Classic enlargers

jantman · Apr 28, 2004

My vote goes for my Elwood 8x10 enlarger, probably about vintage 1940's or so. It's a beautiful thing...or was, until it came crashing down and I had to rebuild it on a cart for horizontal projection.

On the other hand of the spectrum, I guess I should buy one of those Minox enlargers that folds up into a briefcase.

sergio caetano · Apr 29, 2004

I would add on that list an enlarger I've seen only in some old magazines (maybe 1940s or 1950s). It has (had) a smart design : huge column, diffused light , lamp house with several lamps with individual intensity control for each, and capacity until 4x5 negative. Made in USA I suppose. Its name : Federal .

David R Munson · Apr 29, 2004

Rick Jones said:
Dave-never thought I would hear about someone with the exact setup I've used for years. While I've lusted over a V35 I can't quite part with my Valoy II which I bought used in the mid 60's. It's a work of art as far as I'm concerned. I would be curious how you adapted an under the lens filter holder for your Valoy. My solution was to remove the red filter attaching an old Kodak Polycontrast filter holder to a fabricated bracket attached just as the red filter. It easily swings away when not needed. The Valoy is used for 35mm, proofing and flashing. The D2V with condenser head handles my 6X6, 6X7 and 4X5. Both are decidedly low tech but old friends are hard to part with. Would also be curious if you have experienced negative popping with the Omega. If so how did you solve or work around that problem?

First of all, booyah.

As for negative popping, I only ever ran into the problem with 4x5. Initially I took to taping the netagive down under tension so it didn't have any slack to pop with, but it was a pain and I ended up getting the 4x5 neg carrier with the AN glass in it. Some may claim dust issues with glass carriers, but I've only had minimal trouble to this end and the benefits mean I'll likely never go back to a glassless carrier for 4x5, especially for Polaroid 55 negs.

Seele · Apr 29, 2004

Fugazi Dave said:
As for negative popping, I only ever ran into the problem with 4x5. Initially I took to taping the netagive down under tension so it didn't have any slack to pop with, but it was a pain and I ended up getting the 4x5 neg carrier with the AN glass in it. Some may claim dust issues with glass carriers, but I've only had minimal trouble to this end and the benefits mean I'll likely never go back to a glassless carrier for 4x5, especially for Polaroid 55 negs.

Dave,

I have never trusted glassless carriers for large-format negatives, and even panoramic format negatives on 120 rollfilm. The custom carrier I have constructed for my 4"X5" Wasp enlarger has its main body as a flat piece of material with the image area carefully cut out, and then a sheet of ConTact paper is stuck to the top, without stretching: it is better to pull off the wax backing paper first, leave the sticky ConTact paper to stablise, and then apply. Then, the ConTact paper is cut with a scarpel to leave an aperture, slightly larger than the the rectangular hole for the image area, which corresponds exactly to the physical size of the negative. It helps if you can make some paper templates first, of course.

At the far end of the carrier, about an inch of the ConTact paper is also removed, and a good-quality thin adhesive tape is used as a hinge for a sheet of glass which folds down to hold the negative down.Since the ConTact paper is thinner than the thickness of the negative, the glass sits comfortably on top of the negative, exerting even weight over its entire area.

When a negative gets warm, the emulsion shrinks a little, making the it bulges on the support side. This arrangement effectively banishes that, and the lacking of glass on the underside also means two fewer surfaces to collect dust in the image path.

I use standard glass from my local picture framer and have no problem with Newton's Rings. If I were to be really pedantic, the best way is to have coated glass, but then it is also effective to "coat" it yourself: mix up a weak solution of gum arabic (as used for gum printing) and put it in a little spray bottle. Lay the glass down on a stack of newspaper, and gently spray over it, letting the droplets to settle by gravity. When dry, you should be able to see a slight mottling over the surface, like the colours produced by a thin film of oil floating on water: home-made coated "anti-Newton" glass.

hitcher · May 16, 2004

I use a Minolta Color Head III, anybody heard of it? I got it shortly before the line was discontinued. My loss but it has been good to me over the years, not too changeable as the head is all one component. I had to makee one change to it with the help of my metal shop buddy , I changed the heat sink for a fan. I don't know does rarity count as classic?

