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New (to me) Beseler 45MCRX

Tony-S

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Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
1,170
Location
Colorado, USA
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Multi Format
Just picked this up as a freebie. It appears to have all the accessories, except for the 6x9cm carrier. Unfortunately, no lenses. It has two sets of Ilford Multigrade filters (6x6" and 3.5x3.5") and several lens boards. It would fit in my darkroom, but I'd have to take out my 67C XL and I'm not sure I want to do that because I use the color head for diffusion and MG filtration. The baseboard is 31" deep so it would protrude 9" over the counter top. The only lens I really need to find is 135mm that covers 4x5", but I also need to get a 50mm because I appear to have lost my f/2.8 El Nikkor during the move into my new home a couple years ago.



 
It looks nice. These are my thoughts, if you shoot 4x5 and you need an enlarger buy a color head for the new Beseler. The lenses you have for your 67 will work fine. If you’re not going to be enlarging 4x5 then move that fine piece of equipment on. I have a 23C and a 45mcrx, it is just easier to use the 45 for everything and the 23 sits in boxes. YMMV
 
Good Afternoon, Tony-S,
Congratulations! I've had my MCR-X since the mid-'70's; nary a glitch. I'm a bit jealous, since I bought mine new. You got a much better price than I did! Nothing wrong with a 23C, but I agree with Btaylor that the MCR-X should cover just about anything you'll need to do.

Konical
 

Not too common anymore, at least where I am. I'm sure Denver has quite a bit more available. I'll probably search fleabay for a suitable lens. I see a number of El Nikkor and Schneider lenses there. No doubt about the 50mm, LOL.

I have a Korona 4x5 field camera (c. 1890-1915) that I use with modern lenses. Until now, I've scanned the negatives and transparencies on an Epson V700 (and will continue to scan color). I suspect I'll keep the 45MCRX in a room next to my darkroom and set it up when I want to do 4x5 printing. Otherwise, I'll keep the 67C XL for the majority of my B&W printing. It's really a great enlarger.


Yes, if it weren't for the size I'd set it up. But my darkroom is a bit cramped for the 45MCRX.
 
I bought one like that in 1974, in the hip Beseler blue. I sold the original but I have 4 somewhat newer (no better). There's absolutely nothing wrong with the condenser head. You would need to use lower numbered contrast filters.
Theres two filter drawers on that beast. The one in the "Universal Colorhead" that you will need to cut the 6x6 filters to fit the round part, the smaller and very handy drawer is right above the lens that is usually used for a dark red not so safe safelight filter to check focus. Beseler, used to sell years ago, polycontrast filters, in a set. If you are happy with your nice 6x7 setup that's fine. But don't get rid of the 4x5.
The carriers are common but a lot have been recycled. I have a Zone VI VC light source and an (absolutely essential with any coldlight) compensating timer, mine is a Metrolux II. I found the head for less than 200, a steal. You can look for a Beseler dichro head but they have issues, they can ge fixed. The only thing for absolutely sure is that good old condenser head, and just putting a round piece of ground or frosted glass will make it diffuse.
 
I have an older MCRX too with a Zone VI cold light with Zone VI voltage stabilizer. I find it easier to use variable contrast filters under the lens myself especially if your split grade printing.
Congrats on your acquisition...its a great enlarger. If I still had the condenser version, I would still use under the lens filters...I don't notice any degradation. Also you have the rheostat to control light output...that will help with today's fast paper speeds. You do need to use that short corded on/off switch in order to use it...don't misplace it.
 
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Good Deal! I had to pay $350 for mine but it came with the now $900 stand so I've no complaints. For years I put opal glass on top of the neg carrier to get a diffuse light source with my condenser head and upped the power to match. I finally built a LED diffusion head: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/led-split-printing-enlarger-lamphouse.173834/ The voltage is stabilized by the power supply and further regulated by the led controller so it doesn't have the drift of a conventional cold light head. I bought my first 45MCRX in 1974.

John Koehrer said:
Pretty much a guarantee that your 50 will pop up as soon as you spend some cash to replace it.
Click to expand...

Not only that but if you had 2 50s neither would have gone missing.
 
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Well someone is going to have a lot of fun.
 
Congratulations on a great acquisition!

I have two Beseler 4x5 enlargers and love them. I've used Omegas too and find the Beseler more steady and easier to deal with.

Finding lenses for 4x5 enlarging isn't difficult. 150mm is standard, but there are 135mm lenses that cover 4x5 as well. A lens in the 150mm focal length from any of the major manufacturers should be easy to find. Beseler has the advantage of having simple 4-inch square, flat lensboards, so mounting lenses is as simple as milling a proper-size hole (make sure you get retaining rings with your new lenses).

