aug 11, 2019

For use in my Leitz Focomat 1c.

AgX · Aug 11, 2019

The one rated at ones mains voltage.

Hilo · Aug 11, 2019

Good question !

Obviously most important is that the white coating is even.

In 2016 I was in touch with Fischer in Germany and they told me they were phasing out the longer version of the 150watt bulb. Only the slightly shorter version was to remain available. I would imagine the same went for the 75watt bulbs. For the Focomat 1c first versions with the round head, the shorter bulbs make more sense. For the Oval head 1c you can use both the longer and the shorter bulbs.

What plays too is that the closer your bulb is to the negative, the shorter your exposure will be. I made the same 50x60cm print (20x24in) on the 1c and the Valoy II. Plus minus 60 seconds for the 1c and 40 seconds for the Valoy II. The Valoy II bulb sits much closer to the negative!

If you'd like I can measure both versions (millimetres)

I got some of those short neck bulbs from Fischer. Found the coating uneven. Perhaps that was just that one time, normally their bulbs have been excellent. Anyway, after that I have never touched them as I have plenty of bulbs, Phillips, Thorn, etc. I have never seen any difference between them.

I have a friend, who sometimes comes here. He has more recent experience with the new Fisher bulbs and he mostly uses the 75watt ones. I will ask him if he has anything to add . . .

AgX · Aug 11, 2019

Hilo said:
In 2016 I was in touch with Fischer in Germany and they told me ...

I got some of those short neck bulbs from Fischer. Found the coating uneven.

Since quite some time I am repeatedly inquiring on a very peculiar lamp of theirs. They do not even bother to reply by any means.

Good to know about the uneven coating. First time ever I hear of such concerning enlarger bulbs. Of course that is a major fault.

Hilo · Aug 11, 2019

AgX,

To be fair to Fischer I want to emphasize that I haven't printed with those bulbs. It was something I saw and haven't followed up on. I am buying their 150watt bulbs since ages and they're great. If you want you can send me a private message and I will give you my contact there . . .

~andi · Aug 11, 2019

I have no printing experience with the new Fischer 75W bulbs. The older ones (2000s) work fine and I have a good stock of old ones.

However, I got a box of 150W short neck Dr. Frischer two years ago, as I got a good deal. I would never have to think about bulbs anymore. Or so I thought. I can corroborate what Hilo says, very uneven coating and thin. I put one into the IIc last month and the baseboard looked like a dalmatian. Can't comment on the Ic yet, as it gets not much use of late and when it does, its 75W. It might not be unevenness of the coating, but the thickness (or lack thereof). At any rate, I measured unevenness in the lighting of about 1-2 stops across the board. I was not able to move the filament shadows out of the way like with the older ones. The coating look much more like the old "matt" household bulbs looked.

That being said I have not actually printed with them. After I saw what I saw, I decided to use up my stock of old ones first. I suspect they probably require a diffusing element (like a sheet frosted glass) above the condenser to even out. When I run out of old ones, I'll try that.

At any rate, don't buy a full box at once without testing

Cheers
Andi

AgX · Aug 11, 2019

~andi said:
I suspect they probably require a diffusing element (like a sheet frosted glass) above the condenser to even out.

But that is not what the optical systems were designed for. The opalized bulb already forms a large light source. (The respective condensor systems are no true condensor systems too, as for a point light source.) But a diffusor in front of the condensor would form an even bigger light source than the bulb.

That here is now report not only of one single uneven diffused bulb but in addition of a whole pile, is a bad sign. Especially for a manufacturer of special-use lamps.

(I once bought a whole new box of a few dozen clear household lamps made by Philips that all turned out to have a cloudy haze of yellow colour in the glass. Even as household lamps they were unusable for any decorative application.)

Rick A · Aug 11, 2019

I have a half dozen Osram/Sylvania PH 211 bulbs on a shelf, back up stash for my D-6. It's what it came with originally, I see no reason to change brands. B&H sells them for a reasonable price.

chip j · Aug 11, 2019

I have some EIKO Supreme 75 watt 211 bulbs from China that seem to be just fine. They're cheap at Freestyle USA. But I always thought that OSRAM was the best

wombat2go · Aug 11, 2019

In my old Federal of condensor type with a variable density sandblasted filter, the lamp is vertical over the gate.

The label on the 211 lamp needs to be either on the side or printed so it can be washed off with solvent.
For example:
http://www.replacementlightbulbs.com/lampph211.html

AgX · Aug 11, 2019

chip j said:
I have some EIKO Supreme 75 watt 211 bulbs from China that seem to be just fine. They're cheap at Freestyle USA. But I always thought that OSRAM was the best

Problem is, Osram years ago started thinning the herd of incandescant, non-halogen lamps.

mshchem · Aug 11, 2019

I just noticed on Bloomberg TV that Osram is being sold. Current high bid is €3.7 billion by AMS AG. The board of Osram has accepted a bid of €3.4 billion from Bain Capital and Carlyle Group.
Better stock up on your favorite lamp, could be everything is going to the Far East.

AgX · Aug 11, 2019

Osram have cancelled enlarger lamps long ago. They still have small halogen lamps without reflector as used in projectors.

Patrick Robert James · Aug 11, 2019

I have an Eiko in my Focomat which has a pretty heavy even coat in it. I know I bought it at B&H but they don't list them anymore, just Osram and Ushio. Who knows what the difference is. I should probably get a few more since I only have the one.

This place has the Eiko- https://www.topbulb.com/ph-211-bulb-75w-incandescent-medium

chip j · Aug 11, 2019

Thanks, Patrick. Yeah, my EIKOs have a heavy, even coat too, almost like porcealin. Thanks for the link, I'll pick up a few more.

ROGERC · Aug 12, 2019

Generally, all (3 or so) manufacturers of 211 bulbs are OK, there are so few left.....

Osram took over Sylvania, Ushio and Eiko also made/make the bulbs.

As far as I know, GE is out of the enlarger bulb business.

I used to own/manage a camera store, nearly 50 years, and we usually went with Eiko, consistently great quality well manufactured.

As a practical matter, however, since for the most part these are all 'major' manufacturers, they all do a good job on pretty much everything they produce.

As to "best", I doubt there is much day to day difference, it is a light bulb, as long as the light is even, you are good to go, just be thankful that anyone continues to make them at all, at some point volume becomes a deciding factor for all these companies, they cannot afford to produce them if nobody buys the product. That is why the camera store you used to have a block away is no longer there, no support.

AgX · Aug 13, 2019

ROGERC said:
As to "best", I doubt there is much day to day difference, it is a light bulb, as long as the light is even, you are good to go.

But the coating of the bulb just is the most important factor. Cranking up the voltage on a houshold lamp would be no problem for anyone with a respective transformer.

However, fellows here have reported of having successfully installed plain, frosted household lamps.

chip j · Aug 13, 2019

I tried a household lamp many years ago--it sucked. No brilliance, like a cheap lens.

Paul Howell · Aug 15, 2019

I've switched to LED bulbs, not sure how an LED bulb would work in a Leica, but in my D3, Opemus III and Federal have not run into issues with contrast when using VC paper as my negatives are scaled to grade 2. I kept my 75 and 150 enlarger bulbs just in case I need to print grade 4 which may be out of the range of the LED bulbs.

mgb74 · Aug 15, 2019

I was doing some research a while back on bulbs for my Valoy II. One individual reported good results with one of those round G40 type bulbs. They seem to have a heavier coating and the printing is close to the base and out of the primary light path. Haven't tried it yet though.

Best 75 watt #211 enlarger bulb?

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