It is my imagination that people want enlargers now?

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 11, 2019

I remember 10 years ago, there were a bunch of orphaned enlargers. Now Beseler 45MXT chassis are going for upwards of $800.

jvo · Mar 11, 2019

not just enlargers, but many things analog... don't think its a real increase in demand, simply to many people, (old and new to analog), chasing to little quality stuff.

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 11, 2019

jvo said:
not just enlargers, but many things analog... don't think its a real increase in demand, simply to many people, (old and new to analog), chasing to little quality stuff.

Good for me. I've been buying and collecting old junk 10 years ago. 6 years ago, I bought a beseler 45mxt, Zone IV 16x20 print washer, a Peak grain focuser and a supply of Oriental paper for $100. I also have various unwanted old cameras that I bought for cheap. I have a feeling it's been sold to "upgrade" to digital gear or upgrade their current digital gear. I thought I was just a junk collector.

Kawaiithulhu · Mar 12, 2019

Glad I got my D5 long before this trend >dodged a bullet<
On the good side, maybe there will be a market uptick for LED VC heads and prices will get low enough that I won't have to try and build one of my own =)

ic-racer · Mar 12, 2019

I helped a friend get into 4x5 in 2009. He found a free D3 Omega with 3 tracks and focus cones and I located a free Super Chromega II head and free Chromega power supply and matching timer on this and LF forum. He also found on e-bay an unused old-stock Jobo CPP2 that had no spigot for $600. The Jobo was from the 1990s with the old motor but it really was unused, when I put the spigot on it it looked as if water had never been in it...that makes sense because it had no spigot!!

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 12, 2019

Kawaiithulhu said:
Glad I got my D5 long before this trend >dodged a bullet<
On the good side, maybe there will be a market uptick for LED VC heads and prices will get low enough that I won't have to try and build one of my own =)

Good for you! you sound like a tinkerer. I plan to do the same. I'm not too motivated because my (30 year old) Beseler Dichro 45S is still working. I used it for years mostly for black and white printing. I used the filters to change contrast. I stop using it because I use Ilford MG filters to do split grade printing. When the head dies, I'll probably build an LED head. I build a UV LED light box and it works pretty well and very efficient.

Paul Verizzo · Mar 12, 2019

jvo said:
not just enlargers, but many things analog... don't think its a real increase in demand, simply to many people, (old and new to analog), chasing to little quality stuff.

That's known as "demand."

Paul Verizzo · Mar 12, 2019

Of course the prices are going up. I sold mine four years ago. Along with my Polaroid bellows cameras because there was no more film available..............sigh.

John Galt · Mar 12, 2019

I don't see it . . . I have had 3 enlargers in the classified for a couple months now for cheap . . . not one single peep

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 12, 2019

John Galt said:
I don't see it . . . I have had 3 enlargers in the classified for a couple months now for cheap . . . not one single peep

Maybe cast wider net and post on eBay?

John Galt · Mar 12, 2019

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Maybe cast wider net and post on eBay?

Because I do not wish to package and ship. A two hour travel radius encompasses a half dozen medium and small cities, including Syracuse and Albany. No shortage of enlargers on Craigslist here.

jim10219 · Mar 12, 2019

It depends on your area, but yes, overall they are becoming more desirable. I bought a Beseler 23C III XL in excellent condition for $50 three years ago and sold an Omega B66 for $200 a year ago. Today, I just noticed that same person is trying to sell that same enlarger for $300.

Paul Verizzo · Mar 12, 2019

John Galt said:
I don't see it . . . I have had 3 enlargers in the classified for a couple months now for cheap . . . not one single peep

If you mean ads here, you are trying to sell to many who already have an enlarger. As noted, try eBay. Or, craigslist. At least the latter shipping would not be a factor, and it sure is with enlargers.

Arklatexian · Mar 12, 2019

Paul Verizzo said:
If you mean ads here, you are trying to sell to many who already have an enlarger. As noted, try eBay. Or, craigslist. At least the latter shipping would not be a factor, and it sure is with enlargers.

Shipping, or lack of shipping, is probably the main reason that most people who would like to buy an enlarger cannot do so. The dread words "pick up only" kills the sale especially if the enlarger is in a city over a thousand miles away on either the East Coast or West Coast of the United States and you live in the center of the country. I guess I am speaking about mostly 4x5 or larger enlargers.......Regards!

Nokton48 · Mar 12, 2019

I was at our local camera show four or five years ago, a guy at the end of the show had two decent Omega DII's. He implored me to take them, but I declined. He said next stop was the land fill. I had a sinking feeling about that.

Fast forward to present, I am renovating my old color basement darkroom to B&W (in my retirement), and I could use another Omega DII.....................

