Durst M605 w/color head

Hi,
I'm new to photography and have nearchive/index.php/f-43.htmlver developed my own pictures before. I'd mentioned to my wife that I've always wanted to have my own dark room so she bought me a used dark-room kit off EBAY along with a Durst M605 enlarger w/color head for around $50 +S&H. Not knowing too much about this stuff I fumbled around and put it together to discover that it would not turn on. I found that the lamp was jammed in incorrectly where the color filters are, and with a few hours and perseverance I managed to get it free. The lamp has a slight fogginess on its tip so I'm assuming it's burnt out. So the problem is probably the bulb (anyone know where I can get one? it's a 100w 12v tungsten/halogen bulb), and possibly the transformer. I've read people mentioning that the transformer makes a noise when it's plugged in. Is that true? I can't find my multimeter to test it, so I'm going to buy one in a few days, but any suggestions are appreciated.
Also I noticed that (according to the picture in the manual) there is supposed to be a red filter attached to the bottom of the enlarger, but my enlarger didn't come with it. Does anyone know where I can get one of these?
After some more looking through the manual I found that I need a 50mm lens to process 35mm film, but it came with an 80mm lens. I figure I need to get a 50mm lens too now. So with all of this said, I'm not sure where to go to get these extra parts?
Thanks, and I apologize for any noobiness.

Shawn

You can find the lamp available. Do an online search for lamp resellers, there was one in upstate NY who stocked that bulb. I believe it's original use was in the medical field. It's name was something similar to PNC or PSC or something similar. Yes the transformer does hum when electric is supplied. I use one of those strips with the switch on it as a master switch. Once you get it running it's a pretty good unit. You should be quite happy with it. Check the fuses, as the fuse holders are sometimes problematic. I know someone who took them out and put in new fuse holders from Radio Shack so he wouldn't have any problems. A 50mm lens should be easy to come by. You can use the 80mm lens until you get one though.

rogue780 said:

she bought me a used dark-room kit off EBAY along with a Durst M605 enlarger w/color head for around $50 +S&H....The lamp has a slight fogginess on its tip so I'm assuming it's burnt out. So the problem is probably the bulb (anyone know where I can get one? it's a 100w 12v tungsten/halogen bulb), and possibly the transformer.

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I'm not familiar with the Durst M605 specifically, but there are lots of sources for bulbs. B&H and Freestyle both have selections of common enlarger bulbs. You can also try lighting supply outfits, such as Bulb Connection or Atlanta Light Bulbs (I bought bulbs for my Philips PCS150 from the latter a few months ago). If you can find a bulb part number printed on the old bulb or in the manual, a Web search is likely to turn up more suppliers.

Also I noticed that (according to the picture in the manual) there is supposed to be a red filter attached to the bottom of the enlarger, but my enlarger didn't come with it. Does anyone know where I can get one of these?

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I've bought two used enlargers on eBay, and both were missing the red filter. I can only assume that most people consider them useless, remove them, and then can't find them when they sell the enlargers. The red under-lens filter is used to enable you to position your paper without exposing it. Personally, I just do this with a scrap piece of paper and regular light. I then turn off the enlarger's light, remove the scrap paper, position the unexposed paper in its place, and expose it.

That said, you might be able to find something at B&H or some other photo retailer. Even if you can't find something for your specific model, something for another model might work, perhaps with some jury-rigging.

After some more looking through the manual I found that I need a 50mm lens to process 35mm film, but it came with an 80mm lens. I figure I need to get a 50mm lens too now. So with all of this said, I'm not sure where to go to get these extra parts?

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You can use an 80mm lens to enlarge 35mm negatives, but you'll need to raise the head of the enlarger higher than would be necessary with a 50mm lens. Depending on the lenses, your prints might be slightly less sharp, too.

You can buy new lenses from B&H, Freestyle, or other such places; however, excellent enlarging lenses are selling for a pittance on eBay. The best of the common ones are the Nikon EL-Nikkor f/2.8 (but not the f/4, which is a cheaper 4-element design; see below), the Rodenstock Rodagon f/2.8, and the Schneider Componon f/2.8. Certain models from Fuji (the EP and EX, IIRC) and others are in the same league, but are less common. A quick check on eBay shows 6-element 50mm enlarger lenses are going for $25-$100, with occasional unsold items or sub-$25 auctions. Note that many manufacturers sell cheaper 4-element designs as well as better and more expensive 6-element designs. Many manufacturers use names that end in "-ar" for the former and "-on" for the latter, but that practice isn't universal -- neither Nikon nor Fuji uses this naming convention, for instance. The point being to look for a 6-element lens, with an "-on" name being one way to spot them. In the used market, the price difference is pretty small, so unless you're desperate to save money there's no reason to go for a 4-element lens. (If you do happen to be desperate for cash, I've got a spare 4-element 50mm lens I could send to you for the cost of shipping. As 4-element lenses go it's decent.)

Best of luck getting your darkroom going!

more..

Well I found new bulb online, and I'm looking at a NIKON EL NIKKOR 50MM 2.8 ENLARGER LENS on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-EL-NIKKOR...ryZ29986QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem).
if I get that I'll need to get a lens board too. I'm not sure which one to get. I keep finding ones for 39mm and 25mm lens boards...which do I need? Should I get a sixpla or a sixtub? is there anything else that I'll need? Sorry if these are stupid questions

rogue780 said:

Well I found new bulb online, and I'm looking at a NIKON EL NIKKOR 50MM 2.8 ENLARGER LENS on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-EL-NIKKOR...ryZ29986QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem).

