Enlarger Lamp Discontinuation?

[Stan160]

I have just been browsing the Silverprint site putting together an order and noticed that the section containing P3/3 and P3/4 lamps has a note "Severe deficit due to factory closure".

Although these lamps are currently still in stock elsewhere, once these stocks are depleted it may no longer be possible to obtain equivalent lamps. This concerns me, as the owner of two enlargers that require P3/4 lamps (annoyingly, one is BC, the other ES!).

I have only ever seen Philips branded lamps of this type. Does anyone know if it is true that the factory has closed, if Philips are switching production elsewhere, or if equivalent lamps are produced by another manufacturer.

Thanks,
Ian

 

[Clueless]

While you've given us the exact nomenclature it would be interesting to know for which enlargers are they?

 

[Jerevan]

It concerns any enlarger that is using E27 bulbs, from 75 watts and upwards, as it looks from the silverprint website. Which is pretty bad. I thought the halogen stuff would disappear first.

I have used normal lamp bulbs but that was in a pinch, testing out an old Leitz pre-Valoy enlarger. Not sure this would be useful for serious work, though.

 

[Stan160]

While you've given us the exact nomenclature it would be interesting to know for which enlargers are they?

A Meopta Opemus 6 and a Wasp 5x4, but as far as I know these lamps are common in many other makes and models of enlarger.

Ian

 

[Tony Egan]

Interestingly I was in New Zealand last week and a news report came on saying NZ was considering the banning of incandescent light bulbs just like Australia - well this was news to me but I Googled and found a reference in Wikipedia which means it must be true!! Apparently tungsten globes are being phased out by 2010 in favour of the more efficient mini-flourescent types as part of carbon-emission reduction programs. I trust that production of some specifically for photography will continue - no doubt at hugely inflated prices - or does this mean there is another product I will have to start hoarding? Or on the other does anyone know if the flouro-type lights can still do the job in an enlarger assuming they fit in the housing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb

 

[Andy K]

All the fluoro type bulbs I have seen are slow to switch on and take a couple of minutes to get to their maximum brightness. I think they would be useless in an enlarger unless the light was left on permanently and a timeable shutter system was incorporated between light and paper.

 

[pnance]

Andy K:

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[John Bartley]

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[Nick Zentena]

Omega used to make a head using a circular flourscent.

GE a week or two ago announced some sort of new super duper incandescent. Which they claim equals flourescent. Of course no idea what that means for the darkroom.

 

[haris]

If you talk about ordinary E27 opal photo bulb, check Hama, and I would check Osram too...

I buy my enlarger lamps in a way that I don't buy them in photo equipment store. I go in shop in which they sells lighning equipment, best specialized lightning store, not general store which have lightning departement. And see, if they sells for example Philips lightning equipment, take Philips catalogue and ask that store to order specific bulb for you. Or, check on internet at web site of lightning bulb manufacturer, write down model and product number of bulb, and ask in store to order bulb(s) for you.

If nothing help, buy ordinary haushold opal bulb with no writtings on glass part. If that doesnt help, buy ordinary clear glass bulb with no writting on glass part, and put paus paper or opal glass piece in enlargers filter drawer...

If nothing, buy colour head for your enlarger, do not use filters on head if you use graded papers or separate filters for variable contrast papers, halogen bulbs for colour heads are available... Yes, it is not condenser type, so contrast will be different, but...

And if you find bulb you search for, buy several pieces for future, don't save on them. Who knows could you find them next time...

I have one bulb in enlargers head, and one as separate (Hama, bought several years ago), and if find them, I would buy few pieces more, you never knows when you will need them...

Good luck

 

[haris]

Please check: http://www.prismaecat.lighting.philips.com/LightSite/Whirlwind.aspx?eca=LLPPLG&cpf=GBEREN&stg=ACT&lan=EN+&ecu=SPL|PHL|GX&cnt_key=XIPHOCRP+|PHL&t=1&tree=0&scr_md=1111&nav=Null&loc=Null&leftnav=2_1

And: http://www.prismaecat.lighting.philips.com/LightSite/Whirlwind.aspx?eca=LLPPLG&cpf=GBEREN&stg=ACT&lan=E+N+&ecu=SPL|PHL|GX&cnt_key=XIPHOCRP+|PHL|871150012562065+++&t=3&tree=0&scr_md=1111&leftnav=2_1&nav=Null&loc=Null

Philips Focusline Photocrescenta, from theire web site, one is with thread, other with "bayonet"

 

[Bob F.]

You can remove the writing from a normal frosted glass lamp using fine sandpaper (lightly!) but photo lamps usually have deeper frosting to avoid the risk of the filament appearing on the print. However, I did print on my old Meopta for a while using a sandpapered household lamp and it seemed to work fine, but I did normally have the frosted filter that came with it in the filter drawer so I'm not sure if it would work as well with a "pure" condenser system.

Cheers, Bob.