I agree that using a dichro head makes life easier for B&W printing. I've adapted Chromega heads to my Beselers.

Due to that, I've got an old Beseler dichro color head in storage (the old blue one with separate fan and hose connections) that I'd be happy to part with for the price of packing and shipping. PM me if you're interested.

Have fun,

Doremus
 
Coincidence! 2-3 weeks ago, a co-worker gave me his Beseler 45M. After having her second baby, his wife realized that she'll never get back to darkroom work, so they gave me the enlarger plus other goodies.
I didn't realize how much I wanted to set-up a darkroom. I've been hybrid for years. But this 45M motivated me to black-out the window and door in my storage room, converting it to a darkroom. A few days ago, I used it to make my first prints in 43 years.
It came with an EL Nikkor 80/5.6 (6 elements), which is suitable for 120, and I bought a 6-element 50/2.8 for 35mm (from eBay). I've printed with both lenses.
I only had one 4x4-inch lensboard (for the EL Nikkor), so I made one myself out of 1.5-mm thick sheet aluminum. I bent its corners up to make it 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick, which the enlarger expects. Works well.
I replaced the 150 watt tungsten bulb with a common LED bulb having the usual "warm" temperature of 2700K. The contrasts of grades 2 and 3 look fine to me.
You can buy a set of 3.5 inch square multigrade filters from Freestyle or B&H. I cut them down to 60x60 mm and put them into the slide-out filter tray that sits above the lens (not the huge tray in the condenser head).

My next project is to build a LED-based diffusion head. I'm going to copy Mal Paso's design that he describes in this thread: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/led-split-printing-enlarger-lamphouse.173834/

Mark Overton
 
I'd like to pick up a spare bulb for this beast. Anyone with a link to one?
 
OK, I'm learning a bit about this enlarger. The first carrier I tried was the 4x5 and it turns out the pins that lock it in the stage are flattened so it won't self-center in the enlarger. I thought I could use my countersink punch to gently move them down, but sure enough the first one I tried promptly ended up on the floor. Fortunately, I found it, but now the question is, how do I get these 4 pins back to where they belong? Is there a good way of securing them in the carrier (e.g. epoxy)? Luckily, the other 4 carriers do not have this problem.

 
I've found that an ordinary household LED bulb with the common color-temperature of 2700K ("warm white") works fine. I only tried grades 2 and 3 though.
Regarding the pins: If the pins are flattened (vertically compressed), you might try filing down their sides some with a flat jeweller's file.

Mark Overton
 
flat head screw of proper diameter & length threaded into place.
Ace is the place...........
 
I guess I need to take a look at the bulb for the model number. I like the idea of LED, particularly less heat. I take it the bulb in the enlarger has a typical screw-in socket light household bulbs?

And thanks for the tip on the screw. I'll take the carrier to my local hardware store and identify 4 suitable machine screws to get it back in good working order.

Thanks to all for the tips.
 
If you dial back the rheostat or Resistrol as Beseler calls it. there will be less heat and allow for longer exposures for dodging and burning. One thought you may consider is that instead of the standard PH 212 bulb at 150 watts, I would try the PH 211,75 watt enlarging bulb, to see if it will work because modern papers are very fast as a rule.
 
Be careful using the Resistrol can change color of the light, messes with contrast. I would look for a 75-100 W opal bulb in an emergency.
 
There's 4 pins that center the carrier, and 4 pins that center the negative when you open the carrier. The 4 pins for the negative are flush. I would find one that was intact, you can center the carrier without the pins.
 
I have not used the Resistrol per se but I have used a rheostat on a another condenser enlarger dialing back the light intensity about 1/3 and as long as you keep it there you will be consistent in using variable contrast filters. You adapt to it and use the filters as necessary.
 
OK, table built, enlarger installed! It is now super cramped in my darkroom. I need to run a 110V line but for now it's functional.

 
LEDS operate on direct current. Edison wanted DC, Westinghouse wanted AC. Westinghouse won. Thus tying us all into a national grid. To make a household medium Edison base screw in light bulb using LEDs you must build in a transformer. This is what goes poof after 2 months on LEDs rated to last 15 years. These transformers generate heat, most newer bulbs are better. If the base of the LED lamp has metal cooling fins best to pass these by.

I would really recommend sticking with what Beseler specs. I am sure there's plenty of LED medium base bulbs that would work fine. Still a 211 or 212 opal bulb will last for years in an enlarger. The Resistrol is a gimmick that a marketing guy thought up in the 1950's the voltage meter is worthless.
 
So, I've started making some prints with this beast and I have to say, taming the contrast is quite a bit more challenging then with my 67C-XL with dichroic diffuser head.
 
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