Opinions on 45MX outfit for sale...

PKM-25 · Apr 23, 2009

Hi guys,

I am looking at printing 6x6 and 35mm and I am wondering about this set for sale, if it is going to work and how much should I offer them?

Beseler 45MX, E+ condition
Aristo D-2 cold light head
GraLab 450 timer w/ foot switch
Rodenstock Rodagon 150mm f5.6
Kodak Ektar 100mm f4.5
Rodenstock Rodagon 80mm f5.6
4x5 carrier
35mm strip carrier
35N single neg carrier
6x6 carrier
6x7 carrier
6x8 / polaroid carrier
Ilford 6"x6" filter set
Ilford 3.5"x3.5" filter set

They have it listed at $400

Rick A · Apr 23, 2009

Offer them $100- DICKER WITH THEM--Talk them DOWN!!!!! If all else fails PAY them what they want, But only after you plead POVERTY. After all once you buy that, you are going to have to accesserize. Every body knows that you cant just buy an item like that and not have to get a ton of gizmos to go with it. Then theres the bill for remodeling the darkroom to make room for it. Do you need a 4x5 camera setup too? You probably do, so yer gonna need some of that cash for one. Man, the list just keeps growing--sheesh.
Bottom line is--its a good deal if you think it is.
Rick

Tom Nutter · Apr 23, 2009

a 45MX is pretty old... make sure it's in decent shape---I have one I got a few years ago with a whole pile of junk I split with a friend...seems like I paid $400.00 then., Seems like now, maybe 100-200 would be better.
It just seems like, although it is A LOT of gear, it is more of a dream price on the part of the seller....make a much lower offer and leave your phone number then walk away...bet they'll call.

And furthermore a 45MX is pretty heavy machinery for 35mm and medium format.

David William White · Apr 23, 2009

Sounds like a very complete setup and a bargain at that price. I've got an MX as well. If you go for it, it might be the last enlarger you'll ever need, and it might tempt you into 4x5!

Rick A · Apr 23, 2009

Put a $100 bill in the sellers hand and tell him(or her)thats all you're willing to pay. Then dont say another word --the first person to talk looses, or they give you the money back,most times once they have money in hand, they dont want to give it back. Let them squirm and fuss but stick to your guns. If they give back the money, add $50,and start the dance all over The trick is to stay mum,and stare them down. This works 90% of the time for me.Good luck.
Rick

PKM-25 · Apr 23, 2009

I was going to offer him $200 and see what he does. The thing of it is for me is that I live in a ski area, way up in dem' dar' hills, so to have a rig like this as close as it is, not easy to begin with. 4x5 is a possibility in the future, so I think this set up would be solid for that.

Otherwise, it is a 4 hour drive to the metro area, not something I do everyday.
Either way, it is a tax write off and I can make money from it as I already have a fine art sales base.

It looks super clean in the photos, a commercial photog. is selling it....We'll see.......

optique · Apr 23, 2009

I don't know how old a 45mx is, but I have a 45mxt in nearly perfect condition and it seems great to me.

Check the lens, bellows, light source to be sure they are good.

Also, as stated above, setup seems pretty complete, just pick up a 50mm lens for $50 and you might be good to go.

Personally, is forgoing the deal because he won't go less than $300 worth not having an enlarger?

If you have room for that big of an enlarger, then I would go for it. If you could borrow a 4x5 negative to handle and maybe enlarge, you just might be shopping for a Crown Graphic also.

It's a slippery slope.
Steve.

PKM-25 · Apr 23, 2009

With two book projects in the works for the next 5 years, It might be years before I do 4x5, so with a 20x25 base board, it is big. I just want a good enlarger and build a nice set up around that. The space I am considering is quite small, I am in a 2 bedroom condo. I expect to print on as large as 16 x 20 paper for the near term.

As for price, all I can do is offer and him counter offer. It is still a 2 hour drive to see it so either way.

It looks mint from the pics.

MattKing · Apr 23, 2009

It is a good setup, is worth much more than $400.00, and in a reasonable world would sell for much more than $400.00.

