I have a LPL 66-s II that is able to go to 6 x 6 however I am about to start using a 6x7 camera.
What enlargers are people using for B&W film for 6x7 film?
I'd go for a larger LPL with a VCCE head. I have or have had a D2V, Leitz V35 and a Besslar 23c and I like my LPL7700 VCCE the best by far. The universal glass carrier is particularly nice.
I used a Beseler 67C happily for decades. In the last couple of years of regular use I added a Beseler dichroic head which worked great.
I still have the Beseler and hope to set it up again in a two enlarger darkroom. But in the meantime, it has been supplanted by a 4x5 enlarger - an Omega D6 with a Multigrade head.
By the way, if you are looking at the LPL enlargers, it may help to note from the KHB link posted that they are badged differently in the USA (and possibly other locations).
PS For all posts that include questions about equipment or material choices, it will really help if you indicate your location in your APUG profile. Availability of used equipment varies considerably by location.
thanks for all the replies.
Size is not a massive issue, however price is. I will have a look out for these enlargers second hand and see if i can get a bargain.
I have a question, someone mentioned a 'multigrade head'. What is this?
Thanks.
A multigrade head is similar to a colour head, but instead of dial-in colour filters it has dial-in filters that control the contrast grade of multigrade printing paper.
These heads (at least the ones i know) use a diffuse lighting system, which produces images with a bit less 'bite' than condensor heads do. A matter of taste; i like condensor systems better.
In fact you have systems who are combining a condensor with a diffuse system:
Kaiser, Dunco, Kienzle. Sharp and less problems with dust.
Dunco has even a CVC system: Color + VC in one.
Or: Split Grade from Heiland. Two filters: 00 (Yellow) and 5 (Magenta). The amount time in both filters point out the exact gradation within 0,1 gradation acuracy. Also the glowing on and off of the bulb has been taken out. In one measurement exposure time and gradation around 98% score.
Save a lot of time and test stripes.
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Can be also equipped with high bright LED cold light source for the bigger formats: Dead Link Removed
I have D-2 and D-II. (Omega) It'll handle all medium size format easily. I bought my first one for $40 and got the second one for free. My free one required extensive rebuilding but first one only required cleaning. I still see one available for free to in low tens every now and then. If you are in US, you should be able to find these....
Here's the deal. I realize that the OP is not in the US so this may or may not be applicable; but for anyone in the same situation in the US, you really can't do much better than one of the Omega D series or Beseler 45 series enlargers overall. Parts are easily available and not too expensive. Build quality is good, and there is room to grow if you decide to move up to 4x5. In any case, either will do an admirable job with smaller formats. If you are partial to using diffusion type color heads, the Omega Chromega II lamp house works very well with variable contrast papers. Dichro heads are lss common for the Beseler 45 enlargers, but their condenser heads are top notch. I have one of each in my darkrom and I wouldn't trade them for anything - even the much ballyhooed Durst L200. I once had a chance to pick up one of those for next to nothing, and while the price was attractive, the thought of hunting down the extra bits and pieces I'd have needed put me off.
I have three 4x5 enlargers and two 6x7 but am still planning to buy the "ultimate" for "me" and 6x9 Kaiser and all the accessories. I like condenser enlagers and at $800 new the Kaiser is a very good deal and I like that they are so modular with such excellent parts costs.
You may wonder why with all these enlargers I want a new one. ( I have two Omega D2's an Omega 5Dxl with an Illford 500H head, an LPL 6700 dicro and an LPL 6700 variable contrast). Well it is for the future. I really like the simplicity of the D2 enlarger and I have a lot of accesories for it but to buy a few more would cost me an insane amount. To buy the Kaiser, where I know that it is as good quality wise as my LPL's and all the accesories that need to be included is cheaper than buying the extras I need for the other brands. I don't know why but Kaisers accesories are the most reasonable by a wide margin to any other - and the parts are NEW. I'm getting tired of hunting down parts at exhorbitant rates. I also don't like the crude nature of most of my enlargers. The Kaiser is like the LPL enlargers in that is is a smooth and well thought out piece of machinery. Smooth focus, cheap parts .... and NEW ... make the Kaiser and "no brainer" for me.
I have the LPL C7700 Pro with colour head and by taking out the neg masking things I can use it for 6x9 format as well -- a friend from a camera club was giving up his darkroom and he had the LPL with the 'condenser head' -- rare as Hen's Teeth and wanted to sell ALL his stuff for £150 but my wife forbad me to get any more darkroom stuff -- nowhere to put it -- and it all went to a photography Student who has never used it I bet !
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