No more Durst Enlargers?

[Helcio J Tagliolatto]

From the site www.durst.it:

"Durst, based on its Technology Know How in Inkjet Printing, its leadership in LF Graphics and the successful launch of the single-pass inkjet printer for ceramic tiles will concentrate its activities in further inkjet printing applications in new industrial areas".

After the demise of their 10x10 enlargers, will the superb L1200 disapear?

Helcio

 

[Bob Carnie]

There is absolutely no market for analoge new durst enlargers. Most of the Labs worldwide gave away or scrapped all their enlargers.
Durst is producing lazer printers that use traditional wet processes and papers.
I would imagine in the not to distant future Durst will introduce a medium format enlarger that is capable of analoge and digital exposure, to compete with Deveer Digital Heads and Varichromat digital heads for enlargers.

 

[digiconvert]

At the Focus Show in Birmingham (UK) the Durst stand had NO analogue equipment at all, the only enlargers were on the KAiser stand.

 

[NikoSperi]

Yeah, that doesn't sound too good...
My 670 VC is new so has plenty pf prints still in it. Who knows, maybe sometime soon that 5x7 IFF enlarger I was given for free will be a rarity and sought after item in the quaint antiques category. Until then, I'm going to try to use it though. Ceramic tiles, eh? Is that VC or graded you think?

 

[Tom Duffy]

My Durst A300 from 1974 is more valuable than ever!

 

[MichaelBriggs]

Obviously the market for new analog enlargers has shrunk and Durst must look to new business areas to avoid shrinking as a company. Those MBA-style words are emphasizing the new business directions. They don't say that Durst is ceasing production of enlargers, as queried by the title of this thread. From http://www.durst.it/, click on "Online Shop", and you will find that Durst is still selling enlargers. The future is hard to predict.

This seems like a Gloom and Doom thread -- guessing the discontinuation of a product.

 

[ajuk]

I think there are still educational establishments and the odd pro buying new enlargers (same goes for 35mm camera, prolly why the FM10 is still alive?) Also they make digital enlargers as well which are just standard enlargers with a digital head I think.

If Kodak are right, then there will be the need for somone to produce enlargers in the future, even if in small quantities.

 

[catem]

I think there are still educational establishments and the odd pro buying new enlargers (same goes for 35mm camera, prolly why the FM10 is still alive?) Also they make digital enlargers as well which are just standard enlargers with a digital head I think.

De Vere also make digital heads to fit existing Durst, Omega and De Vere enlargers, and it doesn't seem likely this will stop. Not sure which models they fit, though....(or how much they are!)

 

[ajuk]

I know they are not cheap, There are almost no amateurs with them, But I do know that those who do own them tend to be either labs or pros, so I would think they are catching on, Hopfully the darkrooms saving grace if the digiti crowd start using DR paper.

 

[sanderx1]

I think there are still educational establishments and the odd pro buying new enlargers (same goes for 35mm camera, prolly why the FM10 is still alive?) Also they make digital enlargers as well which are just standard enlargers with a digital head I think.

No, thats the reason why F6 still is alive. FM10 is alive because its made by Cosina and its production lines cannot thus be converted to making nikon DSLR-s

 

[ajuk]

No, thats the reason why F6 still is alive. FM10 is alive because its made by Cosina and its production lines cannot thus be converted to making nikon DSLR-s

FM-10 was in relation to educational establishments not to pros.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Durst to end production of new conventional enlargers July 31, 2006--

http://www.durst.it/index.php?id=8&language=2&detail=72

Reported on Mike Johnston's blog--

http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/

 

[Markok765]

The pros i know use omega, i use a besalr 67(non color version

 

[Ole]

The problem with Durst enlargers is that they last forever. So only a new lab would buy a new enlarger, the others already have one.

Thanks to the recent conversion of a lot of pro work to d*g*tal, now even the serious hobbyists (like myself) also have one.

Do I need another L138S? No. Would I ever buy another 5x7" enlarger? NO - not unless something happens to the one I have...

 

[df cardwell]

If anybody WANTS a Durst, ever, get one now. Today.

Call labs, Pro Labs, corporations with darkrooms. Offer to take it away
before its THROWN OUT.

 

[Paul Howell]

At the moment there are many quality used enlargers on the market, but I am wondering how long this will last. It seems to me (personal observation only) that over the past 3 years the number of enlargers and accessories are dwindling on E Bay. In my local market I could find any on Craigs List. I hope one manufacture remains a going concern.

Paul

 

[DBP]

Fortunately, enlargers themselves are relatively low tech and most parts can be made with the same types of tooling used for many other devices.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

I wonder to what extent we will see smaller niche manufacturers producing products such as enlargers in a few years time once the current used stock has settled?

 

[srs5694]

FWIW, I ran across this article a while ago and bookmarked it for curiosity's sake. It describes how to make an enlarger from a camera, a tripod, and miscellaneous do-dads. I can't say I've tried this myself, but it sounds like an interesting approach as a school project sort of thing for kids or if the used supply ever gets so low that used enlargers become unaffordable or unavailable. Of course, if and when the used supply dwindles to the point that prices go up significantly, that'll help keep new-enlarger manufacturers in business and/or motivate somebody to start making them again (if they've all folded by then).

 

[ajuk]

I thought there were still Schools and Colleges buying enlargers, plus the odd pro who still does enlarging, the odd lab who do hand prints as an optional extra you pay more and some amatures here, not a lot but I thought it would come to more than 4 figrures. Are enlargers not somthing that need replacing very often?

What I don't get it that I thought there was a digital head for the 504 these days.

Edit, have taken note that I apear to be pathially repeating myself.