LPL 4550 Advice

Just pulled the trigger and bought an LPL 4550 XLG VCCE enlarger. with the K&IF module. I plan to get into 4x5 printing; I've been doing 6x7 using an LPL 7700 (670MXL) up until now.

The basic setup is the 4550 with a 150mm Componon S 5.6 that I also bought along with a 50mm lens plate. I also picked up a 4x5 glass carrier. Given the 150mm and the XLG's extra long column, I don't know how large I'll be able to print on the baseboard, but my typical print size is 16x20 (I have a 16x20 vacuum easel). I am sure I'll have no problem with 16x20. I might like to print upto 20x24 someday, but I am not clear if the 150mm and XLG combined will do that on the baseboard. That enlarger uses a 250w bulb BTW, and I have also picked up a used color filtration module to swap out the VCCE if I want to do 4x5 color as I do on my LPL 7700.

My main question is the carriers and lens plate. I see there is a replacement lens plate with 4-bladed masking attachment. I assume I can unscrew the stock plate replace it with the 4 bladed adjustable plate. If I do will that negate the need for other negative carriers? I think I read somewhere that I'll still be able to use the 4x5 glass carrier with the 4-bladed plate. I looked for a 6x7 glass carrier for the 4550 but didn't find one - so I am wondering if getting the 4-bladed masking plate would be sufficient smaller neg sizes without needing a 6x7 neg carrier (or is getting the smaller neg aligned in a 4x5 glass carrier too much a pain?). Is there such a thing as an LPL 6x7 neg glass neg carrier for the LPL 4x5 enlargers? And will other LPL neg carriers also work with 4-bladed masking plate.

Thanks for the help in advance!

Regards,
Mike

I don't know if this is the best answer, but when I had a 4550XLG, I used the 4x5 glass carrier for everything, even without the 4-blade masking device. I was aware that it existed but never tried it - I just used my easel to do any needed masking.

I use the 4x5 glass carrier plus masking attachment in my 4500II. Getting a smaller negative aligned isn't an issue at all - within reason, the masking blades allow you to "frame" the negative and block out stray light even if the negative is off-center.

Yes, you can keep the masking attachment in place even when you use any of the other carriers - the masking attachment sits permanently in my enlarger. Just make sure the masking blades are set wide enough to not obstruct any of the opening of the carrier you're using (unless you do want to mask it!)

There's no 6x7 glass carrier for the 4500 series - see the list of available carriers here:

http://www.khbphotografix.com/LPL/LPL4x5.htm

I am not a fan of masking blades in enlargers since they can cause unsharp edges on prints unless you are careful. I use aluminum masks on top of the glass carrier for my Saunders. You need to make one for each neg size, but I think that is the best solution. Using a mask on the carrier also assures the negative is centered.

Hope that helps you.

The purpose of the LPL masking attachment is not to replace a masking easel. It's just to minimize the amount of stray light bouncing around the darkroom from using a big glass carrier with a smaller negative. In fact, even apart from the fuzzy edge problem, you can't use the masking attachment for framing of pictures from small negatives (35mm and smaller) at all, as the blades don't close far enough to frame such a small area.

For defining the edges of the image area in my prints I use one of the classic Saunders 14x17 adjustable-blade easels.

Two of the three LPL 4550 XLG's I use have the masking blade attachments, I'll likely source a third at some point since I just recently procured the 3rd enlarger. As Oren has stated, I too only use the masking attachment when printing smaller than 4x5 negs in my glass carriers, an example would be singling out the frame I am printing on a 120 roll and solely for the reason of light scatter, not cropping. I have but don't really use the non-glass carriers for other formats since I have modified 3 of 5 glass carriers to the have the glass only on one side in order to eliminate Newton rings in using films like Tmax, Acros and 120 Techpan. I have built spacers that insert into the carriers to hold the film flat against the single pane of glass as per the format I am using, they work really well. I use the dedicated one side AN glass holder for 35mm along with the hybrid condenser mixing box.

As far as largest print size on the baseboard, using a 150mm with a 4x5 neg is just shy of 20x24, a 135mm attains it with ease but I still prefer my 150mm F4 App Rodagon if I can help it. I am wall mounting the 3rd enlarger to make murals so using the 150mm with 4x5 will be a non issue for 20x24+. All other formats see 20x24 at the baseboard with typical focal lengths in use.

