Strengths and Weaknesses of all my Enlargers - Help me decide...

[rockphotographer]

I currently have a growing number of enlargers and am curious as to the opinions of other darkroom users as to their particular strengths and weaknesses. For those capable of doing Dichro work, please give your input on their abilities on both black and white and color printing. I haven't printed by hand in the darkroom (color) since the late nineties, but might try my hand at it later and would like to know about them as well.

Currently I have the following:

Beseler 45MXT with Ilford 500 head, controller, and power unit with Schneider lenses (formerly used by the VA Historical Society and in brand new condition)
-includes all the diffusion chambers available

Beseler 45MXT with 45S Dichro Head and Beseler HD lenses on a three part turret with 4x5 diffusion chamber and 35mm diffusion chamber

Omega D2 4x5 enlarger with basic condenser head

Vivitar VI with both the standard monochrome and the dichro heads (both light pipe style condensers)

Durst L900 with all holders and diffusion chambers up to 6x9 and "autofocus" capability with Schneider and Rodenstock Lenses / CLS450 Dichro Head


I'd like to see others' interpretation of which of these might become my primary enlarger for both mono and dichro work. Perhaps the Durst is great as a production enlarger (with all the repeatability of autofocus). Perhaps the Ilford/Beseler is the greatest monocrhome setup ever made. Perhaps the Omega would be better on some negatives due to the increased contrast of a basic condenser.....etc...

Lend me your input everyone! I'm excited to see what everyone has to say.

Thanks

Charles

 

[Hilo]

Charles,

I can't comment on your enlargers, I use only Leitz enlargers up to 6X9. However, I am considering to get the 45 MXT and would like to know one thing: can this enlarger print 20X24 (50X60cm) using an easel and a normal combination of lens and negative? Like a 50mm for 135 negatives or 80mm for 6X6 . . . Beseler states it will do larger than 16X20, but this is of no help. I am not interested in wall-projection printing.

Obviously the enlarger that can handle this size would be the one I'd keep.

Michael

 

[philosli]

I have none of yours and just started printing a few weeks back. I think the only way is to use each by yourself to see each's potential. I have read on-line comments of my own (Omega C760), but I didn't realize what they meant until I got my hands on it.

 

[Neal]

Hello Charles,

How much room do you have? If only enough for one and need to go to 4x5 then keep the Beseler/Ilford and pull the handy bits off the second Beseler. The Ilford head and the condition make it ideal for b&w. You can swap heads if you decide to do some color printing. If you have plenty of room, keep them all! The Omega to tease out just a bit more contrast from a flat negative, the Vivitar for quick and easy 35mm work, and the Durst just not just because it's a great enlarger, it's cool.

Neal Wydra

 

[fotch]

Beseler 45MXT without the lens turrent, prefer to put the lens on a lens board that stays off the enlarger when not in use. Keep both if you can, one can be for parts or if you have the room, one for color one for B&W.

 

[David Allen]

I have used Beseler enlargers in the past and liked them very much. I have also used a wide range of other enlargers and have generally found that you can get good prints from all of them. The one thing that I simply could not do without for my monochrome photography is the Ilford 500 set-up (preferably with the later control pad).

Bests,

David.
www.dsallen.de

 

[snapguy]

opine

Our opinions and experiences don't mean very much. The "best" enlarger in your stable could be out of whack so it may be the worst of the bunch, not the best. You need to plant yourself in front of these enlargers and see for yourself which you like the best. I'd owned big, fancy Beselers but prefer a skinny Omega B22.

 

[cowanw]

I have read in the older magazines that the Zone VI is the best enlarger!

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I'd stick with the Beseler 45 series chassis, and as others have mentioned, keep both the Ilford 500 VC head and the Beseler Dichro head. You can use the Dichro head for VC printing as well as color printing. I'd keep the Schneider lenses. I like the lens turret as it means you aren't pumping dust into the enlarger every time you change lenses. I'm not a huge fan of the Omegas just because A: they're condenser heads, so B: if you shoot a bunch of different film sizes, that means you have to keep a bunch of condensers in stock, and C: condensers are dust magnifying and attracting monsters because of the heat. While I'm sure the Durst is a nice enlarger, I would also be less enthusiastic about it because it isn't as versatile.

As to printing bigger than 16x20, you can do it with the Beseler if you have an Adjus-Table for it, that lets you drop the baseboard lower. OR you can build your own enlarger stand instead of hunting for an Adjus-Table and then you can drop the baseboard. The trick with making your own is of course getting all the parts square, level and parallel.

