Lucky 450D enlarger

[barriew]

Hi All
This is my first post, I have recently been given a Lucky 450D enlarger, I believe it is made by Fujimoto for the Japanese market.
I'm using a Sinar 4x5 and would like to use this enlarger to print the negs. What is the history behind the 450D enlarger
Thanks
Barrie

 

[David Brown]

I may not be much help. I don't know the "history" of your enlarger. I did, however, have a Lucky medium format enlarger that I used for years! It came with two Fujimoto lenses, which did a fine job. It was definitely made for the amateur market, but was well made.

I've since upgraded to Omega enlargers and Nikon lenses, but the Lucky/Fujimoto combo was quite usable. As long as you have all the parts (condensors, neg carriers, etc), you have a perfectly good machine.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have owned this enlarger since '92. I bought it while living in Japan. Yes, it is made by Fujimoto. It's an excellent enlarger. The head rotates for horizontal projection. The column also swivels for floor projection. Over time I've modified mine to print with an Aristo VC light head. I shipped it back to Canada after 12 years in Japan and I still use it.

 

[DBP]

Are lucky enlargers better at avoiding dust?

 

[David Brown]

Are lucky enlargers better at avoiding dust?

If you're lucky ...

 

[barriew]

thanks for the quick replies, it does seem very well made, so I will give it a go. Thanks for you help.

 

[coriana6jp]

Actually I have two 450Ds here. They are built like a tank alright. According to one Japanese page I read a while back, they were originally introduced at least 25 years ago, and have essentially stayed the same all these years. Only the color and some minor things like knobs have changed. They are still being made, along with all the accessories.

Hope it helps.

Gary

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Barrie, glad you got some info. Welcome to APUG from Melbourne. Why not post an introduction on the "Introduce Yourself to the APUG Community" forum? There are quite a few members in Adelaide and surrounds.

 

[barriew]

Hi All, I have posted an introduction on the "Introduce yourself section". Thanks for the warm welcome to APUG.

 

[Uncle Dick]

Dear Barrie,

The Lucky 450 MD is the Fujimoto 450MD. It was imported into Australia in the 1980s and used in a lot of labs and government darkrooms. I got mine from a pro photo shop after the WA Govt printers went on to digital means.

The enlarger is very well built - real industrial grade. Its basic chassis also formed the bulk of the Polaroid MP4 copy camera system, though there are significant differences in the lensboard bayonet.

Parts and accessories are apparently still being made by Kenko - the Japanese firm that makes teleconverters and extension tubes took over the Fujimoto comany in 2007. In a lot of SH camera shops there are still heads, lensboards, and neg carriers to be had - I have seen them in 35mm, 6x6, 6x9, and 4x5 brand new. If you use the MF neg sizes try to get a condenser lens for the lamphouse - they are removable on 2 studs - make quite a difference to evenness of illumination with 6x6.

There is also a useful feature on the focussing knob. A groove cut into the knob allows you to twist a string around the controlin a figure "8" and then get down close to the baseboard when the head is way up at maximum extension. I use a leather thong to do this and it saves a world of trouble.

The 450MD is also adaptable to Beseler 45s heads or other colour heads. You make up MDF rings for the connection between enlarger body and colour head. The column is sturdy enough to support a massive weight.

Uncle Dick