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That looks OK to me, with the big caveat that it's hard to tell the quality of a lens from an eBay ad. I might personally hold out for something that's a little less expensive, but $45 (or $49 if you use "buy it now") plus $10 shipping isn't ridiculous.

if I get that I'll need to get a lens board too. I'm not sure which one to get. I keep finding ones for 39mm and 25mm lens boards...which do I need? Should I get a sixpla or a sixtub? is there anything else that I'll need? Sorry if these are stupid questions

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Again, my lack of familiarity with the Durst M605 may be an impediment, but: You may be able to use the lens board you've already got. A lens board is just a part to which you mount the lens, and which in turn mounts to the enlarger. Most enlarger lenses have 39mm threads, so most enlarger lenses will mount to any lens board with a 39mm opening. If your current 80mm lens unscrews from the enlarger/lens board you've got (that is, if it's not stuck or glued in place), and if it's got a 39mm thread, a new lens with a 39mm thread will fit it.

The big question is whether your enlarger was designed to require different lens boards for lenses of different focal length. Sometimes an enlarger's bellows has a limited range, requiring a lens board that puts the lens closer to or further from the negative for different focal lengths. My own enlarger (a Philips PCS130) has a lens board that can be flipped to achieve this goal. Somebody with specific knowledge of the M605 might chime in, or you might find clues in your manual.

The Nikon most likely is 39mm. I guess it's possible it's smaller but highly unlikely. Take the time to quiz the seller about the rear mount. It's a good chance to get a feel for the seller.

I don't remember the Durst lens board naming convention. IIRC some models are plastic some metal. I'd lean toward the metal. I'd expect you need a flat board with that enlarger but we need a 605 user.

I have an M605 with a color head - it's a good model (though mine hasn't been free of problems). Anyway, I use the 39 mm Sixtub recessed lensboard for 50mm and 80mm enlarging lenses. I don't have a Sixpla. It's intended for longer lenses, and I don't think it will work with a 50 mm lens. My Sixtub is plastic, but sturdy, and the material is unlikely to cause problems.

I've got an M605, and absolutely love using it. I can't really imagine a better medium format enlarger. The glass negative carrier (SIRIONEG) is a wonderful piece of engineering. I've been printing holga negs all day, and being able to include the whole rebate really sells the image...

At any rate, the big drawback is accessories, and the bloody naming convention Durst uses. For my 50mm lens, I use the SIRIOTUB mount. For 80mm I use the SIRIOPLA. They're both plastic. I've seen metal ones, but don't know the names for them.

The transformer that came with mine is for Europe, and it is called the DURSTRA 35. It doesn't make any noise. It also acts as a stabilizer, and works well.

I'm not at my normal PC, but if you want, I've got a PDF manual somewhere that lists a lot of the accessories and their names. I could email it your way. I downloaded it in the past year or so, so you could always do a search online for it...

Good luck,

The glass carrier works fine for me now, but it hasn't always been that way: I used to get Newton rings with the glass and buckled negs with the glass removed. I had Focal Point in Florida cut me some anti-Newton glass that I use on top, with no glass underneath. Sharpness-wise, it works so well that I don't have to refocus from negative to negative, but occasionally the print picks up the pattern from the AN glass.

I find I get heaps of newton rings with 35mm - and I lost my glassless inserts in a move. But I never have a problem with rings when printing 120 film. I'm not sure why that is!

I was also getting the Newton rings with 35 mm - haven't tried the plain glass with 120.

rogue780 said:

Also I noticed that (according to the picture in the manual) there is supposed to be a red filter attached to the bottom of the enlarger, but my enlarger didn't come with it. Does anyone know where I can get one of these?

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Are you going to print color or b&w (or both)? The red filter is only for b&w printing, and has no use for color printing.

max_ebb said:

Are you going to print color or b&w (or both)? The red filter is only for b&w printing, and has no use for color printing.

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I'm only going to be printing b&w

If the lens stage is built like my Durst 601, there is a hole where the support shaft for the red filter goes, you will need to cover it with some black tape, or plug it somehow. Othewise the light coming through there will fog your paper.

No noise with my transformer either. Try 35mm without glass in the neg carrier. I have never bothered with glass and the prints still look sharp at up to 8x10( my biggest) at least.

The bulb has a small flat piece on the rim of the reflector which should be at the bottom. It needs to sit evenly in a slightly recessed rim into which it is placed otherwise one side can easily slip into the hole into which it fits and it will then be at an angle.

If you replace the bulb then try and clean out the holes in the ceramic holder into which the bulb's two prongs fit. Use either a large needle or better still a very small round file. The inside of the ceramic holder's holes can build up material caused by electrical arcing when the bulb is switched on. This will eventually interfere with the electrical transmission and the bulb will appear to dim and then brighten during exposure, giving you exposure problems.

Even with the need for a transformer and bulb, if everything else works fine then at the equivalent of 25 pounds sterling you have a bargain.

pentaxuser

Durst still provides some M605 parts at their online shop under the M670 product category. Many of the parts for the M605 and M670 are interchangeable (i.e. transformers, negative carriers, lensboards, bulbs):
Dead Link Removed

transformer noise

If the power supply contains a traditional transformer it will tend to hum/buzz with age. Transformers are usually constructed of wire windings on laminated metal cores. Over time the cores tend to de-laminate and the loose layers make noise, usually to the pitch of the 60Hz or 50Hz current in use. This should not present a problem.

Howdy ... do you still have a manual for that M605??? If so, could you email the "pdf" file to skiph1@gmail.com???
Thanks,
Skip Heine

I'm not at my normal PC, but if you want, I've got a PDF manual somewhere that lists a lot of the accessories and their names. I could email it your way. I downloaded it in the past year or so, so you could always do a search online for it...

Good luck,[/QUOTE]