Darkroom Gear and Insurance

Life has taken some really cool turns as of late. We're buying our first home, something that will allow me to finally build my dream darkroom. And then I discovered a CL ad for what is essentially a complete darkroom. So we're in the process of itemizing all our valuables for insurance reasons and I've come across a few road blocks in finding values for some of the gear I just bought.

The biggie is my enlarger.

It's a Zone VI coldlight with VC control and a compensating timer. It's mounted on an Omega D2 Chassis. Any idea of what this would cost to replace? And why is info on Zone VI so hard to come by on the net?

Same goes for Saunders easels, it's like they've fallen off the face of the earth? What's up?

Any info is highly appreciated.

Glazer's in Seattle have new old stock Saunders easels (they are an APUG sponsor).

Matt

Thanks Matt

I would say about $300 for the light source and $150 for the timer. The light source might fetch higher if lucky. No good way to prove the worth of these light sources as they don't come up for auction recently. The timers are more available.

gbsPhotography said:

Life has taken some really cool turns as of late. We're buying our first home, something that will allow me to finally build my dream darkroom. And then I discovered a CL ad for what is essentially a complete darkroom. So we're in the process of itemizing all our valuables for insurance reasons and I've come across a few road blocks in finding values for some of the gear I just bought.

The biggie is my enlarger.

It's a Zone VI coldlight with VC control and a compensating timer. It's mounted on an Omega D2 Chassis. Any idea of what this would cost to replace? And why is info on Zone VI so hard to come by on the net?

Same goes for Saunders easels, it's like they've fallen off the face of the earth? What's up?

Any info is highly appreciated.

Click to expand...

Inventory all of your valuable belongings with good photographs and descriptions and store them in a safe deposit box. Insurance companies can then see what was lost and will re-compensate for losses based on the going rate for the items. Most of them will not give you the full "new" value unless you pay a higher premium. This is from experience after having some equipment stolen.

Yes, for this type of item, they generally are going to pay you actual cash value for your loss. If something is generally no longer available new, the insurance company or you will not be able to replace it with new. Another consideration is that you are buying it used and if something happens to it, you will replace it with used. Now the real truth. No one is going to beak into your house and steal your Zone VI enlarger and any of your other priceless darkroom items. There is little market, they are generally pretty darn heavy and can not be easily converted to drugs. If not being used commercially they will generally be covered under your contents section of your homeowners policy and there is little chance of a loss. I currently have a Zone VI 5X7 enlarger, 2 Durst 1200s and a Beseler 45V XL stashed away in a darkroom and have no concern about them being stolen or burned up. Check with your insurance company, but I doubt you need to do anything other than to have a homeowners policy with contents coverage. I do insure some camera gear seperately, however it is stuff I carry away from my home. It is insured for what I could buy the item for used. Bill Barber

ebay completed auctions can sometimes be helpful

Unfortunately the darkroom items I lost were in storage while we moved. They gave me fair market value for a 23C, stainless sink and a few other things. I agree that if they were in my home this likely would not have happened. I took the cash and bought a 45M.