Durst F30

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

I've heard that Durst F30 is small enough to be carried in a suitcase during travels making it a portable enlarger. What is the weight of this enlarger? Does anyone know?

 

[Paul Howell]

Not sure about the F30, but if your in the US keep checking with Shopgoodwill.com, old Federal suitcase enlargers appear, Federal made a few models including a 35mm and a 6X9. They are called stowaways. I have a 6X9 rather large box, can be assembled in very short order. The model I have comes with a fixed doublet uncoated enlarger lens with water house stops. I'm surprised at how sharp it is. I have taken it with me when on the road, shoot during the day, process the film and print the next night to see what I've got before moving on to a new location. In most cases I use it for proofs and working prints, but it comes in handy for some shots when I want a soft look. I believe the 35mm version has a condenser.

 

[johnielvis]

I've heard that Durst F30 is small enough to be carried in a suitcase during travels making it a portable enlarger. What is the weight of this enlarger? Does anyone know?

I have one of these, but not handy. Suffice it to say that the enlarger head is about the size and weight of a larger medium format slr. The baseboard is about the footprint of an lp record and the column is about a foot and a half total. The "suitcase enlargers" are huge and heavy and old. forget them. for light weight, get the teeny durst and travel with the head only--leave the baseboard and column at home--you can adapt the head to the tripod you're carrying and use the floor as a baseboard. So you're basically carring around something like another camera. Of course you need to carry processing equipment--trays and such--BUT you can use ziplock bags instead of trays--those can be bought on site. So just bringing chemicals--which may be problematic when travelling.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Thanks for the insightful responses. It’s not my intention to carry this enlarger with me to put it to use during my travels - so chemicals trays are not really my concern. It’s just that I’ve a chance to pick it up from someone in my upcoming travel and I’m evaluating whether it’s feasible and worth carrying it in my suitcase on the return flight to home. Hence I want to know the weight of the enlarger which I couldn’t find in its manual.

 

[MattKing]

It doesn't answer your question, but here is a link to the user manual: http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/durst/Durst_F30.pdf

 

[Arvee]

Too heavy for my 5# scale and too light for the bathroom scale which 'triggers' at a smidge over 9#. My guess: about 7-8#.

 

[MattKing]

Too heavy for my 5# scale and too light for the bathroom scale which 'triggers' at a smidge over 9#. My guess: about 7-8#.

Weigh yourself without the enlarger.
Then weigh yourself carrying the enlarger.
The difference will give you the answer.
Don't worry, you won't appear silly at all

 

[Arvee]

Why didn't I think of that??? 8.5# by my scale.

 

[grahamp]

The column with the head unscrewed and the head fit within the footprint of the baseboard (mine is packed in the original box). Apart from a suitable bulb and possibly a plug adapter, you should be good. 35mm only, and not a lot over 8x10 unless you find an extension bracket for the column. About a third of the weight is the baseboard.

 

[BradS]

Mine is in the original box too, it is definitely small enough to pack in a large-ish suitcase. It could be sent via USPS Priority mail for not a ton of money. I am an apartment dweller so it lives under the bathroom sink most of the time.

make sure to check the focus action before buying , if possible. The focus work with "friction" not gears and mine is ever so slightly worn out in the critical focus zone. Not really a big deal but annoying. It is a great enlarger!

 

[AgX]

The "suitcase enlargers" are huge and heavy and old. forget them. for light weight, get the teeny durst and travel with the head only--leave the baseboard and column at home--you can adapt the head to the tripod you're carrying and use the floor as a baseboard.

-) I got a soviet one. The complete suitcase weighs 9.5kg. There were different models, but that should give an idea.
-) I guess the most leightweight solution is the Durst Magico.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Thanks for all the responses. Encouraged by the feedback on Durst F30's weight and dimensions, I'll try to pick this enlarger up during my travel and bring it home.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

An update. I returned from my trip with a Durst F30 enlarger in my checkin suitcase. It hardly added 5 kg to the weight and was small enough to fit in the suitcase with my other stuff. I don't foresee a need in the future for myself to carry this enlarger with me during my trips but I was quite positively thrilled to return home this time with an enlarger!

 

[sissysphoto]

I'm unfamiliar with Durst enlargers. I wonder what the evenness of light coverage is on this F30 from center to corner. Lens nothwithstanding.

 

[grahamp]

It's a classic Durst condenser design. An opal enlarger bulb mounted vertically at the rear of the head in a white lamp space. The light travels horizontally to a mirror at the front, which directs the light down through a single condenser to a (in this case) glassless 35mm carrier. There is some vertical adjustment for the bulb.

 

[fdonadio]

An update. I returned from my trip with a Durst F30 enlarger in my checkin suitcase. It hardly added 5 kg to the weight and was small enough to fit in the suitcase with my other stuff.

Someday, I am going to try this with a 4x5 enlarger.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Someday, I am going to try this with a 4x5 enlarger.

Good luck!