 

[mr rusty]

I have the V1 and think it's great, but have little experience of others to compare it too. Solid construction, the principal advantage I can see is the light pipe system. Cold light at the negative means glassless holders with no problem. AFAIK the non-dichro head is NOT a lightpipe and doesn't have this advantage. Spares are rare. If you have a full set of neg holders this is a nice enlarger.

 

[Hilo]

As to printing bigger than 16x20, you can do it with the Beseler if you have an Adjus-Table for it, that lets you drop the baseboard lower. OR you can build your own enlarger stand instead of hunting for an Adjus-Table and then you can drop the baseboard. The trick with making your own is of course getting all the parts square, level and parallel.

Thanks, first time I heard about that. I see these tables are still for sale. The Wall/Table Mount would be another way, right? Cheaper too. I would probably go for the table, because you can move it around.

Is it correct Beseler did not make any XL versions for the 45MXT? (like they did with the 23C)

I guess between 16X20 and 20X24 is the yes/no for many enlargers. The Focomat 1C with the large column gets up there easily, but the Focomat 2C barely. That one I have to bring up beyond what seems reasonable, but then it works.

I wonder how many people have bought the 45MX thinking it would do 20X24 . . .

---

coming back to my post a little later . . .

Thinking it over more I wonder how effective this Adjus-table really is: once the top of the table is lowered down, yes the magnification will be increased. But will an easel fit inside this setup? Can someone speak from experience? Thanks . . .

To the original poster: sorry to be so specific about something you did not really ask about. If it is a problem I will re-post this in a new thread . . .

 

[rockphotographer]

This is a great discussion! Thanks for all the information and thoughts.....

I have the "Adjust-Table" but haven't picked it up from my friends' dismantled darkroom yet.....There's a Kreonite sink there with the rotational print washer at the end....so awesome... Something I could never have afforded back in my college darkroom days! Ill see if I can tell you how comfortably an easel will fit in there when the table is lowered.

The Durst and Vivitar VI are so unique (seemingly) and are both as one poster said very "cool," which says I'll probably keep them purely for those two factors alone.

If I venture beyond 16x20, I'll probably go to a high res Imacon scan and then go from my Epsons.....Just for convenience sake.

Feel free to continue with more thoughts! I'm always eager to hear more perspectives on the darkroom.

 

[fotch]

....................
Is it correct Beseler did not make any XL versions for the 45MXT? (like they did with the 23C)

..........................

Thinking it over more I wonder how effective this Adjus-table really is: once the top of the table is lowered down, yes the magnification will be increased. But will an easel fit inside this setup? Can someone speak from experience? Thanks . . .

To the original poster: sorry to be so specific about something you did not really ask about. If it is a problem I will re-post this in a new thread . . .

They did make the CB-7 which is taller & a heavy duty version.

What ever fits on the baseboard will still fit on it when it is lowered in the table. I use to do 20X24 in my home made version of the adjustable table, no problem.

 

[mckay3d]

I have used both the Beseler and Omega enlargers over the years and while I really like the convenience of the motorized Beselers, the ability to align the Omega D2 makes it my choice for B&W. However, if your 45MXT's are in good alignment... go with them. I have never used the Ilford 500 head, but I'm sure it is desirable.
Hmm... Not much help, was I?
Maurice

 

[Rick A]

I really don't understand why you would ask our opinion, none of us has used your enlargers to be able to form an opinion of them. I have used similar units, and have opinions of them, but until I come there and use yours, my opinion is worthless.

 

[John Koehrer]

The extension for the 23C was a simple metal addition to the base of the column. Maybe 3-4" on a side but with appropriate holes for mounting.
I doubt something like that would be adequate for the 45's.
The adjust-table should solve the problem of height but I don't know the size of the baseboard either. Wall mounting the enlarger with an
adjustable shelf beneath would give you unlimited capability.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Thanks, first time I heard about that. I see these tables are still for sale. The Wall/Table Mount would be another way, right? Cheaper too. I would probably go for the table, because you can move it around.

Is it correct Beseler did not make any XL versions for the 45MXT? (like they did with the 23C)

I guess between 16X20 and 20X24 is the yes/no for many enlargers. The Focomat 1C with the large column gets up there easily, but the Focomat 2C barely. That one I have to bring up beyond what seems reasonable, but then it works.

I wonder how many people have bought the 45MX thinking it would do 20X24 . . .

There is another Beseler 45 enlarger chassis, the V-XL, which has a longer column and will let you print to 24x36 on the baseboard from a 35mm negative with a 50mm lens. The 45M-series enlargers did not have an XL column - I think the working assumption was if you wanted to go bigger, you either got an Adjus-Table, or you wall-mounted so you could project on the floor or an opposite wall.