Durst lab 1000 problems

[connie2]

Hi

I have a Durst lab 1000 to enable me to print multi format negatives and plates. I recently completed doing contact sheets for over 170 negatives and used my trusty focomat 1c to do this to enable me to select the negatives i wanted to enlarge as they are negatives which range from 40 to 75 years old.

So yetsrday went to use the durst on a plate negative i think about 2 1/4 by ?? and used a 75mm nikor lens. Tried 5.6, 4, 8 but the test strips were coming out really poor - too dark. Tonight i tried using my analyser pro to measure the exposure time but all that kept saying was LO. Help any suggestions?

 

[connie2]

p.s. the bulb is 150w

 

[Bob-D659]

What size of print, if the print is dark, go to f 8 or 11 or 16. Consider cutting your exposure time in half. Which head on the Durst? The 150 watt halogen bulb in the colour head is really bright.

 

[ic-racer]

You can probably stop that lens down to f11 or f16 without being bothered by diffraction.

 

[connie2]

its a black and white head the print was enlarged to postcard size

 

[Bob-D659]

Yes, that small a print size from a medium format neg will need almost sub 5 sec exposures at very small apertures.

 

[Renato Tonelli]

I have printed a lot very small prints (postcard size and smaller) where the enlarger head is very close to the easel.

I was able to print with a reasonable f/stop (f/8 or f11) and 10second exposures by using a longer focal length lens (105mm) to raise the head up a little and sometimes I had to use a neutral density filter above the negative stage.

If you decide to get a color head in the future, make sure it has a Density Filter channel - that way you will be able to dial in the neutral density to control the exposure.