Deals are still around. Just bought an six foot Delta One darkroom sink, with backsplash, for fifty bucks. In decent shape and no cracks. Nearly $800 at B&H with freight from Delta factory.

adelorenzo · Mar 12, 2019

I'm buried in good quality enlargers I can't get rid of. I have resorted to parting out the heads, lens boards, carriers etc. on eBay because those are way easier to ship. Maybe I'll make some kind art installation with the columns and baseboards.

Ron789 · Mar 12, 2019

Certainly not where I live (The Netherlands). Complete consumer-grade darkrooms are offered for free or a few Euros. Only very specific high-end professional equipment (Leitz, Durst, DeVere etc.) is sold at prices ranging from 50 to a couple of hundreds Euros.

removed account4 · Mar 12, 2019

you put it in a box WHOLE and stick it in the belly of a bus. super easy to ship an e-larger and bus shipping isn't too expensive n'either/

MattKing · Mar 12, 2019

jnantz said:
you put it in a box WHOLE and stick it in the belly of a bus. super easy to ship an e-larger and bus shipping isn't too expensive n'either/

Greyhound has withdrawn from offering many services in the west half of Canada.
I don't believe we have bus shipping here any more.

jim10219 · Mar 12, 2019

Yeah, shipping an enlarger is pretty ridiculous, so you almost have to sell it locally. That can be bad if there are more sellers than buyers in your area. In my area, they don't pop up too often, so while there aren't a lot of buyers out here either, you can usually get a decent price eventually. I think it took me two or three months to sell that Omega B66, but I didn't have to negotiate the price when I finally found a buyer because it was pretty much the only option.

Here's a tip to help sell one. Try to sell it as a complete darkroom set. Include a timer, some trays, a grain focuser, a safelight, easels, and anything else you can spare. If you've been printing for a while, chances are you've collected some of that stuff that you don't use anymore. That will make it much more appealing to someone who is just getting into film, which will probably be your target market. Most people that have a full darkroom and just want a second enlarger probably got one already when everyone was just giving them away. And don't forget to list it on Facebook Marketplace, and all of the other apps. Young people are more likely to look there than Craigslist and such.

Doug Richardson · Mar 13, 2019

jim10219, bundling a package together is a great idea, a great way to let someone step right into it. Just add film, chemicals, paper and effort.

I recently attended the PhotoKlassik event where the CEO's from several major players in the industry attended and talked about concerns they have for the analog market, these included JOBO, ADOX, Tetenal, Heiland. They all stressed the need to get the younger generation involved on both sides of the market, the consumer side and the manufacturing side as the current base is toward the retiring age. To help in this effort, would it not be a great investment (for the market and the soul) to donate some of this equipment to a young and deserving individual(s) and then mentor them on how to use it. With equipment going for pennies on the dollar is it worth holding out for a higher price and letting it collect dust or go to the bin?

Speaking of that, I have some stuff I need to give away!

-Doug

Michael Firstlight · Mar 13, 2019

The high end gear is getting more scarce and prices will continue to rise more there as there isn't any equivalent higher end versions being produced. That's why I jumped on all new-condition analog gear over the past several years knowing I'll be doing more and more analog work in my approaching retirement years. Higher-end items like my fully rebuilt Phototherm Super Sidekick SSK8, a complete unused Fujimoto CP32 with W/D and replenishment unit, LPL 4550XLG with both VCCE and color heads an LPL7700 enlarger, a collection of higher end 4x5 view camera lenses for my 45AII, large vacuum easel and more - none are are going to decline in value and I predict will rise especially gear maintained in excellent condition. Supply at the higher end is already thin and only going to get thinner in my estimation.

Case in point (seriously?): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jobo-Mistr...m3fbd3c9994:g:GMEAAOSwpZNciBYz&frcectupt=true

Mike

removed account4 · Mar 13, 2019

jim10219 said:
Yeah, shipping an enlarger is pretty ridiculous,

Certainly can be done though as long as the purchaser knows what is involved.
I remember coming home from work one day in the Fall of 1988 and finding 13 boxes in a pile in my driveway.
Wouldn't do that with a Saltzman though !

David Brown · Mar 13, 2019

Right now there is an Omega D2 on Craigslist in Dallas for $100. It looks to be complete and has two (unknown) lenses. In the recent past, however, there have been Beseler 23C’s with parts missing for $4-500. Next week there is liable to be a plastic Bogen for heaven knows what. In the meantime, there are people locally with a garage full of enlargers they can’t get rid of. It’s a funny situation. I am not sure supply and demand laws are fully in effect. There are some unrealistic expectations on the part of some sellers, and wanting things free for buyers. Occasionally, two people meet in the middle.

jim10219 · Mar 13, 2019

Right now on my local Craigslist there is a Omega C760, still in the original box, for free to anyone willing to go and pick it up. So maybe I just got lucky when I sold mine.

I guess the lesson is the market for them is in flux right now. Sometimes there are good deals for buyers. Sometimes there are good deals for sellers.

It is my imagination that people want enlargers now?

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