Most "reasonably" sized 4x5" enlarger

John Koehrer said:

Lens cones are probably the hardest to sort out & some of the carriers can be pricey. Most are not. The cones will also require a mounting plate for the lens, most today are 39mm until you get to about a 150mm then some become larger.
In theory you need condensers for 35/66/45. In practice the 45 will work fine.
There is someone on line that specializes in Omega enlarger parts & for the life of me I can't remember who.
Size wise the Omegas are very compact & don't use motors to lift the head. The head is counter balanced with a spring.
The column uses three clamps to hold it to the base board & though cumbersome is not heavy. For safety remove the condensers while you're moving it around.
It's not heavy, just awkward to move.

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Two important online Omega references:

Harry Taylor at Classic Enlargers (Connecticut, USA) :

http://www.classic-enlargers.com/

And KHB Photografix (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)

http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/

On the KHB site, go to the "Discontinued Enlargers" tab for the D2, or the D-II, and to the "Current Enlargers" tab for the D-5XL.

EDIT: I use my D6 to enlarge everything from 35mm through 2 1/4 x 4 1/2 (120 film in a 616 camera). It is tall, so I have it on a 21" high cart (to permit rolling through a doorway) and the baseboard is 18" wide by 34" long.

Beseler 45MX, or one of the many variations. As cheap and common as dirt. Excellent workhorses. Allow lensboard tilt, which can be very important if you are using a camera with limited movements (i.e. movements in only one direction, like a Speed Graphic). I just got one with four German lenses on boards (Schneiders and Rodenstocks), four negative carriers, a color computer head, and a color analyzer for $220 all together. (Plus a timer, trays, and various other odds and ends.)

I love my Omega B22XL, I love Omega Ds (and I am stuck with my Omega F ), but I considered the Beseler an "upgrade" over the Omega for a reason or three other than its greater-that-6x6 printing capability. I work in a community lab that has about 40 of these workhorses, so I am pretty familiar with them, and I think they are the best bang for the buck in a used mid-level enlarger. I find the whole enlarger better built and more solid/stable. I find it easier to align, and that it holds alignment more solidly. I use the lens tilt from time to time as well, which is especially an issue for me with the larger medium format frame sizes and with sheet film, because I often shoot things that are particularly suited to the use of camera movements when I am using this larger film...and I fairly often shoot with cameras with limited movements (Speed Graphic, Mamiya Super 23).

This being said, I definitely would not recommend strongly against an Omega in any way! They are simple, beautiful machines capable of professional-quality results. I just find the Beselers to be a little more full featured and easier to work with, personally. If you find a good Omega kit for a good deal, take it. You can always switch later if the need arises, and with the market being what it is, as long as you do not overpay for the enlarger, you will not even lose that much (if any) money by doing so.

You can only go so small with a 4x5 enlarger, but being single-column enlargers, the Omegas do have a "slimmer profile" than the Beselers, if that is a consideration that your space dictates you honor. They also seem lighter (better for moving, worse for enlarging). If you break down and set up your enlarger frequently (as in removing the column from the baseboard), they are easier to break down and set up, but harder to store than the Beselers. Beselers have two columns to lean on, and are more stably balanced for storage with the enlarger body attached. (Just hang from two solid hangers, like 2x4, large dowling, etc.) Omega's design makes the column harder to store with the body attached.

It doesn't matter to me, but the Beseler tilt

I use a D2 for everything from Minox to 35mm, 6x9 and 4x5. It can make locket reductions and posters. It fits in every darkroom I've had since I got it.

The fiddly bits have come over time for a few bucks here and there at various camera shows.

I never even got around to buying a real 35mm neg carrier, just keep using one made out of mat board. Assuming you get the long lens cone, you can always jerry-rig a flat insert for 35mm and MF.

Reading Fred Picker convinced me I needed an Omegalite (would have settled for a Zone VI Coldlight), after getting one I put the condensers in a box and haven't pulled them out since.

The one disadvantage of the D2 is that there is no place for filters except in front of the lens. The D2V gives you a place for filters but they'll have to be big ones. I solve the filter problem by printing on graded paper.

not appreciably larger than a Besler 23C

I inherited a Beseler 23C from a friend, and its not appreciably smaller than my Omega D2.

The Omega D2 is a better enlarger, even though it's 40 years older. built like a brick outhouse, as the saying goes. Would go in a van or stationwagon/hatchback, wouldn't try to put into a sedan.

You're looking for a Beseler 45-H

They're rare, but what you've described is a Beseler 45-H. Go here:

http://www.khbphotografix.com/Beseler/BeselerManuals.htm

and click on the link for its manual. The pop-up includes a picture of that enlarger. Basically a 23C chassis with 4x5 head. I'd have searched for one long ago if aware of this model's existence.

durst laborator 1000, cl, 1200, all top notch, i own two 1000 and one 1200

Ok, basically I've decided that I need to buy this before I sell my Subaru Outback!

But seriously, the hunt begins now. Thanks for all the great input guys,

Cheers

The D2's are pretty easy to move in a car. Take the condenser can off. Then, take the column off the baseboard by removing the one large knob at the base.

Jon

Jon Shiu said:

The D2's are pretty easy to move in a car. Take the condenser can off. Then, take the column off the baseboard by removing the one large knob at the base.

