Durst M605 query (replacement transformer and printing 6x7)

[ApMoore]

Hi folks.

I was recently gifted a Durst M605 which is in decent condition.

It has the colour head but is missing it's transformer, the original transformer is hard to come by but is there another I could use in it's place?

I also shoot 6x7 and this enlarger's maximum is 6x6. Does anyone know if there's a way to modify the M605 to accommodate the slightly larger 6x7?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[pentaxuser]

Good questions to which as a fellow M605 user I'd be interested in the answers as well. I imagine that in terms of 6x7 negs the problem might be the size of the light box which can be configured for 35 or 66 only.

Hopefully someone here knows enough to respond with the right info

pentaxuser

 

[bdial]

I replaced mine with a 12 volt transformer sold for powering low-voltage landscape lighting. There are a number of 12v LED lighting power supplies on the market that would likely work, as long as you get one that can handle the total wattage the bulb needs.

 

[quine666]

Ehrenreich made transformers for the Durst enlargers (in the US at least). These are often easier to come by than the Durst branded ones. Often listed as EPOI or EPI. Just check that the voltage and connectors are compatible.

 

[pentaxuser]

Can anyone provide an answer to the OP's second question of whether a 6x7 neg can be used and properly exposed with an appropriate Durst 6x7 neg mask and the light box which is for 66 negs or do you have to make your own mask and put up with some light fall-off at the edges?

pentaxuser

 

[Willyekerslike]

I hit this problem with Durst M605. I tried various things to get full coverage of a 6x7 negative. The thing that worked for me in the end was to buy a Durst M670 enlarger. The M670 appears on for sale faitly often here in the UK as a 35mm setup the problem is sourcing the condensers for 6x6 and the rarer one for 6x7. The later one can cost more then the enlarger these days.

 

[ApMoore]

I hit this problem with Durst M605. I tried various things to get full coverage of a 6x7 negative. The thing that worked for me in the end was to buy a Durst M670 enlarger. The M670 appears on for sale faitly often here in the UK as a 35mm setup the problem is sourcing the condensers for 6x6 and the rarer one for 6x7. The later one can cost more then the enlarger these days.

How close did you get in your experimentation in trying to get full coverage of 6x7 on your Durst M605?

Did you use a negative holder that could take 6x7 and the light coverage was not enough?

 

[ApMoore]

I replaced mine with a 12 volt transformer sold for powering low-voltage landscape lighting. There are a number of 12v LED lighting power supplies on the market that would likely work, as long as you get one that can handle the total wattage the bulb needs.

Do you think something along these lines would work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07JMTD78C/ref=sspa_mw_detail_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

If it were me I would stick with a bog-standard 220-24V transformer.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24v-5A-A...r-Elektronik-MNG-5-400-24-400VAC/114487479920
https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/triad-magnetics/VPS24-7300/237-1278-ND/666164

An LED supply may work just fine. A problem may be the inrush current of an incandescent lamp will trigger an LED supply's current limiter, that may or may not be a problem. With a plain-ole transformer these possible issues vanish and you get the ultimate in reliability with pretty much nothing to go wrong.

 

[wiltw]

Do you think something along these lines would work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07JMTD78C/ref=sspa_mw_detail_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you look at the original transformer, it will tell you

1. input voltage rating (e.g. 220-240VAC)
2. output voltage rating (e.g. 12VAC)
3. how much output Power it can supply (Joules/Watts)

You want to match #1 and #2, and #3 needs to match or exceed the Power of the origital. More power than original is OK, less power than original is risky.

 

[ruilourosa]

Sell 605 buy m70 or m805

M805 is very good!!!

 

[pentaxuser]

ApMoore it looks like you will have to give it a try using a 6x7 mask to get your second question answered. It is not impossible that after 3 days someone will still respond who has done exactly what you need to know about and can tell you what it was like but my experience is that on a busy forum such as Photrio, if the answers sought are not there after 3-4 days, they may not come

Let us know how it goes

pentaxuser

 

[MattKing]

Correct me if I am wrong.
Both the Durst M605 and Durst 670 can use the Unineg carrier.
To use the Unineg carrier, you need to add the inserts appropriate to your film.
There is a 6x7 insert available for use with the 670.
So if you have the Unineg, you just need to use it with the 6x7 insert in order to try out your enlarger with that size.
It is quite likely though that the corners at least of your negative won't be properly illuminated, because the M605 wasn't designed for that.

 

[MattiS]

Durst made a Vegacon 100 condenser for the M670 which at a first glace might very well fit the condenser fixing system of the M605. Several ebay offers list it for the M605, too.