Help with a new Beseler Dichro 45S

[mattk]

I recently upgraded an old 23C to a almost new 45MXT with the 45S Color head. If you could help with some questions I would appreciate it. I will only be printing B&W.

1) It has the 4x5 mixing chamber. How crucial is it to have the 6x7 and 35mm mixing chamber if I will be printing all those formats. What will I lose by always working with the 4x5 chamber.

2) The 23C was a condenser enlarger this is a diffuser. I understand contrast will be different--what else?

3) When using the CYM dials to change contrast, do I start with all 3 at 0 and then adjust according to what the paper instructions say?

4) The calibration thingy to show when the upper bellows is correctly set for the film format being prnted is gone. If I get a condenser mixing chamber, how do I set the bellows distance to match the format?

This thing is pristine--no nore cranks and wobbles like the old 23. Any other help you volunteer would be appreciated.

Matt

 

[PHOTOTONE]

If you just have the 4x5 chamber, you will be just fine for all formats. That is all I have, and I find that even printing 16x20 from 35mm is not difficult, or extremely long in exposure.

A diffuser type enlarger will lower contrast some, and more importantly, will almost eliminate dust spots from showing on your prints. Your spotting time will be radically reduced.

Yes, for contrast control with Polycontrast type paper, you start with all controls at Zero, then dial in the filtration specified by the paper for each contrast grade.

If you just use the diffusion head as it now is, you just leave the "calibration thingy" dialed all the way up, where the negative stage is closest to the light..for all sizes of film.

In my opinion, I would just use it "as is" and not get a condenser mixing chamber. You will be back to dust spotting of your prints of you put condensors in the light path....

 

[mattk]

Thanks Phototone. Now I have to find a 4x5 camera!

 

[Nick Zentena]

The only time I ever dream of a smaller mixing box is with really dense negatives. Even then it's not a big issue.

 

[davetravis]

Hi Matt,
Phototone is right on.
The first thing I did when I got my MXT was to remove the cover plates from the dichro head and throughly vacuum/clean all of the internal surfaces of accumulated dust. The fan blades also. That helped the airflow for cooling a great deal, and reduced vibration even more.
If the fine focus is a little stiff, you can remove the vinyl spacers along the track, and clean both surfaces, but don't use any oil! Just to minimize the potential lack of sharpness caused by the fan motor, I do all of the image setup with the fan on, then let the head cool a little, and actually expose without the fan going. Everything turns out tack sharp.
Good luck, and get some 4x's going!
DT

 

[frotog]

Make sure to keep the distances of the two upright rods the same otherwise you won't be able to maintain alignment through various height settings of the camera. You can adjust the height of these rods by screwing the rod in or out of the foot that is attached to the base of the enlarger. Beseler's specs for the inside angle of the rod and baseboard on the 45m enlargers is 82 degrees. Use a protractor and measure off the baseboard.
Unfortunately, mostly due to a zone vi/ansel adams/aristo negative campaign in the early eighties, condensers have gotten a very bad rap. If you want your print to translate the acutance and adjacency effects of your neg. to the greatest degree possible then there is no substitute for using the collimated light from a condenser lens. I like to use both collimated and diffuse light for enlarging, depends on the job. But 70% of the time I find myself using the condenser. Those who don't use it on account of the extra time spent spotting should consider cleaner working habits or digital ice.

 

[felipemorgan]

Hi Matt,
Phototone is right on.
The first thing I did when I got my MXT was to remove the cover plates from the dichro head and throughly vacuum/clean all of the internal surfaces of accumulated dust. The fan blades also. That helped the airflow for cooling a great deal, and reduced vibration even more.
If the fine focus is a little stiff, you can remove the vinyl spacers along the track, and clean both surfaces, but don't use any oil! Just to minimize the potential lack of sharpness caused by the fan motor, I do all of the image setup with the fan on, then let the head cool a little, and actually expose without the fan going. Everything turns out tack sharp.
Good luck, and get some 4x's going!
DT

I made an external cooling system for my Beseler 45S and wrote about it here: http://www.philipmorgan.net/?p=110

It works just as well as the internal fan but without any vibration.