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Looking for a smaller wattage bulb than a 75w PH211

ac12

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Does anyone know of a smaller wattage photo enlarger bulb than the 75watt PH211?
I would like to get down to about 40watts or so.

thanks
 
Why? If your printing times are too short then your negs are most likely too thin(underexposed).
 
The Durst enlargers seem to be quite efficient with their lighting.
My M600 with a 75w PH211 was marginal, with most of my exposures about 10 sec. I prefer to be 15-25 sec, so I have time to manipulate the print if I want to.
This is for a Durst F30 which I expect will be just as fast or maybe a bit faster.
 
ac12 said:
Does anyone know of a smaller wattage photo enlarger bulb than the 75watt PH211?
I would like to get down to about 40watts or so.

thanks
Click to expand...

Whatever bulb you experiment, remember that the size (length) of the bulb must be the same as the original, or else you will have a hot center problem. To my taste, papers these days are too fast. I know what you're going through.
My remedy was a ND filter. Either that, or use a longer enlarging lens so you can run the head higher up the column. Experimenting with bulbs will most likely be fruitless.
 
I too use an ND filter when I'm working small. The longer lens trick doesn't actually work, because you're not dealing with a point source and square law. Projecting a same sized image on the easel will have about the same intensity whether its a 50, 80, 100, etc. lens.
 
Tom1956 said:
My remedy was a ND filter. Either that, or use a longer enlarging lens so you can run the head higher up the column.
Click to expand...

By using a longer lens the angle of projection will be smaller, thus yielding a counter-effect on hightening the head.
Nothing will be gained.
 
Sounds like you could use a Variac. An adjuster transformer. This will allow you adjust the voltage and dim the light as needed. They were not uncommon, Beseler had one that mounted on the 45 series enlargers but standalone units are common. A bit pricey new but there should be lots of used ones out there.

A standard light dimmer might also work for a 75w bulb - I can't say for sure though.
 
Dimming the bulb turns it too yellow. Then you'll be fighting contrast and exposure standardization. You'll just have a mess. On top of that when you dim a bulb by voltage, the glow gets smaller, possibly causing evenness problems from center to edge. Regarding my longer lens idea, I reserve the right to say something dumb once in a while.
 
jnanian said:
bulbman? topbulb?
Click to expand...


Checked them both out.
Looks like 75w is the lowest wattage photo enlarger bulb on the market.

I wonder if I can use a soft white 40w bulb?
I would just have to make sure the printing is not facing the lens, and since the bulb is base down, I could do that.

Well time to measure the lens for a ND filter.
 
Typically household bulbs do not have the quality of frosting. Hotspot guaranteed. ND filter is the way to go. In my 45 years in phjotography I've tried erery hairbrain idea this thread can throw at me on this problem. All my ideas were bad. Experiment in futility. BTDT
 
Tom1956 said:
On top of that when you dim a bulb by voltage, the glow gets smaller, possibly causing evenness problems from center to edge. Regarding my longer lens idea, I reserve the right to say something dumb once in a while.
Click to expand...

Before it is me to say something dumb: How could the glow get smaller when dimming a lamp?
The relative spread of luminance should stay the same.

What we see is our perception of the glow with all threshholds of our vision. So that finally we are able to see the glowing thread itself within the matted bulb. I guess that is what you are refering too.
 
Put a frosted bulb on a variac and dim it. Notice the glow seems to get smaller.
 
I just did it on my desk lamp before posting.

That phenomenon is based on the threshhold or rather saturation of our vision. From some level onwards we just see light all over, are being blinded and can no longer see any hot spot.

The relation of luminance at the wire and at the bulb will not change (how could it?), though our perception of it.

Substituting a frosted bulb by an opalized bulb will reduce that hot spot.
(It is 5am. I'm afraid of telling something dumb from now on. Good night.)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Put a frosted bulb on a variac and dim it. Notice the glow seems to get smaller. Here's my point: In enlarging, the ever-present enemy is evenness of light from center to corner. I've seen a good many enlargers and enlarging lenses in my day. Lenses are the biggest offender, but the enlargers themselves seemed to leave something to be desired in evenness. Al this to say, you surely don't need to be monkeying around with ideas that are liable to make the matter worse. Like I said, BTDT, got the t-shirt and the hat. Get yourself a ND filter, or use a dichro enlarger and tune whatever amount of the 3 colors to get the correct color temp at a reduced brightness. From here, I cannot and won't say that this is 40m40c40y, or whatever, with all numbers the same. I'll leave that to someone who might know what portions give 3200-3400K, as the original bulb did.
 
Don't most tungsten lamps give about 2800k? Halogen go around 3200/3400
 
it wont be ideal but can you stip your lens down to increase the exposure time
for years i suffered from thin film it took me a while
to kick the habit ... you might consider doing the same
thin film is a drag..
 
George Nova Scotia said:
Sounds like you could use a Variac. An adjuster transformer.
Click to expand...

Or possibly a diode in series (unless it's an 82 volt bulb - in which case the diode is already in the enlarger).


Steve.
 
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