Jon

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It's a good idea to take the lenses off too .

You can probably squeeze it into a compact to mid-size sedan if it is one that has fold down rear seats.

the smallest 5x4 enlarger I've owned is a Durst L1000 - nice unit, but not easy to find accessories for..

I now have a old De Vere wall mount enlarger - lovely beast (as are all De Vere enlargers) - but not the smallest

I would go with peoples suggestions and get a Bessler - they are a bit more compact than a Chromega (yes - I've used them all over the years I worked as a professional photo printer) and accessories should be easy to find in the US.

Also - if you ge tthe one with the built in timer then its also on of the most convenient enlargers I've ever used..

MattKing said:

It's a good idea to take the lenses off too .

You can probably squeeze it into a compact to mid-size sedan if it is one that has fold down rear seats.

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I got my Beseler 45MCRX home in my Honda Civic. The chassis fit in the back seat and the baseboard in the trunk. Of course I used the seat belts to secure the chassis.

Wade D said:

I got my Beseler 45MCRX home in my Honda Civic. The chassis fit in the back seat and the baseboard in the trunk. Of course I used the seat belts to secure the chassis.

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The entirety of my Beseler 45 MX with color computer head fit into the trunk of my Oldsmobile (after removing the head and baseboard).

2F/2F said:

The entirety of my Beseler 45 MX with color computer head fit into the trunk of my Oldsmobile (after removing the head and baseboard).

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And they went and did away with the Oldsmobile brand.

Clearly they didn't check here first .

I moved my Omega D5 Pro Lab on the back seat of my car.
Just take the condensors out and wrap them in towels of the like, remove the base board and lock the head on the column.
When putting it back together make sure the guide wheels that ride on the column have not popped of the track, if so pull the head out and move the guide wheels back in place.

Oddly enough, my "new" car is an Oldsmobile (my grandma's to be exact.... go ahead... laugh it up!).

The most reasonable sized 4x5 enlarger is a 4x5 camera with a graflarger attached to it's graflok back.

Now that's intriguing... Unfortunately I don't have a graflok back, but I admit I have thought about what it would take to make my camera into an enlarger. Hmm, has anyone here done this?

holmburgers said:

Now that's intriguing... Unfortunately I don't have a graflok back, but I admit I have thought about what it would take to make my camera into an enlarger. Hmm, has anyone here done this?

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See page 4.

http://graflex.org/GHQ/GHQ-15-1.pdf

Enjoy

Steve

I recently made a gadget to use a 9x12 plate camera as an enlarger. I mount the camera on a tripod (horizontal enlarger) and put the negative in an adapted film pack holder, which fits into a light tight box which has a group of small white fluorescent tubes mounted in the back. I had imagined that the diffuser would be a problem, but a sheet of clear plastic scratched with sandpaper is working fine, it's positioned a bit in front of the tubes.

At this stage, I expect some people will want to point out many obvious flaws and reasons why it can't be sufficient for exacting work...but it's ok for me! I even use the taking lens (uncoated 15cm Tessar), which seems fine, at least for B&W. It's made me realise that even with the worst enlarger, I remain the weak link in the chain - I have a couple of Durst Laborator 1000's at home in the UK, but the prints I made on those were no more pleasing. A dedicated enlarger will be easier to use, though.

For a more informative idea about how to go about a DIY version, look for an old copy of "The Print" by Ansel Adams, my copy has some plans and notes.

I went down this route because I don't have much space (my "darkroom" is a toilet), and I'm living in South Korea - enlargers seem scarce here. I'd mail you some photos, but I don't have a digital camera - and the contraption I made looks so ugly! The most expensive part was the fluorescent tubes, though I did recently splash out and get myself some multigrade filters and an enlarger timer, after having convinced myself it was worthwhile. Nobody knows how ugly and crazy looking the enlarger is when they see the prints...

apkujeong said:

Nobody knows how ugly and crazy looking the enlarger is when they see the prints...

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Now that's the truth!

I also have an omega d2 w/ cold light head, its great, i bought it off the auction site, it came with several lenses and all the different size carriers, it was an estate sale (big mistake) they shipped it in pieces, they had no idea how to take it apart, all the bolts and nuts were missing, some of the lenses were missing then they found them and shipped them, it wasnt a great experience but in the end it all worked out and my enlarger works flawlessly

You will need either: The variable condenser head, this is called a D2V but lots of D2s have been converted; or, the 35mm condenser set and the 4x5 condenser set - the size of the condenser lens says it all; a dichroic lamp housing - these are just about all 'color heads' when it comes to Omegas; A cold lite head Aristo head, however these are not ideal for variable contrast paper or for 35mm enlarging and Aristo is no longer in business.

holmburgers said:

Now that's intriguing... Unfortunately I don't have a graflok back, but I admit I have thought about what it would take to make my camera into an enlarger. Hmm, has anyone here done this?

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That's how I enlarge. I use a large copy stand like this one, along with my speed graphic and graflarger back:



The only downside I encounter is that it's not nearly as stable as a purpose built enlarger so I have to be very careful not to shake or vibrate the setup during exposure.

I've also enlarged with the camera on a tripod, but I find the copy stand makes it a bit easier, as I can lay the paper down instead of having to pin it up vertically.