Scored my first enlarger!

So after shooting film solely for the past ten years I am finally taking the steps to go 100% computer chip free and got a 1940s Federal 279 for cheap. I know it isn't fancy but for the price it should mate well with my Graflex Century bed drop.

Can't wait a it till it gets here.

Congrats, and good luck! It's fun.

Now the real fun starts !

Thank you Frank. I have done contact prints of 120mm Pan F+ (yes I love slow speed film) on Ilfobrom FB grade 2 paper, but really excited about seeing how things will turn out using an enlarger.

Big step!
I have seen this Federal enlarger for real.

I was contact printing from 4x5 on 5x7 yesterday.

Congratulations and enjoy your enlarger! Now everyone who owns a different enlarger will jump in and tell you that their own enlarger is better and that you should have waited. <<grin>>

JoeyAnchors said:

So after shooting film solely for the past ten years I am finally taking the steps to go 100% computer chip free and got a 1940s Federal 279 for cheap. I know it isn't fancy but for the price it should mate well with my Graflex Century bed drop.

Can't wait a it till it gets here.

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I believe that the 279 is a 6X9, Stow a Way, ought to come in a chest for storage. Is your Graflex Century 6X9 or 4X5.

If your Federal has the original Federal lens you will want to upgrade, some older Federal lens were 3 elements, I have a Stow Away 288 with a 2 elements lens and water stops for a aperture control.

Link to Federal Enlargers

www.jollinger.com/photo/enlargers/federal.htm

PDH - My Century is 6x9. I do plan on upgrading to a modern 105mm 6 element lens sometime in the future.

I'm still waiting for the seller to ship. Just hope they pack it correctly!

A Federal works quite well with 6X9, I have had a couple of Federals over the years, one a 315 I converted to a point source, and the stow a away which I still have, nice soft look and I can take on road trips. You should have a glass negative carrier, as a diffusion model it uses a clear bulb, my stowaway came with the original bulb, and I found a replacement on line. I had to replace the cord in the 315. Both were quite light tight, for stamped metal parts the fit seems to quite good.

Good to hear that these little enlargers are worth using. Reading from the above link provided the 279 is a diffusing condenser. I have no idea what that means..

JoeyAnchors said:

PDH - My Century is 6x9. I do plan on upgrading to a modern 105mm 6 element lens sometime in the future.

I'm still waiting for the seller to ship. Just hope they pack it correctly!

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I have a Rodenstock 105 Trinar that is one of my favorite lenses, and I use it on a 4x5 even though it was designed for 6x9.

JoeyAnchors said:

Good to hear that these little enlargers are worth using. Reading from the above link provided the 279 is a diffusing condenser. I have no idea what that means..

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There are a couple of methods of delivering light to a negative.

From Wikipedia

An enlarger is a specialized transparency projector used to produce photographic prints from film or glass negatives using the gelatin silver process, or from transparencies.



Contents [hide]
1 Construction
2 Types of Enlarger
3 Enlarger physical arrangements
4 Principles of operation
5 Paper processing
6 Automated print machines
7 Advantages
8 Image enlargement limits
9 Manufacturers
10 See also
11 References


Construction[edit]

All enlargers consist of a light source, normally an incandescent light bulb, a condenser or translucent screen to provide even illumination, a holder for the negative or transparency, and a specialized lens for projection. The light passes through a film holder, which holds the exposed and developed photographic negative or transparency.

Prints made with an enlarger are called enlargements. Typically, enlargers are used in a darkroom, an enclosed space from which extraneous light may be excluded; some commercial enlargers have an integral dark box so that they can be used in a light-filled room.

Types of Enlarger[edit]

"Photographic Enlarger.
A condenser enlarger consists of a light source, a condensing lens, a holder for the negative and a projecting lens. The condenser provides even illumination to the negative beneath it.

A diffuser enlarger's light source is diffused by translucent glass or plastic, providing even illumination for the film.

Condenser enlargers produce higher contrast than diffusers because light is scattered from its path by the negative's image silver; this is called the Callier Effect. The condenser's increased contrast emphasises any negative defects, such as dirt and scratches, and image grain.

Diffuser enlargers produce an image of the same contrast as a contact print from the negative.[1]

Dedicated color enlargers contain an adjustable filter mechanism - the color head - between the light source and the negative, enabling the user to control the amount of cyan, magenta and yellow light reaching the negative. Other models have a drawer where cut filters can be inserted into the light path. These enlargers can also be used with variable-contrast monochrome papers.

Digital enlargers project an image from an LCD screen at the film plane, to produce a photographic enlargement"

There are different types of condenser enlargers as well as diffusion enlargers. Your federal is a typical of a diffusion enlarger, a white semi translucent glass plate scatters the light from the blub. Very simple, somewhat slower than a condenser enlarger, shows less dust, lower contrast.

PDH - thank you the info. I knew the general meaning between the two types of enlargers. Just think it's odd as the 279 is described as a disfussing condenser enlarger.

In "the day" 40s to mid 50s Federal were the budget enlarger, diffusion was cheaper to make as there were no condensers.

From Wards 1952 Photographic catalog page 86: Federal model 269 $39.75 DeJur Versatile II $99.50, Omega B3 $150.

BTW in 2015 dollars

Federal 269 $39.75 = $375.96

DeJur Versatile II $99.50 = $896.02

Omega B3 $150 = $1350.78

As recall from the documentation that came with the Federal 296 I converted to point source, the 269 could be upgraded to either a single or double condenser by buying the optional condensers. Mine came with double condenser, I bought some special polishing powder used in telescopes to clean the condensers.

Well the 279 just arrived! This model has the height pole set screw which broke off during shipping, but the rest of the unit survived surprisingly well even with the poor packing job.

set screw which broke off

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One good thing about a USA made enlarger if you live in the USA is the availability of SAE hardware and wrenches.

While the death of some irreplaceable films, papers, and chemicals sucks big time, the flip side is that all the stuff you'll find you need and want - trays, timers, grain focusers, easels, paper safes… it's all on Craigs List and eBay for 1/10th what it cost new. Hardest part of having a darkroom these days is having some space with plumbing.

Good luck, you're in for a blast!

M Carter said:

While the death of some irreplaceable films, papers, and chemicals sucks big time, the flip side is that all the stuff you'll find you need and want - trays, timers, grain focusers, easels, paper safes… it's all on Craigs List and eBay for 1/10th what it cost new. Hardest part of having a darkroom these days is having some space with plumbing.

Good luck, you're in for a blast!

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Thank you Carter. I will be doing tons of printing this coming year that's for sure!

Oh, there is a 100 watt white enlarger bulb in the 279 right now which is giving a slight off white/Amber color on the white printing paper I was testing the unit with to see how everything worked.

Will that hat make a difference or should I put a clear bulb in it?

If it was designed to be a diffusion enlarger the bulb used is most likely a coated white bulb. My Omega D-2 has a coated bulb and also uses condensers, it is a blend between condenser and diffusion.

mike c said:

If it was designed to be a diffusion enlarger the bulb used is most likely a coated white bulb. My Omega D-2 has a coated bulb and also uses condensers, it is a blend between condenser and diffusion.

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Mike, I think this Federal 279 is as well. It looks to have the optional condenser accessory. In the manual it says to change the clear bulb with an opal bulb when using the condenser add on.

You are right, just remembered that a opal (white) bulb is necessary for for my omega D2 condenser enlarger, a clear bulb would project an image of the bulb filament other wise. There are point light source enlargers but I do not know much about them.

Here is a picture from the manual showing the condenser in the 279.