Paterson/ Philips 2500

Graham.b · Oct 3, 2008

I have the above enlarger, with a colour head and a tri - control unit. I having trouble tracking down some condenser's so i can use it up 6x7.
My question is if i stick a 80mm lens on it, would there be a big difference than to use the correct condensers. I do understand how important they are, but could you see it.

If i can't find the parts i will have to settle for another enlarger. That come''s as my next question.

Regards Graham.

haris · Oct 3, 2008

Do you need condensers with colour head? I mean, when I use colour head on mine Magnifax 4, I do not use conderers, because condensers are not needed for colour head. Condensers are on b/w head of my enlarger and when I remove b/w head I remove condensers too. Colour head do not have condensers. Most enlargers are like that.

I don't know your enlarger, but if it is like most of enlargers, you don't need condensers with colour head.

But, with colour head you do need mixing chamber for negative size/lens you use on enlarger...

Huub · Oct 3, 2008

Used to have one of these machines 25 years ago. Very nice and stable enlarger. The tri-control head is different from the more common heads that use filters. You need seperate condensors for the three formats it is suited for. If i remember correctly, the condensor for 6x6 is square and leaves just enough room for a 6x6 negative. For 6x7 you need the appropriate condensor, but they are very hard to find.

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 3, 2008

I had a Philips condenser enlarger for a while. When they were new, they were really expensive and considered to be very innovative. Fortunately, mine came with most of the available accessories, including all the condenser lenses. You do need the 6x7 set to cover 6x7 without falloff. I don't know why they didn't just make it the standard option, since it works perfectly well with 6x6 and 35mm as well, but it's not quite as efficient as having the 6x6 condensers for 6x6 and 35mm condensers for 35mm.

Lee L · Oct 3, 2008

I have the Philips Darkroombook (yes, it runs together) that describes the PCS 2000 as having no condensers. It uses mixing boxes, 35mm being the standard supplied with the enlarger. There was also an accessory mixing box available for up to 6x6cm, part no. 166.

This is not the same enlarger as the PCS130/150, which did have condensers. It's a different optical pathway for the light.

I doubt that the stock 35mm mixing box would be suitable for larger negatives. It would probably do well with an 80mm lens enlarging a 35mm negative.

Lee

Graham.b · Oct 3, 2008

Thank you for all your post. My top condenser is a 60x60 and the bottom a 24x36. So i am in need of a one unit. I will get a 80 this weekend and give it a go. I have printed with a 645 neg in the lamp and it dose seem to print OK. There is a little of a bend to the print on close examination. May my imagination. So really it is time to get another enlarger just for 645 and above. Then leave the Patterson to do 35 mm only, shame because it is nice to use.

Graham

srs5694 · Oct 4, 2008

As Lee says, the Philips PCS 2000 is a diffusion model that goes up to 6x6 format; but the Philips PCS 130/PCS 150 is a condenser model that goes up to 6x7. The PCS 130/PCS 130 was also sold by Paterson as the Paterson PCS 2500. I suspect this name confusion is the source of Lee's comments. It's clear from Graham's description that he's got the condenser model.

I have two practical suggestions:

Create an eBay saved search to look for relevant keywords to find the desired condenser. They do pop up from time to time, and you may luck out and find one next week -- or it might be a year before one comes up for auction. Actually, I believe eBay has a "want it now" feature or some such; you could use that in hopes of finding a seller, too.
Join the Dead Link Removed and ask there. It's conceivable that somebody has a spare condenser they'd be willing to sell you, or knows of a retailer who has them.

Unfortunately, the 6x7 condensers for this enlarger are pretty rare.

Graham.b · Oct 4, 2008

Hello again srs5694, you are correct i do have the 2500 colour head with condensers, and a tri - control unit pcs 150 dial in settings. Yes it goes to 6x7, and i have done a lot of searching, as of yet none has turned up, rare as chicken's teeth. As to answer my last post on the Besler, this may well be the one to use side by side. 35 Paterson 6x6 6x7 Besler.

Thanks all the same.
Graham

Lee L · Oct 4, 2008

srs5694, your surmise about my info is correct. I don't have any info on the Paterson versions of these enlargers at hand.

I am also keeping an eye out for the 6x7 condensers. I used to sell these enlargers (Philips branded) in the US, and I always tried to get the purchaser to get the extra condensers from the start. Not many did, and I'm sure other shops and staff didn't push for that preemptive purchase as I did, so I'm certain not many were sold. I recently got my PCS 150/130 from a generous APUGer, having used only the head and controller in an adapter for an Omega D5 starting in the 1980's.

I think I've posted this before on APUG, but the two condensers needed for 6x7 are the F135 on bottom and the F160 on top. Both are listed as accessories, not supplied with the enlarger. Stock configuration was an F91 on bottom and an F145 on top. 4x4 and 6x6 suggestions are an F135 on bottom and an F145 on top. So if you have the F91 and F145 standard configuration, you'll need two additional condensers to get to 6x7.

Lee

srs5694 · Oct 8, 2008

I've already sent a PM to Graham about this, but he says he's no longer interested, so: In perusing eBay recently, I found this auction for a PCB167 6x7 condenser set for the PCS130 enlarger. If anybody else wants this condenser set, now's your chance; as discussed here, these only crop up on eBay once every few months, on average. Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with the seller in any way.

alfmuss3 · Jan 18, 2010

There is one on ebay now.
Better late then never.
Regards

Paterson/ Philips 2500

haris

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