Help, Ilford, my enlargers is not well.

Kilgallb · Aug 5, 2016

I have a Beseler color head made in 1989. i would say the design is even older. It is unreliable and a pain to maintain. Many parts are no longer available. I am sure many others have the same issue. It will not last much longer.

I would think for those of us doing black and white only that a cheap replacement light source that fits on Beseler, Durst and Omega enlargers would be an interesting product.

An entire LED backlight for a big screen TV cost under $50 cost of goods sold. So it should be possible to build an enlargers light system to adapt to old enlargers for about $100 CoGS. That would make a cost to us of about $200.

I think it would be in the best interests of Ilford to develop a LED replacement light and diffuser that fits into existing enlargers. Why? When my Beseler dies, my silver printing days are over. I am sure others are in the same situation.

Sirius Glass · Aug 5, 2016

Why are you picking on Ilford? They do not build enlargers. Check out companies that build enlargers or look for a used replacement.

DREW WILEY · Aug 5, 2016

There are hundreds of good used enlargers around, many for free. Beseler colorheads are common. No need for an LED source unless you just want
an interesting project that probably won't turn out quite right anyway.

Kilgallb · Aug 5, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
Why are you picking on Ilford? They do not build enlargers. Check out companies that build enlargers or look for a used replacement.

There is no economic incentive for Beseler or others to do this. I called and wrote to,Beseler and did not even get a reply. I even put a post in here asking for schematics to help my self and got 80+ views and no replies. If our enlargers fail to operate we will stop buying paper and film. That is why I suggest there is a great incentive to for Ilford to do this.

Replacements on eBay are just as unreliable and shipping is way too expensive. Everything on eBay is old technology.

I am not picking on Ilford, they are a great company, I am simply putting out there a product suggestion.

tedr1 · Aug 5, 2016

I have found the Ilford filter method worked well, in my case above the negative using a drawer in the lamphouse, this is a very simple system and inexpensive, perhaps your enlarger can be fitted with a head that has a filter drawer?

PS LED displays in things like TV sets are inexpensive because they are made in large quantities on production assembly lines that cost millions of dollars. An LED lamphouse for an enlarger is a completely different proposition and doesn't have the same advantage of being made in large quantities.

Sirius Glass · Aug 5, 2016

This might help:

https://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/accessories.html#Graflarger

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

MattKing · Aug 5, 2016

Ilford used to make excellent light sources for enlargers - the Multigrade line. Harman still has some documentation for them on their Ilford website. I have one of the earliest models - the 400 - on my Omega D6.

There are still a fair number in use, and they do appear on the used market.

Ronald Moravec · Aug 5, 2016

I always suggest people use an enlarger that takes a common bulb or you buy up a supply now . Ph111 or 211 for Omegas. Roscoe green and blue filters for theater lights to control contrast. Leica V35 bulbs are put away , 12 or 16 I think.

Frank53 · Aug 6, 2016

michael_r said:
Heiland Electronic makes LED light sources for a wide variety of enlargers. However they are very expensive.

There is a difference between expensive and a lot of money.
The Heiland stuff costs a lot of money, but offers a lot for that money.
Regards,
Frank

paul_c5x4 · Aug 6, 2016

It is also worth having a look at http://www.modernenlargerlamps.com - Although their products are aimed at Omega enlargers, they do mention doing one for Beseler if there is demand.

John51 · Aug 6, 2016

A quick google told me that a Beseler colour head uses a 85w 82v bulb. That's awkward.

If the electronics on my Durst ever dies, I'll run the 100w 12v halogen with a PC power supply. The later ones give enough current. Stabilised voltage too.

I bought an edison screw fitting 12w led bulb to try in my Zenith condensor enlarger. Can't see it working well but will try it just in case it is fit for purpose. Will make for a dirt cheap led head if it does.

paul ron · Aug 6, 2016

why not just slap a cold light on it?

I dont understand what the big deal is about this color head.

