Making a natural light source for enlarger

scratched&grainy · Jul 27, 2015

Hi,
does anyone have any plans, photos, ideas on making a natural light source for an enlarger?
Surely this was the way of doing things 150 years ago?
Specifically, in my case, i need a 10x8 head. I was thinking of a hole in either the ceiling or the darkroom wall. Then maybe a flexible steel pipe leading to the negative carrier on the enlarger. Or maybe starting from scratch with an old 10x8 camera attached to the wall standing on a cabinet and projection onto a wall/screen?
Thanks
Mark

M Carter · Jul 27, 2015

I'd think any kind of pipe situation would give you lighting only when the sun was aligned with the opening. You'd probably need some kind of large, diffuse light "collector" and a way to direct it to a small point?

Photo Engineer · Jul 27, 2015

Mark Osterman of GEH has one built into the attic of his home. He uses it for camera and enlarger lighting.

It is a moving mirror that follows the sun and then is reflected either into a camera onto film or onto paper via an appropriate lens. He used to have a photo of it on his web site.

PE

cliveh · Jul 27, 2015

Photo Engineer said:
Mark Osterman of GEH has one built into the attic of his home. He uses it for camera and enlarger lighting.

It is a moving mirror that follows the sun and then is reflected either into a camera onto film or onto paper via an appropriate lens. He used to have a photo of it on his web site.

PE

Interesting, but why would you wish to reflect sunlight into a camera? If you reflected it into a enlarger system, could you then use the enlarger to print alternative process prints without the need to contact at same size?

Photo Engineer · Jul 27, 2015

He used it to make Daguerreotype photos, reflecting light from the subject into the camera and onto the plate. He also made silhouette photos with subjects between the light and the plate.

He makes silhouette drawings of friends in his lab too, using a floodlight and a marker, but that is another story.

PE

cliveh · Jul 27, 2015

Photo Engineer said:
He used it to make Daguerreotype photos, reflecting light from the subject into the camera and onto the plate.PE

Now that makes sense.

Paul Howell · Jul 27, 2015

scratched&grainy said:
Hi,
does anyone have any plans, photos, ideas on making a natural light source for an enlarger?
Surely this was the way of doing things 150 years ago?
Specifically, in my case, i need a 10x8 head. I was thinking of a hole in either the ceiling or the darkroom wall. Then maybe a flexible steel pipe leading to the negative carrier on the enlarger. Or maybe starting from scratch with an old 10x8 camera attached to the wall standing on a cabinet and projection onto a wall/screen?
Thanks
Mark

At one time on the web there was a picture of a young Ansell Adams with his sunlight enlarger, 1920s or so. From what I recall it looked to be 8X10 or larger camera attached to the wall, there not picture of what kind of diffuser he used, white glass my guess. What wall, north facing? If you could find an electric shutter from an Omega D 2 or D3 that was used with the cold light head to control the exposure, could be doable. Here in the desert southwest where I live most days are clear, but in San Francisco with all the cloudy weather must be tough betting in a good printing session.

4season · Jul 27, 2015

I had heard of the Himawari ("Sunflower") solar collectors many years ago:

http://www.himawari-net.co.jp/e_page01.htm

Light from the collectors is transmitted via fiber optic cables!

Products like "Sunpipe" are much simpler:
http://www.sunpipe.com.hk/Sunpipe.files/Sunpipe.htm
The office building that I work at has similar products installed, and I was surprised one day to discover that the collector domes were in fact not directly overhead.

If your process requires ultraviolet and/or infrared light, that's going to be trickier to get because most of these sorts of devices assume that you don't want them.

ic-racer · Jul 27, 2015

In addition to the window mounted adjustable camera I posted in the other thread, the Encyclopedia of Photography shows a fixed focus daylight enlarger. It is like a tapered rectangular box with a lens in the middle Negative goes on the glass on top top and paper goes inside the box. You load the box in the dark and take it out side to expose. Let open shade shine on the negative. No need for a shutter with slow paper but modern paper you will need some way to time it to the second.

AgX · Jul 27, 2015

scratched&grainy said:
Does anyone have any plans, photos, ideas on making a natural light source for an enlarger.
Surely this was the way of doing things 150 years ago?

I do not know of historic enlargers employing sun-light, but only artificial-light.
There were not even enlargers 150 years ago.

Photo Engineer · Jul 27, 2015

I think that Mark Osterman might quibble with this.

PE

RobC · Jul 28, 2015

Natural Light ? I think you should look up "Camera Obscura" and you will find many examples. But you will need a diffusion screen between the incoming light and your negative/paper otherwise you will get an image of whatever your pipe/light entry is pointing at such as sun or clouds. Which means you're back to what I already explained to you in your other thread.

AgX · Jul 28, 2015

Photo Engineer said:
I think that Mark Osterman might quibble with this.

PE

I would even be delighted if he would contact me and could prove me wrong, I am eager to learn.

removed account4 · Jul 28, 2015

hi OP

here's one ..
http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/a...0001/lot-9b1aa0ea-69e8-43b4-a64e-a448011f1090
and another one ..
http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_D23-0.html

and an ad for one from the same era
http://www.mpritchard.com/photohistory/history/enlargers.htm

http://www.sarahcolemanwriter.com/pdfs/writing/profiles/osterman.pdf

careful!
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/a...-solar-enlarger-without-burning-down-building

maybe thes will give you an idea of things you can do

good luck with your project!
john

AgX · Jul 28, 2015

John, how embarrasing...

I even know the plant that made that enlarger from the inside.

Well, I have been proved wrong on both points. But as said I am eager to learn.

removed account4 · Jul 28, 2015

AgX said:
John, how embarrasing...

I even know the plant that made that enlarger from the inside.

Well, I have been proved wrong on both points. But as said I am eager to learn.

no worries on my end
john

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 28, 2015

At Israel , doctors focus sunlight with fiber optic cable to patient and use as a surgeon knife.

Rick A · Jul 28, 2015

Maybe the OP is searching for something like this.
http://www.solatube.com/residential/daylighting

cowanw · Jul 28, 2015

Don't forget the quartz lens for alternative processes.

scratched&grainy · Jul 30, 2015

Thanks. Lots of ideas there!

analoguey · Aug 1, 2015

I dont remember the exact site name, but either redirected from the collodion/alternate photo site/group or elsewhere is a site which hosts a lot of pdfs (books). I got one which says "Wellington Handbook".
that says

ENLARGING BY DAYLIGHT.
The method which requires the least quantity of special apparatus is one in which the work-room itself becomes the camera, as
shown in the sketch below.
The window of the work-room has been blocked up with an opaque shutter, so that no light can enter except through the negative,

has pictures of it etc., Here's the link: www.greatyarmouthphotographic.co.uk/pdf/Wellington-Handbook.pdf

I had thought of using it to make a "daylight enlarger". Ansel Adams describes his own as having a complex systems of mirrors and of course darkening the room (IIRC also a diagram somewhere) - basically, two mirrors and one screen covered light hole, I think. Plus appropriate "engineering" for cloudy days.

cliveh · Aug 1, 2015

Interesting link, but would a better design be to have the shutter in the roof and utilise skylight? Could you then enlarge a standard negative direct onto UV sensitive material?

analoguey · Aug 1, 2015

Was wondering where I had read about Adams daylight enlarger, it is, from 'the Print' pages 18-19. Tapatalk isn't letting me upload pics.
Pretty much describes the enlarger in that other link while stating that overcast or foggy weather was most consistent on results

Making a natural light source for enlarger

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