Hope this helps!

Congratulations
The LPL masking device sits immediately below the negative carrier, in order to fit it in place the "loose piece" that normally supports the negative carrier is removed. The lens panels are not involved in this arrangement in any way.

Ai Print said:

Two of the three LPL 4550 XLG's I use have the masking blade attachments, I'll likely source a third at some point since I just recently procured the 3rd enlarger. As Oren has stated, I too only use the masking attachment when printing smaller than 4x5 negs in my glass carriers, an example would be singling out the frame I am printing on a 120 roll and solely for the reason of light scatter, not cropping. I have but don't really use the non-glass carriers for other formats since I have modified 3 of 5 glass carriers to the have the glass only on one side in order to eliminate Newton rings in using films like Tmax, Acros and 120 Techpan. I have built spacers that insert into the carriers to hold the film flat against the single pane of glass as per the format I am using, they work really well. I use the dedicated one side AN glass holder for 35mm along with the hybrid condenser mixing box.

As far as largest print size on the baseboard, using a 150mm with a 4x5 neg is just shy of 20x24, a 135mm attains it with ease but I still prefer my 150mm F4 App Rodagon if I can help it. I am wall mounting the 3rd enlarger to make murals so using the 150mm with 4x5 will be a non issue for 20x24+. All other formats see 20x24 at the baseboard with typical focal lengths in use.

Hope this helps!

Click to expand...

Interesting. The glass 4x5 carrier I bought has an AN glass - was yours AN and still got the rings, or was it because one side wasn't AN?

Regards,
MIke

Michael Firstlight said:

Interesting. The glass 4x5 carrier I bought has an AN glass - was yours AN and still got the rings, or was it because one side wasn't AN?

Click to expand...

The AN glass in your carrier is the top glass. The issue is that some films have *emulsion* sides that are so smooth that you can get Newton's rings from that too.

Oren Grad said:

The purpose of the LPL masking attachment is not to replace a masking easel. It's just to minimize the amount of stray light bouncing around the darkroom from using a big glass carrier with a smaller negative. In fact, even apart from the fuzzy edge problem, you can't use the masking attachment for framing of pictures from small negatives (35mm and smaller) at all, as the blades don't close far enough to frame such a small area.

For defining the edges of the image area in my prints I use one of the classic Saunders 14x17 adjustable-blade easels.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I prefer borderless most of the time and will likely just use the 16x20 vacuum easel and go a larger than easel. I used to own an 11x14 Saunders adjustable bladed one years ago - wonderful easels and might go for a 20x24 someday.

Regards,
Mike

Oren Grad said:

I use the 4x5 glass carrier plus masking attachment in my 4500II. Getting a smaller negative aligned isn't an issue at all - within reason, the masking blades allow you to "frame" the negative and block out stray light even if the negative is off-center.

Yes, you can keep the masking attachment in place even when you use any of the other carriers - the masking attachment sits permanently in my enlarger. Just make sure the masking blades are set wide enough to not obstruct any of the opening of the carrier you're using (unless you do want to mask it!)

There's no 6x7 glass carrier for the 4500 series - see the list of available carriers here:

http://www.khbphotografix.com/LPL/LPL4x5.htm

Click to expand...

Ah! Thank you for confirming there isn't a glass 6x7 carrier - for a moment there I though I was simply missing it.

Regards,
Mike

Oren Grad said:

The AN glass in your carrier is the top glass. The issue is that some films have *emulsion* sides that are so smooth that you can get Newton's rings from that too.

Click to expand...

Yep, I remember a bit of that from my days using a Durst M601 with glass carriers.

Oren Grad said:

The AN glass in your carrier is the top glass. The issue is that some films have *emulsion* sides that are so smooth that you can get Newton's rings from that too.

Click to expand...

Exactly this.

As to installing the masking device, you just lift off the non-masking plate and place the masking plate in place. No tools are needed.

One very useful accessory is the remote focusing wand. It allows you to focus with your head at the baseboard looking through a focusing device and not have to raise your arm over your shoulder to adjust the focus.