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


This and is the condenser housing at the appropriate setting for the format.
 
Bob Carnie said:
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.
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Not if you're smart enough to use a little bit of rubbing compound and a Brillo pad on it before installing.

 
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]
 
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.
 

+++ 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.
 
wiltw said:
...
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!...
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I've always been puzzled why that bothers some people so much.
 
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)
 
Can I just put a bigger brighter bulb in my enlarger, etc.

Bob Carnie said:
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.
Click to expand...


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!
 
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.
 
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tkamiya said:
I'm pretty dumb myself, too. I'll be sitting at a corner.
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At least you'll be warm - it's about 90 degrees in a corner. I gotta love nerd humor.
 
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