Can I just put a bigger brighter bulb in my enlarger for faster times?

[Rick A]

Also - is this a condenser enlarger you're talking about? Are you using the proper condenser? If it is a dichroic enlarger, are you using the proper mixing chamber for the format? These will have an effect on how long/short your exposures are - using too big of a condenser/mixing chamber for your film format will reduce the amount of light getting through your negative/lens, and slow down printing times. Perhaps not to the same degree as changing bulb wattage, but nonetheless, it will have an effect.

This and is the condenser housing at the appropriate setting for the format.

 

[480sparky]

Home Depot is not noted for selling enlarger bulbs... you may start seeing 150watt in you prints and start wondering where this pattern comes from.

Not if you're smart enough to use a little bit of rubbing compound and a Brillo pad on it before installing.

 

[Bob Carnie]

I am not that smart..
QUOTE=480sparky;1953704870]Not if you're smart enough to use a little bit of rubbing compound and a Brillo pad on it before installing.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Rick A]

Removing the printing from a standard frosted bulb will still cause uneven light output in the enlarger. Opal bulbs are different and are designed to give even light. The frosting inside a regular bulb sometimes allow the filament to show through and could possibly show up in the print.

 

[John Koehrer]

If you find your enlarging times are excessively long, then you need to adjust your shooting technique to compensate. You may be over exposing your negatives. I have owned several 23Cii's over the years, with just about every enlarging head available, and the basic ph140 bulb is sufficient to make 16x20 enlargements in a reasonable time.

+++ The PH140 lamp is 75W. Was there a higher wattage lamp of that design? It's not the common bulb shape.
IF your negatives are that dense, I'd suggest as Rick does and revisit shooting/developing methods.

The 23C's not real friendly to alignment procedures but that's not related to a dimly projected image.

 

[GaryFlorida]

...
I am always puzzled by the fact that folks can find a forum to ask a question, yet are unable to find basic information easily found on the web before posting the question to the forum!...

I've always been puzzled why that bothers some people so much.

 

[tkamiya]

I am not that smart..

I'm pretty dumb myself, too. I'll be sitting at a corner.

 

[tkamiya]

Without starting a flame war....

It is my understanding that enlarger bulbs are special in that bulb is designed to NOT to project an image of filament on the image plane. Also, it is my understanding that coating inside are thicker and supposed to disperse and project evenly. And, they do not have the wattage marking anywhere on surface.

Whether these are true or not, I don't know. Whether if they are supposed to be that way, and in reality, they are the same thing, I don't know. I'll break one open once it goes bad and see.

By the way, Bob is a well known expert printer who has a business printing in darkroom for artists. He does know "a thing or two" about his equipment. (or three or four)

 

[Arklatexian]

Can I just put a bigger brighter bulb in my enlarger, etc.

Home Depot is not noted for selling enlarger bulbs... you may start seeing 150watt in you prints and start wondering where this pattern comes from.

This reminded me of the first (and only) time I tried to use a 75W bulb bought in a drugstore in my enlarger. Then I put it in my enlarger and, with no negative, turned it on. On the baseboard was an image that read: GE. That is when I found out that an enlarger bulb has information on the side of the bulb or no information at all........Regards!

 

[jose angel]

The thing about bulbs is quite easy; just check them in your enlargers.

Put a blank film strip on the carrier. Make a couple prints to check light un-evenness, same for warm-up issues. That`s all.

After that, you need to know if your contrast filters work. Simply use the new bulb on your next printing session; you´ll know if it is usable or not.

 

[ME Super]

I'm pretty dumb myself, too. I'll be sitting at a corner.

At least you'll be warm - it's about 90 degrees in a corner. I gotta love nerd humor.