As to the accessories, it is one of the few enlargers around that you can actually buy new accessories for. There are also lots and lots of used accessories available. That is worth something.

In this real world, if your local market doesn't have an abundance of used professional quality 4x5 enlargers available, the price might actually be low. The value to you - only you can measure that!

Matt

EdSawyer · Apr 24, 2009

That price is a steal. Just the coldlight head is $200+ on ebay usually. Lenses, equally valuable in the $100+ range/ea maybe more. It's like getting the enlgarger and everything else for free.

-Ed

DAP · Apr 24, 2009

ralnphot said:
Put a $100 bill in the sellers hand and tell him(or her)thats all you're willing to pay. Then dont say another word --the first person to talk looses, or they give you the money back,most times once they have money in hand, they dont want to give it back. Let them squirm and fuss but stick to your guns. If they give back the money, add $50,and start the dance all over The trick is to stay mum,and stare them down. This works 90% of the time for me.Good luck.
Rick

If I was selling something and some guy put 1/4 the value of the item in cash in my hand and said take it or leave it - I would tell him to get lost. That kind of maneuver seems a bit rude (might be OK to pull that on a used car salesman - not on an average Joe selling one of his personal possessions).

As for the price of the enlarger - I think that it is not all that bad of a deal. Sure - if you look hard enough you can find better deals, but realistically your time has value. If it is close to where you live, you like that particular model of enlarger, and everything is working well and in reasonably good condition, I would take it.

PKM-25 · Apr 24, 2009

DAP said:
If I was selling something and some guy put 1/4 the value of the item in cash in my hand and said take it or leave it - I would tell him to get lost. That kind of maneuver seems a bit rude (might be OK to pull that on a used car salesman - not on an average Joe selling one of his personal possesions).

As for the price of the enlarger - I think that it is not all that bad of a deal. Sure - if you look hard enough you can find better deals, but realistically you time has value. If it is close to where you live, you like that particular model of enlarger, and everything is working well and in reasonably good condition, I would take it.

I pretty much agree on all of this, so I took it, but it also came with a Arkay RC-2100 and large darkroom sink. Now my buddy and I are going to use a nice 500 square foot area in his basement and make a functional darkroom.

The value of picking something like this up and not dealing with shipping cost / potential damage is immense, so this is indeed a bargain.

David William White · Apr 24, 2009

Good call.

PKM-25 · Apr 28, 2009

I picked it all up today, it is in fantastic shape! So it ended up being the following:

Beseler 45MX, with standard condenser head, E+ condition
Aristo D-2 cold light head, mint
GraLab 450 timer w/ foot switch, E+
Rodenstock Rodagon 150mm f5.6, mint
Kodak Ektar 100mm f4.5, mint
Rodenstock Rodagon 80mm f5.6, fair to good
4x5 carrier
35mm strip carrier
35N single neg carrier
6x6 carrier
6x7 carrier
6x8 / polaroid carrier
Ilford 6"x6" filter set
Ilford 3.5"x3.5" filter set
1-20x24 easel
1-11x14 easel
One set of three each 8x10, 11x14, 16x20 and 20x24 trays
26x72 stainless steel darkroom sink, E+
Arkay RC-2100 print dryer, mint
Two grain focusers
Lots of good misc like print tongs, etc..

We measured out a 14x14 room in the basement, will start the prep work on it soon. This was all a steal at $400, I am stoked!

PKM-25 · Apr 30, 2009

We worked all day today prepping the rooms, one will be the darkroom, 14 X 14 feet and the other will a mounting / lounge room at 14 X 11 feet.

The ceilings are plaster so we are going to build a "Clean-Room" as the darkroom out of sheet plastic and 2x2's to fill the space, create positive air flow and a filtration system. We sealed the openings with foam today, so that ought to help buffer the nasty Colorado dust. I think we have three enlargers now, my 23C and 45MX and his durst.

The other photographer does 20x24 pinholes so we are going to make a loading area / contact printer for ULF.

All in all, about 340 Sq. feet to get going with.

Opinions on 45MX outfit for sale...

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