Fujimoto Lucky P-35 Enlarger?

[Mike1970]

Hi everyone, I’m a new user and wondered if anyone had ever seen or heard of one of these enlargers.
I picked one up in a darkroom gear purchase yesterday and it looks like a really nice 35mm B&W Condenser enlarger, in great as-new condition still in its box.

I’m posting here as a google search session has resulted absolutely ZERO hits on this P-35 model. I guess I’m just wondering if there any manuals around for it and would like to know it’s age and any history. Quite the mystery really.
Here are some photos. Another reason for the query is that it only has the 35mm neg holder but in the future I would like to try some medium format and the box says it should up up to 6" x 6", so might be on the hunt at some stage for a larger holder.
Thanks for your time . Analog forever!

 

[MattKing]

Welcome to Photrio.
Here is another thread on what appears to be the same enlarger, with a colour head: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/fujimoto-enlarger-anyone-familiar-with-this-one.60440/
I believe that these enlargers were re-branded and sold under a number of names. So you may find what you are looking for with a different name attached to it.
My very first enlarger was somewhat similar - not remarkable in any particular way (I can't even remember its brand name) but it was easy to use and very functional with 35mm negatives. I replaced it with a larger Beseler when I started using medium format, but would have probably stayed with it for a lot longer if it had been medium format capable.

 

[jvo]

i have one in storage! a friend was getting rid of it - (retired to digital camera's!). I used it for some 35mm enlargements, it wasn't bad, but wasn't gonna replace my d2.

i do remember the 35mm negative holder and believe an insert popped out to enable medium format. i'll pull it down this week and see what i have.

jvo

 

[Mike1970]

Thanks James and Matt for taking the trouble to reply to my query.

It does appear to look very similar (almost identical in fact) in design to an LPL 66-SII or even the modern Paterson enlargers. The design looks fairly common for i'm guessing 1980's vintage lower-end B&W condenser enlargers.

In any case, i'm pretty happy with it and keen to start printing with it. It has everything I need to get started.
I'm a long-term photography enthusiast but just starting out in the darkroom. Never too late right?
I've paired it with a Rodenstock 50mm f2.8 lens so as soon as I get my paper and chemicals ordered, i'll be away.

Medium format neg carriers can wait until I get proficient at 35mm format printing. I might be ready to move up the quality scale to a bigger and better unit by then. Still, i'm grateful for any info that floats in.

Thanks again. Great community here

 

[Paul Howell]

I think you will be happy with your enlarger, remember as long as it is in alignment and you have a good lens you're good to go with 35mm. As long you are careful when printing not to bump the enlarger even an inexpensive enlarger with a decent lens can deliver good results. If you decide to move up to larger negative I would toss out the LPL 66, I have a 2 enlarger set up, my D3 for 6X9 and 4X5 and currently a LPL 6700 with color head for 35mm. I find it useful to be able to work on 2 different negatives in different formats at the same time, print a test stirp let it dry while working another negative.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

They are well made enlargers by Fujimoto. I have had a 4x5 version I picked up over there for 28 years.

 

[jvo]

finally got to it... no i don't have a 6x6 negative carrier, but i did fashion one out of plastic and printed a bit with it. i used a75mm or 80mm enlarging lens and achieved satisfying results enough to put it in storage - just in case! i pulled it down and it's clean and ready to go.. should my omega d II fail mel.

good luck with yours, i'm sure you'll enjoy it.

 

[Mike1970]

finally got to it... no i don't have a 6x6 negative carrier, but i did fashion one out of plastic and printed a bit with it. i used a75mm or 80mm enlarging lens and achieved satisfying results enough to put it in storage - just in case! i pulled it down and it's clean and ready to go.. should my omega d II fail mel.

good luck with yours, i'm sure you'll enjoy it.

That’s awesome, good to hear a bit of good old DIY McGyver-style mods can yield good results. I guess it’s a pretty simple mechanism, so good to know.