So I got a Beseler 4x5, some questions

eric · Oct 9, 2006

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned about picking up a 4x5 Beseler cheap. So I did. I managed to get it with 35mm, 66, 69, and slide neg holders. I also got a Nikon 105mm lens as well as an old Schneider 50mm lens. It came with an Arista Cold light head. Motor works good.
My questions:
1. Can I get light bulb sources for the Arista Cold light? It didn't come with with a voltage regulator, do I need one? My 23cII Arista cold light came with a voltage regulator and looks like a proprietary plug.
2. This particular model came with a sliding filter holder and it slides on top of the lens, clever. BUT, my Componon 80mm lens sticks inside the bellows about an 1" and now, I won't be able to put a filter when using an 80mm lens. Do I have any options?
3. How do I level the lens? There are screws on my 23cII that I can move the lens back and forth and side to side to get it level.
4. I have neg holders that have 4 pins on it. Are the 4x5 holders with the circular ring inside will work with this enlarger?

TIA!

Loose Gravel · Oct 9, 2006

Which coldlight tube did you get? There are white ones, W45 and W55, and a greenish looking one that is the V54. The latter is the tube to have, but the others will work fine too, but may need some different filtration for VC.

You don't need a voltage regulator. There should be two cords, one for the light and then a grounded one that says thermo on a paper tag. The thermo runs a heater inside the lamp house that attempts to maintain the coldlight's temperature and thus the light output. It works...kinda. Better to have a closed loop controller/timer of some kind, be it MetroLux or other. If you are printing 35mm and 6 by X, then you may want to use a condenser. Did you get a condenser? For 35mm, they are probably the way to go. For 6by, it's breakeven and for 45, I prefer coldlight, altho there are issues with this small coldlight being even.

That 105mm lens is a keeper.

Good luck.

Jon Shiu · Oct 9, 2006

There should be a swing-away filter holder that can hold filters below the lens. If not, you can get one to fit.

Jon

eric · Oct 9, 2006

Jon Shiu said:
There should be a swing-away filter holder that can hold filters below the lens. If not, you can get one to fit.

Jon

Thanks. Looks like user error. I can slide it now, I just had to wiggle it a little bit. Now to see about blubs for this thing. Its working right now, not sure if it is dim or its the way it is. Freaking thing was heavy!
I think the Nikon 105mm costs as much as I got the whole thing for.

eric · Oct 10, 2006

Loose Gravel said:
You don't need a voltage regulator. There should be two cords, one for the light and then a grounded one that says thermo on a paper tag. The thermo runs a heater inside the lamp house that attempts to maintain the coldlight's temperature and thus the light output. It works...kinda.

Loose,
Thanks. I noticed that the heater element was warm later on in the day. Does it stay on all the time when plugged in? I unplugged it. Or should I just keep it plugged in all the time?
Also, does the heater element help with the intensity of the light?

Jon Shiu · Oct 10, 2006

The heater does stay on, so just plug it in 20 minutes before you want to print. Also, with the ones at school, I used to turn the cold light bulb on for 10-15 minutes to help warm it up. The heater helps stabilize the light output.

Jon

jstraw · Oct 10, 2006

Not to hijack the thread but I'm going to be changing the lamp in my Aristo/Zone VI head. Is there much difficulty in performing this operation?

eric · Oct 10, 2006

jstraw said:
Not to hijack the thread but I'm going to be changing the lamp in my Aristo/Zone VI head. Is there much difficulty in performing this operation?

That is a good question. Did you purchase yours already? If so, where? I'd like to know this answer as well. I don't know how old this head is but in case I need to replace the bulb inside, I'd like to know how.

jstraw · Oct 10, 2006

eric said:
That is a good question. Did you purchase yours already? If so, where? I'd like to know this answer as well. I don't know how old this head is but in case I need to replace the bulb inside, I'd like to know how.

I have not purchased it. I plan to order it from B&H Photo.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=2590&is=REG

eric · Oct 10, 2006

jstraw said:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=2590&is=REG

Yowzaa! That costs more than the what I paid for the enlarger/lenses/carriers. Dang.

jstraw · Oct 10, 2006

While I've got this thread hijacked, is there any problem printing graded papers with the V54 lamp?

Loose Gravel · Oct 10, 2006

Jstraw,

No problem. It is very bright and the filters work just fine. Some papers have a spot where the filter change doesn't result in a grade change. I think mine is about between 3.5 and 4 -- no change. After that it's okay again. If I need more blue than my top filter (more contrast), I add Rosco lighting gels in varying degrees of blue. This can give adjustments of less than 1/2 grade, too.

Changing a tube is easy, altho delicate. There are little twisted copper wires that hold the tube in place. These are cut and thrown away. At the ends of the tube, you disonnect the power to the tube. Mine has pushon connectors. If you don't have these, put them on. You can buy them at auto parts stores as well as Home Depot and the like. They crimp onto the wires. Some tubes have some gook around the ends of the tubes where they go thru the ceiling of the lamp housing. It might be black and painted white. This is just picked away. Ask Aristo how or if you need to replace. It may not matter. To install, reverse the order.

And last, the heater is just plugged in before printing. Otherwise it keeps the tube at some temperature that is the optimum for light output. Pretty warm. There is a little thermostat up under the lid. For consistant printing, you will need a fancy timer/controller. Just the way it is.

jstraw · Oct 10, 2006

Loose Gravel said:
Jstraw,

No problem. It is very bright and the filters work just fine. Some papers have a spot where the filter change doesn't result in a grade change. I think mine is about between 3.5 and 4 -- no change. After that it's okay again. If I need more blue than my top filter (more contrast), I add Rosco lighting gels in varying degrees of blue. This can give adjustments of less than 1/2 grade, too.

Changing a tube is easy, altho delicate. There are little twisted copper wires that hold the tube in place. These are cut and thrown away. At the ends of the tube, you disonnect the power to the tube. Mine has pushon connectors. If you don't have these, put them on. You can buy them at auto parts stores as well as Home Depot and the like. They crimp onto the wires. Some tubes have some gook around the ends of the tubes where they go thru the ceiling of the lamp housing. It might be black and painted white. This is just picked away. Ask Aristo how or if you need to replace. It may not matter. To install, reverse the order.

And last, the heater is just plugged in before printing. Otherwise it keeps the tube at some temperature that is the optimum for light output. Pretty warm. There is a little thermostat up under the lid. For consistant printing, you will need a fancy timer/controller. Just the way it is.

Thanks for the information...I was curious about how the V54 lamp works with non VC papers.

So I got a Beseler 4x5, some questions

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