The high cost of enlargers and darkroom equipment

Tim Stapp · Nov 13, 2021

In the last 6 years, I've accumulated numerous enlargers, print dryers and processing equipment. Most used at the moment are my two Beseler 23CII ($20 total), Beseler CB-7 ($20), 150 mm lens for CB-7 ($50), JOBO CPE2+ with multiple drums and reels for 35mm to 4x5 (350) and the print dryer (New, in box) $30, New, in box color head for 23CII ($40).

None of the equipment was in need of "refurbishment". In fact, as stated above: two of the items were new/in box. the CB-7 had the one year calibration sticker attached from the closed down pro lab that it was purchased from. That sticker probably cost 10 times what I paid for the enlarger.

tballphoto · Nov 14, 2021

Tim Stapp said:
In the last 6 years, I've accumulated numerous enlargers, print dryers and processing equipment. Most used at the moment are my two Beseler 23CII ($20 total), Beseler CB-7 ($20), 150 mm lens for CB-7 ($50), JOBO CPE2+ with multiple drums and reels for 35mm to 4x5 (350) and the print dryer (New, in box) $30, New, in box color head for 23CII ($40).

None of the equipment was in need of "refurbishment". In fact, as stated above: two of the items were new/in box. the CB-7 had the one year calibration sticker attached from the closed down pro lab that it was purchased from. That sticker probably cost 10 times what I paid for the enlarger.

I wont doubt what you have found in your particular area, or among your expeditions into used equipment. Its just that i commented on what I have found in my own expeditions to building my own enlarging setup

MARTIE · Nov 14, 2021

I really feel for anyone trying to get a darkroom set-up to handle negatives 6x7 and above. I would say the vast majority of ownership has already retired or made the transition from wet darkrooms long ago. Some of us benefited from that shift but I wouldn't be keen on trying to start my darkroom all over again. Mainly due to availability, cost and the 'shape' most of the equipment is going to be in.

btaylor · Nov 14, 2021

The time when darkroom gear was being unloaded cheaply or thrown out in the street is certainly, for the most part, over. In ‘81 I was building quite a nice (for me!) darkroom centered around the best enlarger I could afford, a used Beseler 23c with a color head and some basic accessories for $600, or $1800 in today’s dollars. I think that while the throw away prices are over, $600 to $1000 in today’s dollars for a top notch used enlarger (Beseler 4x5, color head, lenses, etc) is still a pretty great deal. It’s always been an expensive hobby- but still nothing like owning a boat or collecting Porsches!

MARTIE · Nov 14, 2021

Many of us probably wouldn't be in favour of letting our equipment go but I wonder if having a lease type of agreement would be a way forward in the future. In this way, there would be no loss or transfer of ownership and someone else would have access to a fine machine. I have no idea what darkroom hire costs but you'd think that leasing an enlarger would have some advantages?

David Brown · Nov 14, 2021

btaylor said:
It’s always been an expensive hobby- but still nothing like owning a boat or collecting Porsches!

"Photography is not for the faint of wallet!"

When I was teaching darkroom workshops (Pre-Covid) I initially told the students that they could furnish a suitable darkroom for the price of a Canon Rebel (something most of them could relate to) I later changed the analogy to a new iPhone. The problem is that beginners don't know what to look for, or where to look.

tballphoto · Nov 14, 2021

David Brown said:
"Photography is not for the faint of wallet!"

When I was teaching darkroom workshops (Pre-Covid) I initially told the students that they could furnish a suitable darkroom for the price of a Canon Rebel (something most of them could relate to) I later changed the analogy to a new iPhone. The problem is that beginners don't know what to look for, or where to look.

No, its more of an issue with sellers selling incomplete and damaged units and having tiny clauses in the ebay or etsy listings making the claim that the seller has no requirements to a refund if the item is defective.

Sirius Glass · Nov 14, 2021

And about 10 years ago an APUGger was moving from Los Angeles to Florida and selling off the equipment which he could not move. I bought what I needed but he begged me to take four or five 4"x5" high end complete enlargers with sets of lenses for each. I had to say no because I did not have the room to store them.

Dusty Negative · Nov 14, 2021

Thank you for sharing your tribulations, Sirius Glass. Would that I be smitten thus. ;-)

btaylor · Nov 14, 2021

Bezoar said:
No, its more of an issue with sellers selling incomplete and damaged units and having tiny clauses in the ebay or etsy listings making the claim that the seller has no requirements to a refund if the item is defective.

