Buying advice LF enlarger (5x4)

I am in pursuit of an enlarger capable of handling 5x4". I have within reach two different options:

1) An Omega Chromega Super with dichroic head. A lens for LF is included. The equipment does only include glass-less neg holders. Price approx 150$.

2) A Durst Laborator 1200 with CLS 450 color head. There is at least a Rodenstock 150mm included in the buy, perhaps other lenses as well. The equipment come with both glass- and glassless masks for all formats up to 5x4. Price approx 500 $.

In my understanding the Durst is perhaps the better enlarger, but it is also more expensive. I have a quite small darkroom and can only fit one enlarger, so I need to throw away my current enlarger (LPL 7700) as soon as I get my new one, which means that the enlarger will be used for both MF + LF.

Can anyone advice me on which of my two options that is the best deal? Are the prices reasonable?

The Durst is better, but it makes the Chromega look tiny. If you are space-limited the Omega would be the better choice, assuming it has a full set of carriers and lens cones. Otherwise my choice would be the Durst, assuming both are in equal, good working condition.

The "Omega Chromega Super" probably refers only to the light source - actually a "Super Chromega Lamphouse". Those heads were discontinued in the 1970s.

KHB has a page on their website that discusses those heads. That discussion includes this phrase:

"Used Advice: As with the original Chromega lamphouses, because of the difficulty and expense of replacing the acetate filters, we consider these units obsolete and would not recommend their purchase."

Here is a link: http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/Chromega/SupChromega.htm

Yes, "Omega Chromega Super" refers to the light source and it supposed to be one of the later version with dicroic filters. A chassis is included, but it is still unclear to me which one.

henpe,
I hope you didn't mean "throw away" literally.
There a few threads here about the scarcity of decent used MF enlargers
throughout the EU.
That could pay a healthy chunk of the machine you're looking for.

The Durst 1200 is a very nice enlarger. It is highly modular, so make sure you have all the bits you need. Also, the glass carrier, if it is the Femoneg carrier, will not print corner to corner 4x5 unless you have the Femoneg AM version. "AM" I guess for "American". If you're in Sweden, perhaps this doesn't matter, but 4x5 in the US is larger apparently than 4x5 in Europe. But in any case, finding a Femoneg AM may take some patience. They do appear on Eb*y infrequently. That's where I got mine.

Also, there are a variety of light mixer boxes. The Femobox 450 can cover other formats, but you're probably best to make sure you have a mixer that is targeted to the formats you will be processing.

I've found the CLS 450 color head to be great. The CLS 501 adds an additional neutral density dial, which I would find very convenient for enabling longer dodge/burn steps, but you can do without it. And due to the modularity of the system, you can buy just the head later and swap out the 450 easily.

Things to check: make sure the nylon gear used for raising and lowering the head has all its teeth. Make sure the giant coiled leaf spring that counterweights the head has no cracks. If that breaks (unlikely) it could whip around and hurt you, but you won't notice, because the enlarger head will simultaneously come crashing down on your head! (Kidding, I don't think that thing will fail. The Durst is a tank.)

I came to the Durst from a Beseler, and I'll never look back. Solid as a rock. Fast. Perfectly aligned. Worth the money.

You are going to have it for the rest of your life. Get the Durst.

Regarding size and value: I've found all the 4x5 enlargers to be of similar footprint.

Value? If it is in good shape, and that means not just the basic frame but the modular components, I think it's a good price. I assume of course it is complete with power supplies. For the Durst with a CLS 450 head, there is a basic power supply and a stabilized timer supply. Make sure the system is functional as a whole.

If you end up missing anything for it, let me know. I'm on the fence regarding keeping mine or selling, but it literally has everything under the sun with it. Probably too many things. Might have something you could use.

tallenpatterson said:

If you end up missing anything for it, let me know. I'm on the fence regarding keeping mine or selling, but it literally has everything under the sun with it. Probably too many things. Might have something you could use.

Click to expand...

If you have a Femobox 35 I'd be interested... I only have a 450 and 66. Feel free to message me with whatever else you have, I'm always on the lookout for additions/replacements/spares.

henpe said:

I am in pursuit of an enlarger capable of handling 5x4". I have within reach two different options:

1) An Omega Chromega Super with dichroic head. A lens for LF is included. The equipment does only include glass-less neg holders. Price approx 150$.

2) A Durst Laborator 1200 with CLS 450 color head. There is at least a Rodenstock 150mm included in the buy, perhaps other lenses as well. The equipment come with both glass- and glassless masks for all formats up to 5x4. Price approx 500 $.

In my understanding the Durst is perhaps the better enlarger, but it is also more expensive. I have a quite small darkroom and can only fit one enlarger, so I need to throw away my current enlarger (LPL 7700) as soon as I get my new one, which means that the enlarger will be used for both MF + LF.

Can anyone advice me on which of my two options that is the best deal? Are the prices reasonable?

Click to expand...

Durst,Durst,Durst.

I have the Superchomega Dichroic II 5D-XL and am very happy with it. It is the same enlargers that Kodak provided to the employees for after hours darkroom work.

Since I'm the middleman in the first enlarger option (the world is a small place) I might chime in and get some help in trying to identify it! I have no good images of it so the images below are all hotlinked.

I'm pretty sure this is the same configuration as the enlarger for sale:



No lens cones but a bellow. It comes with the Stabilotime which is gigantic (and heavy):



I've used the enlarger for sale but bought a very similar enlarger (but with a DV head & Ilford below-the-lens filters) which I use in my kitchen darkroom.

With all that said the Durst L1200/CLS450 is a fantastic machine - the enlarger for sale used to share table with one of these! If it works with 4x5" it is much nicer to work with, no refocusing after changing enlargement degree, easy to switch lenses (make sure you get all the parts necessary) and fine tune everything.

Both enlargers are great, Get a 4 x5 glass carrier for the Omega and you will be happy .

Buy the Durst. The price of 500 with all the accessories is good/

Durst spares will be a little easier to find in Europe.

The base board is slightly larger than an LPL7700, and depending on which column the Durst has, it may be quite a bit taller - I went from an LPL7700 to an L1200 a few years back. The L1200 is also quite a heavy beast, so make sure your bench is sturdy enough.

Thank you all for your valuable input. Right now I am leaning towards the Durst. I have not been able to see it yet, but when I do I hope it will be in good condition and hence become my new jewel in the darkroom.

the jewel is whats between your ears, the enlarger is just its tool.

You are in Europe, get the DURST.
Spare parts will be easier to find than the Omega.

In the US, it would be reversed.
DURST parts are hard to find and expensive.
So in the US, if you go Durst, you need a COMPLETE enlarger, as the missing parts could add up to a lot of $$$. That is what happened to me an my L-1000, when I started to gather the missing parts...$$$

Get the durst l1200, I have one with a cls500 head and a standard bw head, just Make sure you get all the accessories as they are quite expensive and some are very hard to find.

I have used a lot of enlargers once you have a l1200 you won't need anything else

Even the type of Omega color head pictured in post #13 can have issues with the filters. And there are 2 mixing boxes; one for up to MF and one for 4x5. No lens cones needed with that model. Neg carriers for the Omega, even if mailed from US, aren't expensive. But I'd go with the Durst in your situation.