 

[Stan160]

Please check: http://www.prismaecat.lighting.philips.com/LightSite/Whirlwind.aspx?eca=LLPPLG&cpf=GBEREN&stg=ACT&lan=EN+&ecu=SPL|PHL|GX&cnt_key=XIPHOCRP+|PHL&t=1&tree=0&scr_md=1111&nav=Null&loc=Null&leftnav=2_1

And: http://www.prismaecat.lighting.philips.com/LightSite/Whirlwind.aspx?eca=LLPPLG&cpf=GBEREN&stg=ACT&lan=E+N+&ecu=SPL|PHL|GX&cnt_key=XIPHOCRP+|PHL|871150012562065+++&t=3&tree=0&scr_md=1111&leftnav=2_1&nav=Null&loc=Null

Philips Focusline Photocrescenta, from theire web site, one is with thread, other with "bayonet"

The second link takes me to a page with the message "Catalogue product is not available (anymore)"! Searching the Philips site for photocrescenta only returns the 75W lamp in the first link.

I have used the contact form on their site to ask about the status of the 150W lamps. Will post back when they reply.

Ian

 

[haris]

The second link takes me to a page with the message "Catalogue product is not available (anymore)"! Searching the Philips site for photocrescenta only returns the 75W lamp in the first link.

I have used the contact form on their site to ask about the status of the 150W lamps. Will post back when they reply.

Ian

Hmmm, I posted links at time when have them opened in my browser.. not important, from first link you can get to second, same lamp, first is threaded E27, second is with "bayonet"

By the way, when opened Philips site there was survey, so I told them thing or two regarding photo/enlarger/darkroom lamps in theire offering and theire treatment of photographers ...

On Osram site I couldn't find anything except HMI or like, no enlarger, no darkroom lamps I could find there...

 

[Donald Miller]

Durst discontinued sales of their Thorn lamps several years ago. At that time some found replacements but they were usually lower wattage than the original lamp.

I redesigned my lamp house on the Durst 138 S enlarger by using a much higher wattage projector lamp. (increased the lamp wattage from 200 to 1000 watts and the produced several distinct advantages to the original design.

The first advantage is that the new lamp can be used as everything from very near a point light source to a diffusion light source, should I wish. Additionally, the much shorter exposures times contribute to a much reduced chance of vibration in the enlarging process...I believe that this is one of the reasons that the prints thus produced are very sharp.

This required the installation of a new lamp socket bracket and lamp socket, the design and fabrication of a reflector assembly and also the installation of a fan to remove the increased heat load from the lamp house.

I have since built and sold several of these kits...with wattages from 650 to 1000 watts. I have utilized both 115 and 230 volt lamps for these retrofits (depending on the available voltage).

The point that I am trying to make is that just because something is no longer available, does not mean that something else could not work as well or even better.

 

[Woolliscroft]

I have had exactly the same trouble getting p3/3 es bulbs for my Durst M370BW. I eventually found some at Nova and bought 6 which should see me through a good few years. Silverprint told me last month that they had hopes of being able to get an equivalent elsewhere and that they would e.mail me if they succeeded, but I have heard nothing yet.

I have had no trouble at all getting halogen bulbs for my Meopta Maxnifax 4, but I have laid in a stash of these too, just in case.

David.

 

[Stan160]

Rumour Confirmation

I received a reply to my question to Philips today,

"Thank you for you question regarding the availability of lamp type P34.
Unfortunately the rumours that you have heard are correct. During the past 12 months we have implementing the phased closure of our incandescent factory in Weert, Holland.
Given the reduction in demand for these Photographic lamp types, we have taken the decision to stop the manufacture of this complete lamp family.
Manufacture on this range actually stopped in mid-summer 2006. However lamp type P34, we do still actually have some stock still available. Once it has gone it will not be replaced."

So there you have it. Unless another manufacturer is still producing equivalent lamps, and I have yet to find one, it's time to stock up.

Ian

 

[Paul Howell]

Although standard bulbs are likely to be avilable in the near future I just bought 6 spares for my Omega and found 2 halogen bulds from my Drust.

 

[ajuk]

Would an energy saving bulb not do less heat, less power and pretty well diffused.

 

[Larry Bullis]

Having run into this problem some time back, we've been using 211 bulbs in the durst M607's at school. They work ok, exposures are long, and they are a tight fit.

Dead Link Removed doesn't seem to work for me. I'd appreciate a PM from Donald Miller about this. I'm retiring and I'd like to leave the next person with some ideas, since I don't think they're going to be replacing equipment anytime soon.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

If you can tame the 'after-glow' after you cut the power, and if you diffuse it enough, it's possible.
I want to see LEDs. Green and blue ones, all in the same head. Now THAT would be neat!

Would an energy saving bulb not do less heat, less power and pretty well diffused.

 

[Trond]

Fotoimpex have lamps. Apparently handmade:
http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/fotola...e-150-watt-handgefertigt-made-in-germany.html

Phototec.de also have lamps available:
http://www.phototec.de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=820

Trond