info on some enlargers/lenses I have picked up

a local guy around here ended up selling me a bunch of darkroom equipment for about $50 and I have no idea on how much they are worth or which has what advantages or anything like that with them. my wife wants me to start thinning the crowd here and so I was hoping you all might be able to help me out.

so far my main needs are B&W 35mm though I'm wanting to keep my options open with moving to color and also being able to do medium format as well.

have a bessler 45MCRX that has a standard condenser as well as a cold light head.

besler 67CP

Durst m 370 color

and an omega b600 which is what I have been using so far as it was already setup with the lens and I was lazy to find the lens and lensboard for the others.

is there really much of a difference between these other then the durst is obviously able to be used for color?



as far as lenses that I have there is a el-omegar 50 3.5 currently the lens I've been using as it was hooked up to the omega b600

a schneider-kreuzauch componon 135/5.6. this does not seem to be one of the componon-s lens though it does have a 16 blade iris and all black.

also a rodenstock omegaron 90 4.5

and a schneider kreuznach componar-c 50 2.8



so any idea on which of this equipment is worthwhile to keep and what the rough value of the items are? planning on moving here soon as we live in a hole and with a little munchkin would rather get out of here so hopefully will be using some of this money to help us out with that part.

also just made a quick run through and found a Durst TRA 305N which I have no idea what it is for. any clue there?

thank you all for the help here

All of it is top of the line gear. As to value- look what you paid for it. I'm sure the fellow you got it from feels lucky that he got anything for it. If you hit the right market, you might be able to sell it for somewhat more than you paid. I'm sure others will tell you that you hit the mother lode, but these are only worth what the market will bear. Keep it all, and use it.swap it for other items, or try to sell what you dont want. There are plenty of on-line sites to research what you have, just sit down and start googleing.

A lot of the equipment he was asking a lot more for on his ad but I think just the timing was too good ( I replied 10 min after he posted the ad) and so he just figured lets get rid of it. The stuff was donated to a school and they use digital not film anymore and so the big guys wanted the stuff gone and so I was the one who ended just being in the right spot I guess.

tried searching a bit online but really have no idea on any of this equipment as far as whats good what isn't what is for what or anything. digital user wanting to try the old ways.

It's worth about the cost of shipping to wherever it needs to be, unfortunately. I'll take the Beseler 45 off your hands if you like

Seems like its all good usable stuff for someone starting out. The TRA is likely the transformer for the Durst. I'd keep the Durst and the Beseler 45 and the componon 135. Sell the rest for $50 if you can.

The Beseler is a do-it-all machine, if you ever want to go to 4X5 or MF it will handle it. Keep the negative carriers and lens boards too, they have cost you nothing and would run $10-$20 each to replace.
If you think you may want to do color, keep the Durst too but again, keep all the accessories with it some of those are very hard to find in the US.

Everyone is going to have a different view on what is good. First clue although not always accurate, is what it cost new. The Beseler 45 is without a doubt, the best enlarger of the lot. Most of the lens are so so, perhaps the a Schneider-Kreuzauch Componon 135/5.6 is the best. I would keep all the lens, except the Omegar 50, until I found a need and budget to upgrade them.

Worth? Low to nothing, depending on where you live. In large metro areas in the US, quality equipment is either being given away, or sold for almost nothing.

You might keep the Durst with color head to see if you want to do color. If you do, then you may want to get a color head for the Beseler 45.

Overall, you got a good deal but its a crap shoot whether you can sell any for a profit. Good Luck

The Beseler enlarger is a keeper; you might someday decide that you want to try 4x5.

keep...

keep the omega 600
it is capable of doing 6x6
replace the omegar with nikkor
chromega kit is available to do color
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Replace the El-Omegaron with the Schneider Kreuznach Componar-c 50 2.8. I believe that will be a better lens. Good luck with the rest of it!

Vaughn

Looking at the posts above, the answer is apparent: you have to keep all the enlargers. But you do say you want to sell what you don't need.

You don't say where you're located but assume that all will be very difficult to sell (that's why you got them so cheap - a great deal by the way). You also don't say what carriers came with each enlarger; that could impact the decision.

The Beseler 45 is the most versatile and (I think) most salable. It's the one I'd keep but, if space is an issue or you want to free up some cash, it's one you may want to sell. The Durst is 35mm only (I think) so doesn't give you the option of medium format. The Omega is a basic enlarger.

So my first choice to keep would be the Beseler 45, followed by the Beseler 67cp.

As to lenses, sell the Componon 135 IF you don't plan to do 4x5. Keep the Componar and Omegaron - they aren't bad and you can upgrade when you feel the need. You're covered for both 35mm and medium format. If the El Omegar has the jamb nut, that jamb nut is worth more than the lens.

The Durst TRA 305 is, I believe, a transformer used to power the Durst enlarger. It provides constant voltage for the color head.

it all came with lots of stuff that I'm still sorting through. so far I have 3 grain focusers, trays and bottles up the ying yang, more kodak indicator stop bath then I will ever use, a 3.5oz thing of arista premium film developer, two or three things of contrast filters, a multitude of color filters, negative cleaner, some sort of wash unit for film, a uniroller, 3 or 4 jobo tanks of various sizes with quite a few lids, 2 or 3 yankee tanks, prolly around 10-15reels mixed between plastic and metal, some vignetter piece for prints, I would guess around 5+ easles, some matting boards, 4-5 misc timers, a power regulator, atleast 5 safelights though not all are function and need some TLC, lots of thermometers, couple measuring cylinder things and honetly god knows what else. so as I'm sure you can understand my wife says I have too much. as far as the negative carriers the 45 has some sort of medium format (not sure on the exact size) as well as I believe 2 35mm carriers and maybe one 4x5. haven't verified on that though.
the bessler 67 has a 35mm carrier and some medium format carrier as well.
the omega b600 has just a 35mm carrier
the durst I'm not sure yet on what carriers come with it
also it's either for the bessler or the omega enlarger there is a carrier taht is smaller then 35mm and I'm not sure what size it is. maybe 110, but honestly I don't know as I'm don't know what other sizes there are that's smaller then 35mm.

maybe it would be best to put together kits if I decide to sell and just go that route as I have moer then enough to put together a couple dark rooms.

thank you all for the help though guys

also as far as location. near the boise idahoish area.

Even if you have to give it away the surplus you still got a good deal. The smaller items that can be mailed may be the easier to sell. In any case, have fun.

Pass what you don't need off to some poor struggling student..err, to some other poor struggling student..