Found this paterson colour enlarger kit. (pics and questions inside)

[LewisGoldstone]

http://imgur.com/a/o2mMZ

Found at a charity shop claiming to be unused, not that it matters as it works. Couple of questions:
1) It comes with a 50mm f3.5 lens but i can't seem to get it to focus unless the enlarger is at its maximum height, which isn't practical for smaller prints and seems silly as it's the boxed lens.
2) Anyone have experience with the orbital print processor pictured? How does it compare with the fancier print processors often used for colour printing?
3) How long does unused colour paper last? I imagine it's well past its sell by date
4) The bulb, which is the one that it comes with, gets very hot within a short space of time, is this normal? Thanks in advance

 

[RauschenOderKorn]

1) There are two adjustments: one moving the entire enlarger head up and down for image size and one just moving the lens for focus.

2) Sorry, don't know this particular enlarger

3) You can never tell, you need to try. Probably it will only be good for creative processes. If you have never printed before, maybe you might want to try with fresh paper to rule out a possible interference.

4) Yes

 

[LewisGoldstone]

Thanks for the reply. There is a screw on part that the lens attaches to which can be seen in the 3rd image, this does allows the lens to focus however it feels very loose, fine adjustments are a bit difficult and is prone to movement. I'm hoping this isn't it. Am trying desperately to find a manual which you'd think Paterson would have an archive for

 

[paul_c5x4]

From what I recall of the Paterson enlarger, the lens sits in a helical focus mount. Twisting the larger flange, and the lens should move up and down. If it it loose, there may be a small grub screw in the side that can be adjusted.

As for the Orbital processor - I have a couple of them. Never used them for colour print development. For developing sheet film, they are well worth having (and can fetch a very good price on ebay).

 

[LewisGoldstone]

From what I can remember it doesn't have any obvious screws near the lens, will have to check once I'm back from work. Yeah, I was very surprised to see such a simple device being sold for near £100

 

[paul_c5x4]

A bit over the top for the enlarger. However, Paterson Orbitals go for £40 and up (generally in the £75-£100 bracket) depending on condition and base type. Motorised bases being preferred over manuals.

 

[John Koehrer]

Used or unused it's still a 35mm enlarger and they're asking too much for it.
Considering you're in Britain maybe not. Charity shops around here(Chicago suburbs) tend
to ask $10-$30 and so many darkroom accessory bits are pocket change. The orbital processor
is pretty expensive used and reselling it may give you a free darkroom or drop the price to
you to just a few Euros. If you do decide to resell it, don't forget packing & shipping cost too.

RE:focus. Even with a plastic helical there should be lubricant in there. Dry it will be very loose
it needs a light lube that the plastic will tolerate. With a few dabs(it's grease) not oil it should smooth
out & snug up.

 

[LewisGoldstone]

Used or unused it's still a 35mm enlarger and they're asking too much for it.
Considering you're in Britain maybe not. Charity shops around here(Chicago suburbs) tend
to ask $10-$30 and so many darkroom accessory bits are pocket change. The orbital processor
is pretty expensive used and reselling it may give you a free darkroom or drop the price to
you to just a few Euros. If you do decide to resell it, don't forget packing & shipping cost too.

RE:focus. Even with a plastic helical there should be lubricant in there. Dry it will be very loose
it needs a light lube that the plastic will tolerate. With a few dabs(it's grease) not oil it should smooth
out & snug up.

With the entire kit, orbital and system 4 included, I certainly hadn't thought I'd paid too much... I'll try the lubricant idea tonight, thanks

 

[John51]

I bought one of those new back in the day. It's an odd duck. Build quality that Chad Valley would be ashamed of but great for making smallish prints with multigrade paper. It's a condensor enlarger so you get the extra punch/contrast they give plus the easy peasy sliding filters.

For colour prints, imo it is a bust as RA4 printing usually has an excess contrast problem and a condensor enlarger just adds to that.

On the bright side, the orbital processor is worth what you paid for the entire package, or maybe more.

 

[LewisGoldstone]

I bought one of those new back in the day. It's an odd duck. Build quality that Chad Valley would be ashamed of but great for making smallish prints with multigrade paper. It's a condensor enlarger so you get the extra punch/contrast they give plus the easy peasy sliding filters.

For colour prints, imo it is a bust as RA4 printing usually has an excess contrast problem and a condensor enlarger just adds to that.

On the bright side, the orbital processor is worth what you paid for the entire package, or maybe more.

