Federal 450-CL Cold-Lite Enlarger

Sessions of Light

Member

Joined

Oct 5, 2008

Messages

101

Location

Green Bay

Format

Medium Format

• Feb 17, 2009

• #1

Just wondering if this Enlarger would be any good? It's in great shape, has a Rodenstock Rogonar-s 135mm f/4.5 lens on it. I would like to start printing my own B&W photos. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Nicholas Lindan

Advertiser

Advertiser

Joined

Sep 2, 2006

Messages

4,277

Location

Cleveland, Ohio

Format

Multi Format

• Feb 17, 2009

• #2

I would hold out for something better.

If it has the 'flying saucer' head then the chances are the warm-up cycle of the cold-light on this enlarger will drive you nuts.

 

OP

OP

Sessions of Light

Member

Joined

Oct 5, 2008

Messages

101

Location

Green Bay

Format

Medium Format

• Feb 17, 2009

• #3

Thanks, How long is the warm-up cycle typically?

 

athanasius80

Member

Joined

Dec 22, 2004

Messages

645

Location

Huntington B

Format

Multi Format

• Feb 17, 2009

• #4

I've got the same enlarger with a condenser and 75w bulb and its fine for what it is. Certainly not the most expensive, complex or exciting piece, but I like mine.

 

Nicholas Lindan

Advertiser

Advertiser

Joined

Sep 2, 2006

Messages

4,277

Location

Cleveland, Ohio

Format

Multi Format

• Feb 18, 2009

• #5

If it is the lamp house I am thinking of - similar to the Omegalite - it uses a circular household flourescent of the sort you might find in a kitchen ceiling lamp.

The warm up is like any other flourescent lamp. Takes a minute or so to get to full brightness. If you make sure the lamp is warmed up before you print things may be OK.

This lamphouse design is not used anymore because of this problem. The design does provide lots of very even light using a very low cost design, however.

 

ic-racer

Member

Joined

Feb 25, 2007

Messages

16,632

Location

USA

Format

Multi Format

• Feb 19, 2009

• #6

If you are industrious/adventurous you could try rigging up a heater for the head. My Aristo uses 4 power resistors shorted to the mains in series with a thermostat, thats the 'heater.' Mine came set around 36 C.

 

Anscojohn

Subscriber

Joined

Dec 31, 2006

Messages

2,704

Format

Medium Format

• Feb 19, 2009

• #7

Sessions of Light said:

Just wondering if this Enlarger would be any good? It's in great shape, has a Rodenstock Rogonar-s 135mm f/4.5 lens on it. I would like to start printing my own B&W photos. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Click to expand...

******
Well, the Rogonar is a decent-enough, four element enlarging lens. And sometimes single post enlargers like this can be converted into a copy stand. If you can get it cheaply enough, or at no cost, it will get you started.

 

fotch

Member

Joined

Mar 16, 2005

Messages

4,774

Location

SE WI- USA

Format

Multi Format

• Feb 19, 2009

• #8

How about leaving the lamp on and either rig a shutter or use a lens cap to control exposure. Any light leaks from the head would have to be covered.

 

rmolson

Member

Joined

Feb 23, 2006

Messages

327

Location

Mansfield Oh

Format

Medium Format

• Feb 20, 2009

• #9

I had an omega with an old omega cold light head and it was useless with filters for multigraded papers. Wrong spectrum

 

Besk

Member

Joined

Jul 30, 2005

Messages

593

Location

Southern USA

Format

Multi Format

• Feb 22, 2009

• #10

You can use the enlarger with graded papers. I purchased a Federal 450 one a year of so ago with the condenser head. I will be glad to sell you the condenser - cheap. If you are interested. My plans are to adapt a Aristo cold light head from a Omega D2 that I happen to own.

The enlarger is very compact and is so designed that it could be easily disasembled for storage where space is at a premium. That is it's main attribute, in my opinion.