How to use 8x10 view camera as an enlarger

I'm trying to get back into photography and on a whim bought an really nice 8x10 view camera and need to find out how to use it as an enlarger as well.

Essentially, where to buy or how to build a light head, etc. i'm a complete novice and need to re-learn developing film and printing. Charlie G 312.316.6339

Tall order, building out an enlarger from a view camera is possible, there are several ways to build a enlarger head to fit, what kind of light source are you thinking about, condenser, cold light, LED? If you find a copy of Ansel Adams The Negative, later editions he explains how he made an 8X10 or was it a 11X14 into 8X10 enlarger.

Thanks - i have no idea what type of source, i'm assuming the best one for BW film. i'll check out AA's book. i'm not sure what i'm going to shoot, it's going to be more of a past time...

Ansel used a huge horizontal enlarger for his 8x10 negs; there's a video somewhere on YT that shows it.

I haven't enlarged 8x10 for many years, but back when I did I used my 8x10 Deardorff with Schneider G-Claron 305mm as an enlarging lens. I custom built a back that replaces the normal back and a base for holding the camera and light source. The light was an Aristo 12x12 coldlight controlled with a Zone VI Compensating Metronome. I had a large(ish) metal and wood platform made by Ron Wisner that was mounted to the wall and the paper was held in place with magnets. I used graded enlarging paper. It all worked fairly well with the hardest thing being able to use a grain focuser to achieve critical focus; my arms were just slightly too short.

If I was inclined to set this up nowadays, I would probably build an LED lightsource allowing the use of VC papers. All the remaining parts could stay the same.

I heard a rumor some time ago that Intrepid was considering making enlarger pieces for their 8x10; I assume very similar to the one they make for 4x5. But, to date I've not heard anything further so this may have simply been a pipe dream.

Don't forget contact printing. The quality of a contact print is higher than that of an enlargement.

If you're a "complete novice", stick to making contact prints from your 8x10 negatives for a while. It's much easier to accomplish, cheaper, and as Mr. Lindan says, they can be very beautiful. Specifically, see the work of Edward Weston, who never enlarged his 8x10 negatives....

Build a box the size of the back of the 8x10 camera and about 6 inches deep. Install an LED array in the box. Remove the GG from the back and knock the dividing septum from a film holder. Mount the light box on the camera and mount the camera on a tripod or copy stand. It's not as easy as it sounds. I contact print my 8x10's.

I have an 8x10 Aristo Coldlight. I don't believe it has ever been used. I was going to adapt this to one of my Laborator 1000's, but came across a Durst 138 for $150 and converted it to 8x10. I would gladly give it to you if you pay shipping. I believe in paying it forward!

While I like 8x10 contact prints, 8x10 enlargements are also very nice! I am in NJ; I'll even give you a Laborator 1000 with a dichro head if you want to drive out. I need to get rid of stray enlargers. I hate the idea of scrapping them.

I would love to see Intrepid make a light source.

sunbeamland said:

While I like 8x10 contact prints, 8x10 enlargements are also very nice! I am in NJ; I'll even give you a Laborator 1000 with a dichro head if you want to drive out. I need to get rid of stray enlargers. I hate the idea of scrapping them.

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I love 8x10 contact prints too, but sometimes an image just cries out to be larger. Nowadays, I enlarge my 8x10 negs via the desktop.

Alan9940 said:

I love 8x10 contact prints too, but sometimes an image just cries out to be larger. Nowadays, I enlarge my 8x10 negs via the desktop.

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I have not done any hybrid with 8x10. I have the scanner, but I have reserved my 8x10 to pure analog. I do need to do some 8x10 scans for my own edification. Color for me is all digital or medium format negatives and scanned. I see no good reason to ever do RA-4 ever again. I just love black and white analog printing. But that damned Epson does an incredible job, I probably should do more large format with digital output. I am no snob; having the ability to combine analog and digital with such quality from my home was something I could have never dreamed of in the early nineties! I honestly still shoot mostly 6x6. I hope to change that this year.

Having the fortune to have an 8x10 enlarger does open up some cool possibilities; enlarged contact sheets is one. The luck I had in obtaining a Durst 138S within 10 miles from my home for $150 and getting a conversion kit for it for $800 put me in a truly magnificent enlarger for less than $1000. Those deals are getting harder to find but if you're patient...

It's one thing to turn a LF camera into an enlarger, it's another thing if you want to use the same camera to take pictures. If you like changing snow tires twice a year, it might not be a big deal.

xkaes said:

It's one thing to turn a LF camera into an enlarger, it's another thing if you want to use the same camera to take pictures. If you like changing snow tires twice a year, it might not be a big deal.

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It depends upon the camera. Most of their backs come off and you can easily make a separate back to attach. If you have ever seen a Graflarger...or an 8x10 version of what Intrepid sells for 4x5. Of course, a dedicated enlarger is better. Most commercially made 8x10 enlargers are so big that the issue of a place and moving them is a tremendous roadblock. I do not have enough ceiling height for a vertical 8x10; my converted Durst 138 just squeaks in the room! I never go bigger than 16x20. I could I guess if I projected horizontally.

MarkS said:

If you're a "complete novice", stick to making contact prints from your 8x10 negatives for a while. It's much easier to accomplish, cheaper, and as Mr. Lindan says, they can be very beautiful. Specifically, see the work of Edward Weston, who never enlarged his 8x10 negatives....

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Just found this interesting (and charming!) video of Weston in his darkroom, showing his workflow:

No matter if one uses a converted view camera or a dedicated 8x10 enlarger, the shortest distance between the negative and paper to focus an image will be 1200mm (with a normal lens). If one wants to make enlargements or reductions, the distance between negative and paper will increase from there.

Hi Charlie - I have exactly what you are wanting to do. It's much easier than people might think and works great. The main thing is to have a light source that will work for you. I was lucky and found a 10 x 10 cold light head from an old Durst enlarger on Ebay and it works great. Recommend you talk with Sunbeamland about his cold light head that he is offering. The camera I use is an old Kodak 8 x 10 2D and you don't need to make any modifications to it at all. Get an old wooden 8 x 10 film holder and cut out the internal septum just smaller than your film and it becomes your negative holder. With my cold light head, I didn't need the ground glass back so I just removed it from the camera. You'll need to make a base that the camera slides on. Mine is just a plywood sheet that hangs off the edge of the counter with a front piece that sits on the floor. I made a panel out of plywood that goes between the cold light head and the back of the camera to help with the seal between the two but I still get some light leaks. So, I just throw a big piece of red fabric over the top of everything and it takes care of that. The one thing that is important is that you need to be aware of the distance between the front of the camera and the wall where you will mount your enlarging paper. It can't be too far such that you when you look through your focusing scope you can still still reach the camera adjust the focus. I have two lenses I use - a 360 Rodenstock and a 240 Nikon (for big enlargements). These big lenses are not all that expensive when you can find them off of old process cameras. Feel free to PM me and I can send you more photos and answer questions.

Dan