Durst Ceases Production of Enlargers

[tim atherton]

apparently (and I may have missed it on here?)

http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/07/durst-ceases-production-of-enlargers.html

 

[Papa Tango]

Ozymandias...

Tim, I had not heard anything of this but it is not a surprise. No doom and gloom either. Although they produced an extremely fine product line (as well as some low end junk) Durst effectively priced themselves out of the market. Ever get parts or accessories for one of these? I had a 1200 that I felt would be my mainline workhorse. Ye Gads! Several hundred dollars for a carrier. Used...

I think that we are seeing a trend here, and I would not be the least surprised to find Beseler go next. A casual look around and there are scads of enlargers good and bad being dumped on the used market. I picked up the L1200 for less than $500, and sold it for even less... I have two Beseler 45M's, and one was had with (late model, square lens bellows) a 45S head for $165 including shipping.

Now is a great time for all of us to snarfle up any and every accessory that may be needed for our enlargers. Methinks that the prices are going to go up on a lot of items over the next 5 years. ebay away!!!

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains...

 

[Wigwam Jones]

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains...

To give the full effect, one must read the entire poem, and short though powerful it is, too:

OZYMANDIAS of EGYPT

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said:—Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

- Percy Bysshe Shelley

 

[Jim Chinn]

I have been amazed for awhile that anyone still makes new enalrgers. As posted above, how can a manufacturer compete with ones self? What did a new Durst with all the bells and whistles cost for 4x5? 3-4 thousand dollars?
Why buy new when they go for hundreds on Ebay and you still see the occasional posting on a web forum about some school or commerical darkroom giving away enlargers to anyone who will come pick them up before they get tossed in the dumpster out back.

Luckily there are far more enlargers and enlarging lenses available on the used market then will ever be needed. Good for most of us who could never afford new anyway. I doubt however used prices will go much lower. I imagine most of the commerical grade enlargers have already cycled through the used market.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

This is the third thread on this topic--

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[tim atherton]

thought it might be.., the curse of too many sub-forums.

Isn't there a unified view?

 

[dburian]

Speaking of ebay, I bought a used M605 Classic and got it home last weekend only to discover that the small clear gears that drive the colored filter gears are all cracked on my unit. The set screws on these gears have all been over-tightened at some time in the past. I have contacted Durst but thought I'd float a question about parts availability here as well.
Thanks, DB

 

[raucousimages]

Durst also owns the LPL line. I hope they stay a bit longer.