Kilgallb · Aug 6, 2016

paul_c5x4 said:
It is also worth having a look at http://www.modernenlargerlamps.com - Although their products are aimed at Omega enlargers, they do mention doing one for Beseler if there is demand.

This would work fine for me. It would not take much to adapt it to a Beseler.

As I do BW printing with under the lens filters I have no need for the colour settings.

Johnkpap · Aug 6, 2016

I think the best option would be a better Enlarger !!!

Go Here :- http://www.jollinger.com/photo/enlargers/guide-to-enlargers.htm
Have a read, workout what you want, work out a budget !!!

Start looking around, start by asking other photographers you may know they might just have one for Free or very close, try your local camera shop that stocks analogue gear, then try $Bay Ect !!

Good brands I have used are Durst, LPL, Omega and Kaiser ...just remember that some accessories are getting hard to find used so just make sure the important bits are there and that the enlarger uses a "Standard Easy to get bulb" colour heads normally use a Tungsten type lamp via a transformer. Standard Photocresenta bulbs are still available, my advice is to stockpile a few while you can still get them.

When you get your next enlarger you will feel much better, putting your old junker in the bin will help too

Johnkpap

Ai Print · Aug 6, 2016

Kilgallb said:
There is no economic incentive for Beseler or others to do this. I called and wrote to,Beseler and did not even get a reply. I even put a post in here asking for schematics to help my self and got 80+ views and no replies. If our enlargers fail to operate we will stop buying paper and film. That is why I suggest there is a great incentive to for Ilford to do this.

Replacements on eBay are just as unreliable and shipping is way too expensive. Everything on eBay is old technology.

I am not picking on Ilford, they are a great company, I am simply putting out there a product suggestion.

100% agreed. In the past I had said to Simon Galley several times that they really need to help create a spin-off company that would gather and restore enlargers that might otherwise go to the dump. At some point, these things will dry up and if someone has not innovated this forward, the market for silver gel papers and related items could shrink because there won't be the hardware to do it with.

I would not be so quick to take for granted that decent used enlargers, lenses, timers, light sources, etc. will always be available at the drop of a hat.

Arklatexian · Aug 7, 2016

paul_c5x4 said:
It is also worth having a look at http://www.modernenlargerlamps.com - Although their products are aimed at Omega enlargers, they do mention doing one for Beseler if there is demand.

I bought one of their heads for my Omega D11V and am very happy with it. Nice even light. Extremely long bulb life (uses several bulbs, not just one to create the light for the head) and I did not feel it was over-priced. For 4x5, they make three models. I bought the least expensive one. You(I would like to say y'all but everyone might not understand) might check them out.......Regards!

MartinP · Aug 7, 2016

Why use a colour-head to print black-and-white?

I'd suggest using a better quality enlarger, and/or a normal condenser-head that is simple and uses standard bulbs.

Edit, if the problem is the colour filters, don't use them. You can quite likely remove the parts from the head as all you need is a lamp (any halogen could work, with the right psu) and a mixing-chamber. Get contrast control with under-lens filters - even blue and green screw in filters would do the job, or Cokin-style filters.

darkroommike · Aug 7, 2016

MattKing said:
Ilford used to make excellent light sources for enlargers - the Multigrade line. Harman still has some documentation for them on their Ilford website. I have one of the earliest models - the 400 - on my Omega D6.

There are still a fair number in use, and they do appear on the used market.

The last Multigrade Head, the 600, is reputedly a Durst Optimo VC head. I have one, it's the "bee's knees".

RauschenOderKorn · Aug 8, 2016

My Enlargers are all in good shape and maintenance parts available, so I do not share your problem.

