Condenser vs Diffuser

Steve Smith · Jul 21, 2009

Diffuser with an LPL/Saunders 6700

The 6x7 format of this enlarger made me buy a 6x7 camera (RB67).

Steve.

kliopiros · Jul 21, 2009

Condenser -- primarily 6x6 but also 5x7

paul_c5x4 · Jul 21, 2009

Diffuser, but....

Ralph - Did you find a Varipoint or BW head for your L1200 ?

RalphLambrecht · Jul 22, 2009

Paul

No, I've never seen one.

gbsPhotography · Jul 23, 2009

I haven't used it yet, but once I get it all set up, my enlarger is a Zone VI VC Coldlight with a Compensating timer on a D2 chassis.

I'll be printing from 35mm, 120 and 4x5 negs.

resummerfield · Jul 23, 2009

I have both Diffuser and Condenser light sources, but find I use Diffuser about 75% of the time.

rst · Jul 23, 2009

OK then, I use a Kaiser for 35mm and 6x6 and a Durst Laborator 138 for 4x5, both are condensor.

Cheers
Ruediger

mooseontheloose · Jul 23, 2009

I use a Beseler 45MX with a condenser head. I've never used an enlarger with a diffuser head.

Gary Grenell · Jul 31, 2009

Fujimoto 450M VC, which is diffusion with a VC head. 645, 6 x 6, and 6 x 7

I do exclusively street photography (but only one street) and have a Pentax 645, Mamiya 6, and Mamiya 7. My god...I don't know if i love the tools or the photographs more!!

Karmelo.Martin · Aug 6, 2009

Ralph,

I'm about to buy a Saunders LPL 7452 enlarger for 4x5" negatives these days (If I'm luky) so I guess is +1 vote for the difussion (If I finally get it).

By the way... I think you'll be glad to know I found "Way beyond monochrome" a great help in initiating the way to B&W darkroom print.

cheers,
Carmelo

2F/2F · Aug 6, 2009

Condenser for black and white (Omega B22XL for up to 6x6, and Beseler 45 for larger sizes).

Diffuser for color. (Not my enlarger.)

I would like to use a diffuser for 6x7 and larger formats, but I do not have this capability yet. The diffuser enlargers I use for color are not part of a black and white lab, so I cannot use them for b/w printing.

RalphLambrecht · Aug 6, 2009

Thanks for all the replies.

Current count:

49 diffuser
28 condenser
16 both

I'm glad to see both types to be alive and well.

Uncle Bill · Aug 21, 2009

I am printing on a Devere 504 enlarger with a Condenser head.

clayne · Aug 21, 2009

Kaiser VPM9005: Condenser (double-condenser I guess).

patricia de roeck · Sep 3, 2009

Diffuser - LPL7450 with Multigrade Head - format 645

Laurent · Sep 3, 2009

Diffuser for 4/5 and 6x6 (cm, this is MF). I use a Priox I adapted for LED Lighting due to ceiling considerations ;-)

Semi-diffused (diffuse lamp with condenser, thsi is an Ahel 2436) for 35mm

Cor · Sep 14, 2009

A Durst L1200 with condensors for nearly 20 years, tried and have the CLS501 head, but did not take enough time to get really acquainted with it, found it slower, noisier, and there is a slight vibration from the fan which got me worrying..

Best,

Cor

Oh I print 35 mm, 24*56 (Horizon) 120 and 4*5

jeffreyg · Sep 14, 2009

I started with a condenser, switched to cold light and then very happily went with an Aristo VCL4500. 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 & 4x5.

salihonba · Sep 14, 2009

I use LPL 7451 with VCCE, it's a diffuser, for 6x6, 6x9, 6x12 and 4x5
and a Dunco auto focus enlarger with Ilford VC head, for 35mm, also a diffuser enlarger.

Dave in Kansas · Sep 14, 2009

I use an Omega D2 with the OmegaLight (I think it's called) head. Circle fluorescent bulb, and I think this is considered a cold light?

Dave

wclark5179 · Sep 14, 2009

I use an Omega B-22 with a dichroric color head for both color & black and white printing. I use the built in filters when printing with VC B&W paper.

RalphLambrecht · Sep 14, 2009

Cor said:
A Durst L1200 with condensors for nearly 20 years, tried and have the CLS501 head, but did not take enough time to get really acquainted with it, found it slower, noisier, and there is a slight vibration from the fan which got me worrying..

Best,

Cor

Oh I print 35 mm, 24*56 (Horizon) 120 and 4*5

Thanks for the info, everybody!

Cor
Don't worry about the fan. It does no harm at all on mine.

mwdake · Sep 14, 2009

I just kind of inherited a Vivitar VI enlarger, this is enlarger #4 for me.
The Vivitar has a Dioptic Head, not sure if that is just a fancy term for dichroic; but it also has condensors.
So, I am not sure if this classifies it as both a Condensor and a Diffuser.

I haven't tried it out yet.

RalphLambrecht · Sep 14, 2009

mwdake said:
I just kind of inherited a Vivitar VI enlarger, this is enlarger #4 for me.
The Vivitar has a Dioptic Head, not sure if that is just a fancy term for dichroic; but it also has condensors.
So, I am not sure if this classifies it as both a Condensor and a Diffuser.

I haven't tried it out yet.

Thanks. Since it sports condesors... that's the way I record it.

Cor · Sep 15, 2009

RalphLambrecht said:
Thanks for the info, everybody!

Cor
Don't worry about the fan. It does no harm at all on mine.

Ralph,

If you put your hand on the head while the fan is running, do you feel a slight vibration?

Best,

Cor

Condenser vs Diffuser

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