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I need to learn about enlargers

I have had constant issues with poor connections in the electronics. There is an analog computer in this beast to set Mg, Cy and Yl filters. I do not do colour.

If the color heads works at all and the filters are not faded why not use the Mg and YI for VC paper?
 
Get something cheap/free first of criagslist and see if it's for you first. Figure out if you want to dish out the money/time/space to print first.

It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted in a machine to get to my current setup that I'm pretty happy with. You say you would like to get to 4x5, but those take up tons of space if you don't have a permanent darkroom it's not practical to drag in and out. I started out on an omega c700, very small and light and does up to 6x7. Gave it away when I got my Bessler 67xl which let me print bigger but I hated the neg carriers. After a year or so I got a lpl 670xl which was missing its base, I cannibalized the Bessler for its large baseboard to use it. I'm very happy with my lpl machine and do all my smaller format printing on it. I ended up finding a durst 4x5 pro when I went to 4x5, but it was also without baseboard but thankfully with the right condensers that I currently use for 6x9 and 4x5. It's been good, but parts such as negative carriers, lens boards, and long lenses etc have made it much more expensive and time consuming than it would have been if I got an omega d2 or something similar.

Build quality on both the durst and lpl are top notch. Had I had more money a dichronic lpl 4550 machine would have been my choice. Just more parts that are still sold and made new.

Other basics, trays, tongs, timers, grain finder, appropriate lenses for formats, safe lights, filters, and easels. Chemicals and papers.Think about how you will light proof the room. Get yourself a darkroom technique book there are tons if you don't have someone to show you the ropes in their darkroom. Good luck, a darkroom is a truly magical thing, I think you will enjoy yours very much.
 
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I do split grade printing. Rotating the filters cases too much vibration and the enlarger does not return to initial position. It makes images blurry.
 
Kilgallb said:
I do split grade printing. Rotating the filters cases too much vibration and the enlarger does not return to initial position. It makes images blurry.
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Doesn't happen on a professional enlarger. I've never had the issue on the LPL, Durst or De Vere. L
 
Focomat IIc - Negatives upto 6x9

Focomat V35 - 135 only.
 
Newt_on_Swings said:
Get something cheap/free first of criagslist and see if it's for you first. Figure out if you want to dish out the money/time/space to print first.
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I have $4000 worth of film cameras, and 7 full 3 ring binders full of negatives from the past 3 years shooting hundreds and hundreds of rolls of film. I *will* be printing these, no question about it.

Thanks for all the replies! Extremely helpful.
 
Kilgallb said:
If you buy an enlarger of About 1990 vintage realize the electronics are complex and it will be difficult to find someone who can fix it. It is way easier to fix the real old condenser type. If you have the money, buy new.
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I never heard of anybodt buying a new enlarger this side of 2000.used once are practicaly given away for picking them up but the good once are already gone.See if you can find a Durst L1200.It does all formats and are build like a tank.I paid $8,000 for mine and wasn't able to recoup half of that.
 
BTW with regard to the comments about the Beseler dichroic head 'with poor connections in the electronics', there are at least two versions of the Dichroic S head...one which is simple electrically, and the other which is 'computerized'.
 
Lucky you!

Sounds like you will benefit greatly if you spend a weekend with darkroom professional once you are back in US and get the darkroom alphabet front and center along the equipment fundamentals.

Since you've shot a couple hundred negs without making a single print, it's best to sample some negs with someone experienced who might be able to give you useful tips and save you boxes of paper, chemistry and time.

Getting a reliable enlarger from a brand with easily obtainable parts in US is more important than picking some of the elite exotics and then figuring out how to supply parts for it when needed.

Good luck!
 
georg16nik said:
Getting a reliable enlarger from a brand with easily obtainable parts in US is more important than picking some of the elite exotics and then figuring out how to supply parts for it when needed.
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+1

If you aren't buying new then this is very important.
 
Kienzle, Dunco, Kaiser, Beseler, Omega.., (more ?)

and I am pretty sure a few custom shops got the horses for new ones with exotic specs.
 
Just in case it isn't clear ....

I would strongly recommend that the OP actually work with an enlarger - of whatever sort - at least for a few times before an enlarger is purchased for long term use.

It is so much easier to discuss the pros and cons of various models if one has actually used one or two.

A night school class, a learning session in someone else's darkroom, any hands on experience will make a big difference in the choice.

And well I'm happy to support anyone's decision to buy new, I wouldn't suggest buying one's first enlarger new. With a very few, high end exceptions, a new enlarger will not be easy to sell for anything approaching its original cost. So start with something used that shares accessories with new models.
 
Matt's post overflows with good information and suggestions.



Ken
 

Hey that's great, I'm just saying some people just don't like the darkroom, be it too tedious, time consuming, or plain frustrating. Some people can't even be around the chemicals or their smells. Other people find a hybrid workflow easier, such as in terms of spotting or toning, when doing it traditionally it can be a hair pulling experience. Remember there have been many pros that don't do any printing work themselves and hand it off to a darkroom print master they work well with. Go check out a community darkroom, try it, see their setups, then commit.
 
Kilgallb said:
I do split grade printing. Rotating the filters cases too much vibration and the enlarger does not return to initial position. It makes images blurry.
Click to expand...

That does not happen to Omega D5 and D6 enlargers. Large heavy enlargers stay put.
 
Newt_on_Swings said:
Hey that's great, I'm just saying some people just don't like the darkroom, be it too tedious, time consuming, or plain frustrating. Some people can't even be around the chemicals or their smells.
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Well, I'm a graduate degreed chemist, working full time as a chemist in a lab...with chemicals....

Still, I get your points.
 

Negatives tend to develop a curve in storage. The degree of curvature depends partly on humidity. If the sheets alternately contain negatives facing front and back, and the sheets are fairly well packed in the binders, this curvature is mostly neutralized. One of the downsides of this unconventional storage is a tendency for the negatives to fall out of the sheets, since there is little or no curvature to hold them snugly in place.
 
RalphLambrecht said:
who even sells new enlargers these days?:confused:
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Add to the listing above:

Dunco

and Durst-USA (refurbished ones)


Thus 8 brands.

But to be fair, the question was "sells" not "offers".
And Kaiser went to Photokina in 2012 without showing any of their lab products.
Though Kienzle confirmed actual sales.
 
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RalphLambrecht said:
who even sells new enlargers these days?:confused:
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Sometimes buying second hand gear is not as straightforward as we might think. Some people prefer to buy new stuff and pay more because they don't have the time, knowledge, energy or desire to make sure that fantastic offer is in fact fantastic.

I suppose that is more or less why many people prefer to buy, for example, new cars.
 
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