John McCallum · May 16, 2004

Hhmmm - Yes to Omega D2's. tossed out my Durst 805 Elite AF a few months ago and went back to an Omega D3V for LF. scored from the local overpriced retailer who'd had it sitting in the cnr for a couple of years - cheap/mint! It still tickles me with a bit of excitement every time I first see it when I turn the light on.

Julia819 · Jul 14, 2004

I have to agree with everyone who has mentioned the Leitz. I didn't realize how great my 35mm enlarger was until I had to use the (pardon me) crap ones at the school. Guess there is a reason Leica equipment is so expensive. Perfectly sharp, negative lies flat, able to make pretty large prints...the list just goes on. If you can get your hands on one (e-bay perhaps?) I highly recommend it.

Julia

and36y · Aug 27, 2004

How about a durst Laborator 54....1950/60's vintage... Built like a tank

Andy

Neil Souch · Aug 27, 2004

A few years ago I rescued a De Vere 203 enlarger from the local newspaper when they went DI. When I say 'rescued' I still had to pay for it! It needed a good look at but I managed to get back to good working order again. The De Veres are super with base board controls for focus and height controls. The 203 is the baby and does 35mm to 6x7. Mine has the Ilford MG head as well as the standard condenser head. Alsthough I find the MG head fine and use that mainly. Does anyone else love their De Vere? They must be one of the 'classics' if only on weight and mass alone!

Neil.

AZLF · Feb 19, 2006

The Omega D-II. I used one in high school, again in Viet Nam at the Cu Chi lab of the 25th Infantry Div. Again later in Tucson at the home of a friend and again when I worked with a local commercial photog in the late 80's.

When I decided to get back into photography (initially 4x5") last year I knew that I would end up with another of the Omega units.

I stalked Ebay for a while and paid $180.00 w/shipping for a D-II with a 4x5 neg holder, condenser and a 160mm lens.

And then when meeting another ebayer to get a camera body I had won I was shown a D2-V and a Durst 606 that the guy had acquired when cleaning out a house for additional construction. I picked them both up for $45.00. They all sit behind me now waiting for me to clear out the room that will become the darkroom.

Along the way I have also acquired two Omega diffusion heads for the units as well as neg holders and additional lenses and boards for every format I shoot.

Soeren · Feb 19, 2006

and36y said:
How about a durst Laborator 54....1950/60's vintage... Built like a tank

Andy

Built like a tank ? Look in the lamphousing and you will see the stamp

"Panzer IV"

For me it's the Meopta's as they are cheap, simple and fairly sturdy.
When I get the time to have a darkroom and print again my workhorse will be a Magnifax 4 though I don't know yet if I can find one used when time comes.
Cheers Søren

Jim Jones · Feb 19, 2006

Doug Bennett said:
Hmmm............. I'm in the market for an enlarger, as I'm currently using a borrowed Omega B-22. I thought I had settled on Durst, but I may give Meopta a look.

I'd consider the B-22 a classic. I miss my last one, lost in a darkroom fire. The B-22 had its idiosynchrasies, but then, don't all the people we like best?

I occasionally use an Omega C700, but prefer a DeJUR Versatile Professional model, last patented in 1943. It is sturdy, has tilting head and lens stage for perspsective control, and runs cool enough that 45 negatives don't pop in glassless carriers. Even the coated JeJUR 135mm lens was good enough that replacing it with an El-Nikkor made little difference. Of course the big Omegas and Beselars have many more conveniences, but after using an Elwood, the DeJUR is a delight. Adapting it for 35mm negatives was a bit of a pain, though.

bauhausler · Feb 19, 2006

I use a Omega D5, but love the smallest B8 6x9 that is my older and nicer enlarger.

vet173 · Feb 19, 2006

I just joined the classic enlarger club. I just spent the day getting my new ( 1962 ) 8x10 Salsmen ready to burn photons for the first time tonight.

Bruce Appel · Feb 20, 2006

A lot of it seems to be geographic. In the states, the all time classics would have to be the Omega d2 and variations, and the Beselar 23c series. Probably more of these were used in comercial darkrooms and schools than everything else combined. They sort of epitomize mid 20th century American egineering. What can be more classic than a 4x5 Speed Graphic negative enlarged in an Omega d2?
The Leitz enlargers need to also be considered classics, not for how common they were/are, but just because they are such works of art. The prints out of mine are no better than prints from other machines, but by it sure is a joy to use.

