Durst Modular 70 Vario - questions

[kal800]

Just received my new enlarger. Since I've got only manual for the main module, I have two questions:

1. Slider on the right hand side beneath the Vario module, but attached to the light source module - what is it for?
2. Button on the front of Vario module - does not do anything - what is it for?

Thanks

Kal

 

[RobC]

I think the slider you are refering to changes the mixing box from/to 135 format or 6x7 format.
The button on front is to switch the grade scale light on so you can see in the dark. I believe there is a battery for it inside the unit which may need replacing.
In daylight I doubt you would notice the scale light coming on as its very dim.

 

[kal800]

If I switch it towards myself, the box made of mirrors appears, if I switch it other way, the white glass comes.

How do I access battery inside the unit - do I need to disassembly that?

 

[RobC]

I have no idea. You'll have to look inside.

 

[Steve906]

If I switch it towards myself, the box made of mirrors appears, if I switch it other way, the white glass comes.

How do I access battery inside the unit - do I need to disassembly that?

It sounds the same as my colour module, small mirror box is for 35mm white glass is for 6x6/7 .
To change the battery remove the four small black x head screw to the front sides of the module, front should then just pull off.

Steve.

 

[kal800]

got it. thanks a lot - everything clear!

What about alignment? How can I make lens surface precisely parallel to the baseboard? Could you handle some kind of tutorial?

aa, one more - I've got "normal" Osram halogen bulb installed, while I saw Durst lamps available - is it worth to buy?

Kal

 

[RobC]

you buy one of these and follow their instructions

http://www.versalab.com/PARALLEL.html

 

[RobC]

aa, one more - I've got "normal" Osram halogen bulb installed, while I saw Durst lamps available - is it worth to buy?

Durst lamps were tested to check that element was centred and giving proper output. I don't think they have benn made for quite a few years.
They had a little purple patch marking on the back which fades after a bit of use so they could tell if people were claiming the bulb blew on first use.
If that purple patch isn't there when barand new it isn't a Durst tested bulb or has been used before.
Is it worth paying the xtra for an original? Only if the non original item isn't working properly.

 

[Steve906]

got it. thanks a lot - everything clear!

What about alignment? How can I make lens surface precisely parallel to the baseboard? Could you handle some kind of tutorial?

aa, one more - I've got "normal" Osram halogen bulb installed, while I saw Durst lamps available - is it worth to buy?

Kal

I would think for general use if all the tilt/shift adjustment are set to their middle positions things should be pretty parallel, IIRC there are small sprung balls within the lens board mount such that it tends to the 'level' position when the adjustment screw is loose, not so with the side to side shift but I just set mine so the metal each side aligns. other than that I'd say just take some test pictures of charts or anything with lines running across/vertical and see of they look focused across the image, if they're ok with the lens wide open there sure to be more than acceptable with the lens closed a bit. You could just look at the image of a cutout piece of paper or the mask in place of a negative. Unless you plan on doing highly technical type work just try and see if there's a problem before trying to fix it.

As for the bulb - mine still has the original after 20+ years of sporadic heavy/nil usage so they are good, but can't see why an enlarger that has variable light from an aperture closing only from the sides and filters only entering the light path from the top would need a particularly special centered bulb, and if doing colour the filters surely correct for that (it just means having to change corrections if the bulb is changed.

Hope this helps.
Steve.

 

[kal800]

Guys... another problem - I switched on the device and I saw that the light from the source is dimmed and is blinking. I could eliminate the problem by switching off and on the device, but next time I switched it off and on again (normal procedure when you work with darkroom timer), the problem occurred again.

Any ideas?