Enlarger alignment

yya · Jun 11, 2023

I recently updated my enlarger from the previous intrepid to kienzle

the alignment tool I bought from bh arrived today. I didn’t expect that I spent a whole day on alignment. I also encountered another thread with the same problem (https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/enlarger -alignment-what-is-good-enough.64977/)
This enlarger does not have any screws to adjust the film stage and lens stage, just like the durst l1200, all alignment depends on the precision of its own structure(but it's not a
highly calibrated scientific instrument） , I can only add shim where I need to adjust, the final effect is:

1. Film stage: There are two positions of maximum magnification and minimum magnification, as shown in pics

2. Lens stage: in the two positions of the closest focus and the farthest, as shown in pics

I don't know if most enlargers have such precision. After all, these machines do not have expensive manufacturing costs and manufacturing processes compared to CNC machine. anyway, I hope this is good enough for my enlarging needs.

grain elevator · Jun 11, 2023

I have similar issues with my Durst. I only have a temporary darkroom anyway and have to align it every time I set it up, and I try to do it for the magnification I will use. If your setup is permanent, you could try aligning for the highest magnification you use and see whether it's good enough at lower magnifications.

greg zinselmeier · Jun 11, 2023

Unless you have access to a machine shop or have your own Bridgeport, AND can design your own parts. You are at the mercy of “what is designed for you “ . An enlarger is an extremely simple concept to build. But, yes, the design will need the abilities to adjust for negative plane, and lens plane. Very similar to a large format camera. Essentially that is what an enlarger is , with the addition of a light source.

yya · Jun 11, 2023

grain elevator said:
I have similar issues with my Durst. I only have a temporary darkroom anyway and have to align it every time I set it up, and I try to do it for the magnification I will use. If your setup is permanent, you could try aligning for the highest magnification you use and see whether it's good enough at lower magnifications.

I have tried to use the maximum magnification to adjust and then check the minimum magnification, there is still a deviation, I think I use the baseboard for alignment, maybe the optical axis is not really perpendicular to the baseboard, when I put the easel on the baseboard, i adjust the easel so that the easel is truly perpendicular to the optical axis, and the picture you see is the final effect

yya · Jun 11, 2023

greg zinselmeier said:
Unless you have access to a machine shop or have your own Bridgeport, AND can design your own parts. You are at the mercy of “what is designed for you “ . An enlarger is an extremely simple concept to build. But, yes, the design will need the abilities to adjust for negative plane, and lens plane. Very similar to a large format camera. Essentially that is what an enlarger is , with the addition of a light source.

You're right, adjustable stages and an solid axis that doesn't change no matter how you move it sounds simple, but...

ic-racer · Jun 11, 2023

Alignment between the lens and glass carrier increases in importance as they get closer together (that is, as magnification increases)

I suspect your setup will be just fine for 4x5" film enlarging to the full size of your baseboard.

When I use my 4x5 enlarger for 16mm stills and 35mm roll film, I have separate lensboards that are shimmed with layers of tape to achieve perfect alignment with the glass carrier.

yya · Jun 11, 2023

ic-racer said:
Alignment between the lens and glass carrier increases in importance as they get closer together (that is, as magnification increases)

I suspect your setup will be just fine for 4x5" film enlarging to the full size of your baseboard.

When I use my 4x5 enlarger for 16mm stills and 35mm roll film, I have separate lensboards that are shimmed with layers of tape to achieve perfect alignment with the glass carrier.

Thanks!

Randy Stewart · Jul 6, 2023

Up-graded from intrepid to kienzle? That's like up-grading from a Yugo to a Ferrari. I can understand why you might be overly sensitive to alignment problems trying to use an Intrepid camera with adapter set up to make prints. Just make some prints on the Kienzle. Assuming it's properly set up, I doubt you will find any alignment problems. I've owned several Durst models over the years. As noted, the models above the consumer light-weights do have designed in mechanisms for alignment. That's because they normally do not need re-alignment. I did have a problem setting up my M800 years ago. I removed the standard baseboard and mounted the column directly to the very solid, built in table. After a few years, I checked the alignment, and it was "out". The problem turned out to be the table, not the Durst. Although the table is 1.5 inches thick, I discovered a void in the plywood core of the table top. When the enlarger was bolted to the table, over time, the void crushed and caused the column to shift off vertical.

yya · Jul 8, 2023

Randy Stewart said:
Up-graded from intrepid to kienzle? That's like up-grading from a Yugo to a Ferrari. I can understand why you might be overly sensitive to alignment problems trying to use an Intrepid camera with adapter set up to make prints. Just make some prints on the Kienzle. Assuming it's properly set up, I doubt you will find any alignment problems. I've owned several Durst models over the years. As noted, the models above the consumer light-weights do have designed in mechanisms for alignment. That's because they normally do not need re-alignment. I did have a problem setting up my M800 years ago. I removed the standard baseboard and mounted the column directly to the very solid, built in table. After a few years, I checked the alignment, and it was "out". The problem turned out to be the table, not the Durst. Although the table is 1.5 inches thick, I discovered a void in the plywood core of the table top. When the enlarger was bolted to the table, over time, the void crushed and caused the column to shift off vertical.

Hi Randy
Thanks for your help!

M Carter · Jul 13, 2023

I've found my Beseler MXT goes out of alignment when raised/lowered significantly, but the laser aligner takes seconds to use.

Two big tips though - ditch the rubber-bands-and-glass-slides for the lens stage; just get the proper sized UV filer for your lens, any used/cheap/scratched one will do, and make sure the glass is mounted tightly and not loose. Tape a scrap of paper to the inside and use it for aligning the lens.

#2 is buy or make an alignable lens board if your lens stage doesn't have adjustments. Here's a PDF I made explaining the build. It only requires some drilling.

Tom Taylor · Jul 13, 2023

Beseler's Lensboard Adapter Assembly was designed to address alignment issues with the lens stage. The one on mine was missing the 4 set screws and I ended-up getting a new Assembly from Beseler ($86.00) which corrected the problem to the extent that I no longer need the Besalign boards to tweak alignment which, I found, can be done using the 3 thumb screws on the plate. The new Assembly came with a different gasket than was installed which may have been a design improvement.

Charles O'Connor · Jan 14, 2024

I purchased a beseler vxl. Column is mounted to the baseboard slightly off so its not exactly parallel. Result it projects slight right. I tried loosening screws but there was no play. Is there another point to adjust this back to square?

Enlarger alignment

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