About your proposed solution: I am not sure what you are expecting, and why Ilford. LED Light sources are available from at least two sources (Heiland Electronis and ModernEnlargerLamps), at very different price and service levels. About Heiland Electronis, I can tell you that their products are worth every penny, so they are not expensive (while they do cost a lot of money). If you look at ModernEnlargerLamps, they are cheaper, but for the VC model you need an Iphone with the right version of IOS to function as controller. It does not work with newer version of IOS, and ModernEnlargerLamps blames it on IOS ...

If you expect an LED lightsource for your particular enlarger to be US$200 only, why don´t you try to build one DIY?
I am doing that for one of my enlargers, and my calculation looks like this right now:

New Lamp-mount: US$ 30 (laser cut steel)
High Power LED: US$ 25 (directly, from china)
Arduino Controller: US$ 40
4 Power Sources: US$ 30 (one per colour and one for the controller)
Rotary Controller / Cables / Display: US$ 75
Controller Housing: US$ 50 (laser cut Aluminium)

That leaves me with aprox. 250 US$ of material cost alone. To that, I would have to add the hours spent on thinking it up, doing research, building prototype, selecting parts, designing plate - housing - etc., coding the software (f-stop controller with Grade selection), and so on. From what I have done so far and what is missing still, I would expect to need in total about 100 hours. That is, without Tech Support, warranty, CE-conformity, ...

David Brown · Aug 8, 2016

Ai Print said:
100% agreed. In the past I had said to Simon Galley several times that they really need to help create a spin-off company that would gather and restore enlargers that might otherwise go to the dump. At some point, these things will dry up and if someone has not innovated this forward, the market for silver gel papers and related items could shrink because there won't be the hardware to do it with.

Like:

http://www.classic-enlargers.com

http://www.khbphotografix.com

Ai Print said:
I would not be so quick to take for granted that decent used enlargers, lenses, timers, light sources, etc. will always be available at the drop of a hat.

Someday, perhaps, but not today. I had accumulated 8 enlargers over the years and just recently decided that was about 5 or 6 too many. (I only use 2, and one of them infrequently) I had trouble selling them, and only got $80 for an Omega D5 with lens boards and several neg carriers. I had to give a Beseler 45MX away!

Locally, the Dallas Center for Photography is building a teaching darkroom. He has been able to buy 12-15 enlargers for next to nothing, and in fact, has had a few given to him! It may be different in other countries or other parts of the US, but here in North Texas there is a glut!

DREW WILEY · Aug 8, 2016

Colorheads are the easiest way to print VC black and white papers. You just dial in magenta versus yellow. And these things are abundant. No need
to reinvent the wheel or rob the bank.

paul ron · Aug 10, 2016

just as easy to insert VC filters instead of limping a lame horse around. Get a cold light n its done. alot cheaper than diy LEDs n adapters...etc.

Kilgallb · Aug 10, 2016

I never used the internal filters, the head moved too much when adjusting. I use no internal filters and before the lens Ilford filters.

For me, the move to a good diffusion enlarger made a big difference. The same enlarger platform with a reliable light source would be helpful.

DREW WILEY · Aug 11, 2016

If the thing is that rickety, why bother? Get a newer enlarger, complete with a modern light source. Entire truckloads of them have been hauled to the dump around here, whenever commercial labs go out of business - and I'm talking about pro enlargers that were originally very expensive,
yet still in completely usable condition. I was offered over twenty last year alone, but had space for only one, which originally cost over $20,000.00.
I realize that your're a distance away from the kind of big urban hubs where enlargers are still plentiful; but if something turned up in Seattle or
Victoria, it would make a nice excuse for a mini-vacation with a pickup.

Kilgallb · Aug 16, 2016

I tried to contact modern enlarger lamps but the web site appears offline.

Anyway, I managed to place an LED ceiling mount (pot light) on the top of the 4x5 mixing chamber by removing the lid with the sensor probe. The fixture I bought for $30 is the equivalent of a 100W lamp and it had a measured colour temperature of 3200K.

Tomorrow I will use a photodiode to measure uniformity and intensity.

Help, Ilford, my enlargers is not well.

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