Durst and Kaiser color head: Condenser or diffusion?

jumanji · Mar 13, 2014

Please let me know the color head of Durst enlarger (M805, M605, etc...) is condenser or diffusion light source?
Same question with Kaiser enlarger.

Thanks.

paul_c5x4 · Mar 13, 2014

Rule of thumb: Colour heads are diffusion light sources.

Both the Durst and Kaiser heads will be diffusion sources - You can get condenser heads, but if you wish to do colour work, you would have to use filters.

miha · Mar 13, 2014

All Kaiser V-Sytem enlargers (colour, multigrade, B&W) are of the condensor type. It's what makes them unique. There is a diffusor plate between the bulb and the double condensor. But a true condensor enlarger anables it's bulb to be collimated and the bulb filament focused in the condensor plane which Kaiser can't do.

jumanji · Mar 13, 2014

Thanks, and not really Paul. So the Kaiser is kinda hybrid light source. Similar to the Meochrome head I've used before. It has mixing chamber, but the light still travels thru a condenser.
What's about the Durst's?

AgX · Mar 13, 2014

miha said:
All Kaiser V-Sytem enlargers (colour, multigrade, B&W) are of the condensor type. It's what makes them unique. There is a diffusor plate between the bulb and the double condensor. But a true condensor enlarger anables it's bulb to be collimated and the bulb filament focused in the condensor plane which Kaiser can't do.

The Kaiser colour (and b&W multigrade) heads got a

bulb / sliding-filter assembly / mixing chamber / condensor / lens

design

jumanji · Mar 13, 2014

How does it deal with dust/spot as well as callier effect on dense area of the negative? Those are two things I hate about condenser light source, especially the callier effect.
The Meochrome head has a similar design, but the lamp was dead so I havent had a chance to do a comparison.

AgX said:
The Kaiser colour (and b&W multigrade) heads got a

bulb / sliding-filter assembly / mixing chamber / condensor / lens

design

AgX · Mar 13, 2014

The light "source" is the diffusion chamber. The condensor cannot make the light into directed light again.

jumanji · Mar 13, 2014

So basically it's diffused? And the condenser make it more even?

AgX · Mar 13, 2014

Dunco who use a similar design for their heads call it "half-diffused". What I only could understand if there was an unobstructed point light source plus added diffus reflected light.

What is missing is a side-by-side test showing prints of the same negative in point-light and large bulb condensor lighting, mixed condensor lighting, mixing chamber condensor lighting and pure mixing chamber lighting.

miha · Mar 13, 2014

jumanji said:
So basically it's diffused? And the condenser make it more even?

You still reach collimated light but with a true condenser unit the condenser focuses light (the filament) in an angle that creates a cone of light that is the exact same size as the f/stop opening of the lens so that no light gets wasted. This is called Köhler illumination.

jumanji · Mar 14, 2014

Sounds like a comparison test would be best, but its just a pain to purchase all three enlargers...
Anyone has an idea about the Durst color head? Pure diffusion or also hybrid?

miha · Mar 14, 2014

Difussion.

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/durst/Durst_M805.pdf

jumanji · Mar 14, 2014

Great! Thank you.

Durst and Kaiser color head: Condenser or diffusion?

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