A bust?! Surely it's got to be acceptable for someone just starting out... So is there anyway to control contrast in colour printing? The only answer I can find is through graded papers and the developing times of the film itself, which doesn't sound very flexible

 

[John51]

There are no graded papers for RA4 colour printing. Also, colour negative film uses the C41 process which is a fixed development time. Controlling contrast with RA4 prints can be done but it is an advanced technique that involves copy negs from film with specific qualities.

Of course the enlarger is acceptable for starting out but starting out means getting to grips with B&W.

I did a 'completed listings' search on fleabay for the orbital processor. Wow! Did you get a bargain!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...or&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

A £100+ buy it now for the orbital, paper and coloured measuring cups will get you lots of fresh B&W film, paper and chemicals.

 

[chrisaisenbrey]

For colour prints, imo it is a bust as RA4 printing usually has an excess contrast problem and a condensor enlarger just adds to that.

Well most literature claims that the callier effect is barely present for dye films like C41. So no big change of contrast with a condensor… for C41.

 

[klownshed]

I did a 'completed listings' search on fleabay for the orbital processor. Wow! Did you get a bargain!

In that case I won't tell you how much I paid for a job lot that came with a boxed orbital processor! I still have it, but have never used it. I think I should sell it! ;-)

 

[LewisGoldstone]

There are no graded papers for RA4 colour printing. Also, colour negative film uses the C41 process which is a fixed development time. Controlling contrast with RA4 prints can be done but it is an advanced technique that involves copy negs from film with specific qualities.

Of course the enlarger is acceptable for starting out but starting out means getting to grips with B&W.

I did a 'completed listings' search on fleabay for the orbital processor. Wow! Did you get a bargain!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=paterson orbital processor&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

A £100+ buy it now for the orbital, paper and coloured measuring cups will get you lots of fresh B&W film, paper and chemicals.

I'd like to read up on that technique if you have any links? It's surprising how little information on colour printing exists out there.

TBH my better shots are with black and white anyway so it's likely I'll initially use the enlarger for making B&W prints anyway.

Tempting and as I'm just about to move out with little money, something worth considering, however it's also half price of a drum processor and is apparently economic on chemicals.

 

[paul_c5x4]

Having used a Jobo for colour prints (also economical with chemicals), I found it much easier to use open trays. Keeping the solutions at a high enough temperature was a problem as was working with the lights out. Neither were insurmountable problems.

The Orbital trays are well worth having if you ever want to process sheet film in daylight.

 

[AgX]

4) The bulb, which is the one that it comes with, gets very hot within a short space of time, is this normal? Thanks in advance

Incandescant lamps burn roughly at 2000°C. That heat must dissipate...
Anything in the range of household lamps (as an enlarger lamp) will thus get really hot.
Your enlarger is one of the most basic models.(except for those colour filters). Professional enlargers got a ventilator, some even an exhaust.

 

[John51]

Well most literature claims that the callier effect is barely present for dye films like C41. So no big change of contrast with a condensor… for C41.

Didn't know that about C41, will have to shoot some Ilford XP2 and check out the negs in my Durst colour and Zenith enlargers.

Lewis, the article I read on colour masking was by the late Barry Thornton. Easy to find his writings on the net but iirc the masking details were part of a longer article. He is well worth a read, whatever aspect of photography he was writing about.

 

[Harry Stevens]

I bought one of these Paterson C35 enlargers the other day for £18.00 (£8.00 of that amount was for 48 hour postage) I bought it because I can do 35mm without having to change the condenser,lens ect in my Durst F60 which is set for 6x6 negatives and also because it had basic inbuilt filters and they work surprisingly well on my Photospeed VC B&W (not tried Ilford yet). The base is lightweight but I found the enlarger is really light tight and the lens produces sharp prints on 7X5 paper at f5.6 and I like the way I can filter without getting them out of a Ilford cardboard box.

The filters for the Paterson on B&W paper according to Ilford are the Kodak settings, I don't like the plastic negative carrier or more to the point the way it slides in, the focus ring for the lens is just above the aperture focus ring, the main body is a basic push button move up and down type and works well,I believe in it's day the C35 enlarger won a design award.

I only own the enlarger(no kit) for basic B&W 35mm work and is a good entry level projector and cost me the same as a Chinese take away meal for two and both came delivered.
Still don't know if I can change the lens over and whether it as the 39mm thread ...

 

[paul ron]

nice beginners kit. Doesnt matter what you paid for it.. its how much pleasure you'll get from it that counts most.

Have you googled the model number of your enlarger to find the manual? I did a quick search n found this....

http://www.patersonphotographic.com/patersondarkroom.htm

enjoy!