One thing with the eBay categorization “Used” is that it is a fully functional item, so if it doesn’t work it is “not as described.”. “For parts or repair” would mean functionality not guaranteed.

tballphoto · Nov 17, 2021

btaylor said:
One thing with the eBay categorization “Used” is that it is a fully functional item, so if it doesn’t work it is “not as described.”. “For parts or repair” would mean functionality not guaranteed.

Well from personal expereince, the ebay ad descriptions dont mean ANYTHING until you complain to ebay about a bad item that you bought. If the seller lists something as "used" and "usable", and then it arrives and doesnt have the correct parts, OR match the serial number shown in the sellers photos, THEN it will help the buyer.
Yeah, bought a camera that didnt have the slr MIRROR in it... although the one in the photos did. ONLY thing that helped me out was that the camera i recieved did not have the serial number that was on the in ad pictures...

tballphoto · Nov 17, 2021

I have seen some bootiful equipment for sale on ebay, nearly brand new 45mx with the motorized base for under 500.; But they always had locations over a 1,000 miles away and "you pick up at my house" for shipping.

Or the seller will sell your a nearly new or nearly mint condition printmaster for medium format, sell it for 150 bu demand 400$ in shipping..
Have seen some sellers use the same 5 photos of a beseler enlarger to create 2-3 dozen individual item for sale ads of the flea bay.

And not everything is sold in a usable condition. I keep seeing on the ebay window at the bottom an advertisement for dark room equipment, mainly junk and expired chemicals, for 1300$

Nodda Duma · Nov 18, 2021

When I opened my public darkroom earlier this month, I was inundated with emails asking if I wanted darkroom gear. I had to start turning people down or risk drowning in donated gear. I have plenty of extra, especially enlargers. Want a Beseller 23C with timer? Pay for shipping and it’s yours. I have like 5 extra.

Vermont Center for Photography has tons of gear as well, selling it for cheap enough to make you feel almost guilty for taking it. I’m just not sure if they ship stuff out.

bdial · Nov 18, 2021

Nodda Duma said:
...Vermont Center for Photography has tons of gear as well, selling it for cheap enough to make you feel almost guilty for taking it. I’m just not sure if they ship stuff out.

VCP will ship, assuming the costs are acceptable for the buyer, leastwise as of the last time I was in contact with them. They've had more enlargers than buyers for quite a long time.

Nodda Duma · Nov 18, 2021

Thanks for clarifying, I wasn’t sure if they did or not.

DREW WILEY · Nov 18, 2021

Gosh knows how many enlargers I've turned down for free, many of them high-end large format commercial ones. I commented on that before. Once people know you are interested, all kinds turn up; but then it becomes hard to turn the water faucet off.

Bronza · Nov 18, 2021

I'm relieved to hear people are still interested in using these.
I have a Saunders/LPL enlarger right now. . . . Does anyone want it? Ahaha. . . . I'm not kidding. . . . A brilliant relative of mine died recently and no one in my family wanted it. . . . I ended up taking it under my wing because I know it's valuable to some people and was valuable to him but I know nothing about darkroom photography or enlargers and I have no way to learn about it right now. . . my family situation got rough recently too and my life is a mess, I just have no storage space and no time. . . . All that to say I'm just desperate to get this LPL into the hands of someone who wants it, someone who will put it to good use. Is there anyone who would want to buy it for ridiculously cheap? I am not sure what Photrio's policy is on using their site to buy and sell so please consider this a theoretical question right now.
Here are some details on it:
Saunders/LPL 670 Dichronic
"Componar-C2,8/50 (Lens made in Germany) Schneider-Kreuznach"
The back says:
"DA-2- 0057071
IN PUT 120 V.A.C. 50~60HZ
OUT PUT 82 V.D.C. 85 WATTS
MADE IN JAPAN"
The plug says "Kawasaki KP-30 Japan".
Yes, the lens is still in there. Nothing appears to be missing. . . .
The only problem I can see is that there seems to have been a colored red plate of plastic or resin that used to be suspended below the lens by a short metal pole; it has broken off. The corner of it is the only part of it that is left, still attached to the pole, which looks to be unharmed.
I don't know how much it would cost to ship this enlarger but if someone really wanted it I would sell it for no more than it cost to ship the thing. IN THEORY. . . .

The high cost of enlargers and darkroom equipment

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