My Durst M605 Color has a dim light

ashcorra · Dec 2, 2022

Like the title says, the light on my Durst M605 Color is dim. I changed the bulb, and everything seems to be correctly seated. It is especially hard for me while using my grain focuser to properly focus the shot before burning a picture. So, not surprisingly all my pictures come out quite blurry. It's very frustrating. Is it supposed to be super dim or do I have a real issue? I have seen in YouTube videos that other people seem to have a clearer picture than I do while the enlarger is on. So, I think I'm right.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

I took a picture but my stupid IPhone 14 Pro Max's camera is trying to correct the picture because it's too dim, it is actually MUCH dimmer than this.

gone · Dec 2, 2022

When you say it's dim, was it brighter before you put the new bulb in it? From what I see on your pic, it appears you have a red filter in the enlarger. That would make the light much dimmer. Not sure what lens you're using, a faster lens might help.

koraks · Dec 2, 2022

ashcorra said:
Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

As @momus says, if you have the red filter swiveled under the lens, swivel it away. In general you don't actually need that filter anyway.
Do you have all filters (Y, M and C) set to zero, and/or do you appropriately use lever on the head that removes any filtration from the light path? Do the filters work properly; i.e. can you see the color of the light (without a negative in the carrier) change as you change the filter settings?
Do you have the lens opened at its widest aperture when focusing?
Are you printing 6x6 negatives or 35mm, and what size are you enlarging to? Do you have the lever on the right-hand side of the head in the proper position for the film format?
Does the problem exist with all negatives, both color and B&W, that you've tried? Are your negatives excessively dense for some reason?

I never noticed lack of baseboard illumination with the M605 back when I used one, so odds are one of the above issues is part of your problem.

pentaxuser · Dec 2, 2022

ashcorra, just do what koraks has listed and then tell us what difference this has made

pentaxuser

rcphoto · Dec 2, 2022

Have you mistakenly stopped down more than usual and just not noticed?

xkaes · Dec 2, 2022

Are you sure you put in a replacement bulb with the same wattage?

BobUK · Dec 2, 2022

Every thing koraks said plus.

There is a "B" rotary filter knob on the front of the colour head.
This puts in an extra +40 yellow and +40 magenta simultaneously.
I just tried it on mine and it is a fair old amount of light reduction with it.
It has a red warning light next to it indicating the extra filters are switched into place.

Have a look at that.

ashcorra · Dec 2, 2022

koraks said:
As @momus says, if you have the red filter swiveled under the lens, swivel it away. In general you don't actually need that filter anyway.
Do you have all filters (Y, M and C) set to zero, and/or do you appropriately use lever on the head that removes any filtration from the light path? Do the filters work properly; i.e. can you see the color of the light (without a negative in the carrier) change as you change the filter settings?
Do you have the lens opened at its widest aperture when focusing?
Are you printing 6x6 negatives or 35mm, and what size are you enlarging to? Do you have the lever on the right-hand side of the head in the proper position for the film format?
Does the problem exist with all negatives, both color and B&W, that you've tried? Are your negatives excessively dense for some reason?

I never noticed lack of baseboard illumination with the M605 back when I used one, so odds are one of the above issues is part of your problem.

No the red filter is swiveled away. I do have the dolor filters on though. To the best of my knowledge they seem to work. The guy I purchased it from told me he tested it before he sent it to me and it worked fine for him. I am brand new to this, so I am sorry if I am not being too descriptive. It prints both 6x6 and 35mm, however, this particular one pictured is 6x6. Yes the lever is in the position for 5x6. And, yes the problem exists with all kinds of negatives. BW and color. I have tried various different negatives, and they all have the same problem, and I don't think they are excessively dense.

ashcorra · Dec 2, 2022

xkaes said:
Are you sure you put in a replacement bulb with the same wattage?

Yes i ordered the same exact bulb that was in there, an Osram 64627.

ashcorra · Dec 2, 2022

BobUK said:
Every thing koraks said plus.

There is a "B" rotary filter knob on the front of the colour head.
This puts in an extra +40 yellow and +40 magenta simultaneously.
I just tried it on mine and it is a fair old amount of light reduction with it.
It has a red warning light next to it indicating the extra filters are switched into place.

Have a look at that.

Ah I see. I think this may be the culprit. Unfortunately, I live in Las Vegas, NV and it is 9:00am and it is too bright to tell if this was the fix(I don't have a light sealed room. I have almost sealed my living room but I still am not able to do any enlarging during the day, only nighttime am I 100% able to get it pitch black)but I will update as soon as the sun goes down. That knob was switched on, I know that because when i turned the knob the red light disappeared. Thank you for your input.

Dali · Dec 2, 2022

ashcorra said:
Yes i ordered the same exact bulb that was in there, an Osram 64627.

And this is the right type of bulb for the color head.

BobUK · Dec 2, 2022

A Durst catalogue that I have says for the M605....

"LIGHTING SYSTEM: The light source for colour and black-and-white enlarging is Durst's 12 volt 100 watt type S tungsten-halogen lamp with diathermic reflector, selected to precise colour and intensity specifications for the CLS 605 colour mixing head.
The new system design and integral silvered mixing boxes ensure an extremely high light output."

I have an old Durst cardboard lamp carton someplace, not sure if it contains the original Durst bulb.
I doubt you would find a Durst bulb these days. I remember they used to cost about twice as much as an Osram64627 in the 1980s
I have happily used the Osram 64627 12volt 100watt bulb for years on Black and White, Colour Prints and the now obsolete Cibachrome Colour Print from Slides.

meowdameow · Dec 3, 2022

CMY filters cut quite some light. 0 the filter or switch the lever for filter in / out ?

scrufftie · Dec 9, 2022

Something that I and others have found to be a problem with enlargers as they age is the bulb connection. I had a problem with a very dim light which was cured by wiggling the bulb. Depending on the type of bulb connection, replacements are often widely available.

Melvin J Bramley · Dec 20, 2022

meowdameow said:
CMY filters cut quite some light. 0 the filter or switch the lever for filter in / out ?

Quite true, I found my M605 a bit dim too, visibly dimmer than my LPL670 condenser enlarger. even with the filters in the out position.
This may not be a fair comparison but the LPL670C is brighter than my Beseler 45 MX.

BobUK · Dec 21, 2022

scrufftie said:
Something that I and others have found to be a problem with enlargers as they age is the bulb connection. I had a problem with a very dim light which was cured by wiggling the bulb. Depending on the type of bulb connection, replacements are often widely available.

After replacing the ceramic bulb socket a couple of times on the M605 I have now dispensed with the connector altogether and simply solder the wires onto the bulb connections.

pentaxuser · Dec 21, 2022

ashcorra said:
Ah I see. I think this may be the culprit. Unfortunately, I live in Las Vegas, NV and it is 9:00am and it is too bright to tell if this was the fix(I don't have a light sealed room. I have almost sealed my living room but I still am not able to do any enlarging during the day, only nighttime am I 100% able to get it pitch black)but I will update as soon as the sun goes down. That knob was switched on, I know that because when i turned the knob the red light disappeared. Thank you for your input.

So has the suggestion you received solved the problem, ashcorra?

Thanks

pentaxuser

My Durst M605 Color has a dim light

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