Papa Tango · Feb 26, 2006

Most Definately these meet the "classic" and usable mold:

Federal 100, 200, 400 series

Elwood S series 5x7 & 8x10

Salzman

Omega B & D series

Beseler 45M & 23 series

These seem to be the "iron workhorses" of American made enlargers. Kodak made a few, but there dont seem to be many in circulation anymore. As to lenses, at one time the Wollensak was probably on more enlargers than any other.

argus · Feb 26, 2006

omega DII is nice and sturdy. Mine came with 4x5 film holders, all 3 condensers but no lenses... for 35 Euro.

It's a bit harsh on the fine focussing mechanism.

G

Flotsam · Feb 26, 2006

I stalked Ebay for a couple of years, waiting for an Omega D to turn up close enough for me to pick up. My patience was rewarded with a D2V, all glass, bellows and nylon in perfect condition complete with all the carriers that I need plus boards and cones and 50, 80 and 135 Componons within 45 minutes of my home at an amazing price.

My a$$ is in Ice Cream!

Michael Talbert · Mar 6, 2006

Classic Colour Enlargers

The best colour enlarger I ever used was a De Vere Dicromat 5x7 enlarger. It had focusing knobs under the baseboard, drop baseboard to floor level, ideal for 20x30ins prints. The colour head had "Thumbwheels" for altering filters but later models had three large knobs accross the front of the colour head plus a clearer way of reading the filters dialed in. I used the two smaller models, one was for 5x4, the other for rollfilm, both good enlargers.
I remember using Super Chromega enlargers with the intergrating spheres, with a lamp on both sides of the sphere.The colour heads on these enlargers were excellent, 0 - 120 in each colour - very strong filters, one set of filters in front of each lamp. A true classic colour enlarger.
Does anyone still use Agfacolor heads? I learnt to colour print on several of these when I was a trainee printer some 30+ years ago. I say "several" because the lab I worked at had many De Vere black and white condenser enlargers with Agfacolor heads all of varying ages - some very old! I still have an old Agfacolor head, (but no enlarger to go with it) with the three dials and three stops, each colour up to 210 units. The Agfacolor head was the first colour head invented, and the most classic colour head of all time. MT

James P. Smith · Mar 6, 2006

I have two classic enlargers: a Beseler 23cXL condenser and a 1956 Linhof condenser that will handle 35mm through 4x5. It has a mask for the various size negatives and a universal glass negative carrier. I saw one of these enlargers advertised in Shutterbug 6 or 7 years ago for $2300. It is a superb piece of equipment that I picked up for $600 about 12 years ago.

Charles Webb · Mar 6, 2006

Perhaps I missed it, but Burke and James had a pretty functional design in their Solar series. Affordable, 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 duffision heads complete with sand blasted glass for the diffusion. The bottom line was you could make fairly good B&W prints with them. B&J actually marketed a "copy back with ground glass and folding shade" to fit onto the negative stage so it could be used as a copy camera. Wow... Very difficult much like the DeJur to keep in alignment but they did work. Fact is I still have a 5x7 in near mint condition. (It is in the condition it is in because it was seldom used and has been wrapped in plastic for 20 years! The Copy back is packed with it, although the original 5x7 GG is now in many smaller pieces)

Charlie............................

raucousimages · Mar 7, 2006

How about the Vivitar VI. My children still use the one I purchased in 1977.

Merg Ross · Mar 16, 2006

As a classic enlarger my vote would be for the Omega DII. I have had mine for close to forty years and it still provides excellent results. I have upgraded it with the V54 cold light.

avandesande · Mar 16, 2006

I shoot MF too, but I hate switching my 23c back and forth from medium format to 35mm. I have been thinking about getting a dedicated 35mm enlarger. The leitz's sure look cool. Are the old ones any good?

baronfoxx said:
my choice is the leitz focomat v35 with the helical auto focus and the 40 mm f2.8 lens.
this unit forms part of my all Leica system and is a joy to use, I have also had the Heiland split grade motorised head fitted with the computer analzer.
I can highly recommend this system to any dedicated 35mm only user

DeanC · Mar 16, 2006

Omega D series certainly. I just picked up a used D5 with 80mm and 150mm lenses and a Zone VI cold light head in addition to the condenser setup for cheap off a local Craig's List ad. The only thing wrong with it was a slight light head alignment issue which took 6 minutes and a couple of allen wrenches to fix.

Classic enlargers

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