Durst M670 light leak / reflection

[Jessestr]

Hi

I recently aquired a Durst M670 and what I noticed is that when I use my 80mm for MF enlargements I get these weird reflections at the side of my print, they go through the lens, because as I stop down they dim with the lens. If I pull out the negative carrier, it's still there and if I remove the head and shine in the bellows with a flashlight it appears on the baseboard.

It's not really annoying but, if I print 6x6 it is, cause it shines on the paper and thus exposes it. I exposed a print so you can see... I'm pretty sure it looks like reflections of the bellows. Happens with both my 80mm lenses... if I put a 50 on it, it disappears.

Any idea how to solve this?

 

[paul ron]

try looking up the enlarger using a mirror to see exactly whats leaking or reflecting?

internal reflections can be a few things.
your condensors are not adjusted for mf?
the rim of the negative opening needs flat black paint?
lens board leaking at the edges?

 

[Jessestr]

try looking up the enlarger using a mirror to see exactly whats leaking or reflecting?

internal reflections can be a few things.
your condensors are not adjusted for mf?
the rim of the negative opening needs flat black paint?
lens board leaking at the edges?

Hey! As said, everything above the bellows were removed and still got the problem if I shine with a flashlight in the bellows directly. So flashlight->bellows-> lens.

 

[MattKing]

I get something similar with my Omega D6 with an Ilford Multigrade 400 head.

I consider it a benefit .

This is from 35mm. I've surmised that it is reflection from the edge of the negative carrier.

 

[paul ron]

Hey! As said, everything above the bellows were removed and still got the problem if I shine with a flashlight in the bellows directly. So flashlight->bellows-> lens.

well i guess you know where the problem is, why bother asking for sugestions?

maybe its the flashlight.

 

[RobC]

maybe your easel is dirty. Someone drawing lines with a balck marker pen along the edge of the blades.

 

[Ian C]

The lens sees and projects the folds of the bellows. At the appropriate angle the light they reflect forms straight-line “hotspots” faithfully projected by the lens to the easel and baseboard. This has been seen many times on many different machines. We had a long thread about it in 2012:

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

 

[RobC]

juts a thought but when you print are you using a neg mask and are you also putting the neg holder adjustable blades in as far as you can without obscuring the negative? If not then try both at the same time.

Ooooops, I see you said you pulled out the neg carrier and they are still there so my comment above isn't relevant. So I'd guess its reflections from the Bellows then.

 

[Jessestr]

juts a thought but when you print are you using a neg mask and are you also putting the neg holder adjustable blades in as far as you can without obscuring the negative? If not then try both at the same time.

Ooooops, I see you said you pulled out the neg carrier and they are still there so my comment above isn't relevant. So I'd guess its reflections from the Bellows then.

yep.. any idea how to solve it? might just get another enlarger... any proposals for an enlarger up to 6x7?

 

[RobC]

paint inside of bellows with matt black paint or maybe black shoe polish. Just make sure whatever it is doesn't eat the bellows.

 

[MattKing]

yep.. any idea how to solve it?

Use your easel to make the reflections irrelevant.

 

[Jessestr]

Use your easel to make the reflections irrelevant.

Not possible. only if I print full page with small border, but with 6x6 prints... not doable

 

[MattKing]

Not possible. only if I print full page with small border, but with 6x6 prints... not doable

I have an two L shaped masks that I just pop on to my easel immediately before I expose the print.

If I am doing a bunch, I tape pieces of masking material to the arms.

Manilla envelopes work great as masking material.

 

[RobC]

or get some black velvet material which has sticky back and re-line inside of bellows with it.

 

[Jessestr]

paint inside of bellows with matt black paint or maybe black shoe polish. Just make sure whatever it is doesn't eat the bellows.

I bought some matt black paint today and giving this a try.