Valoy ii questions! Need some advice

Hey everyone, just got a Valoy ii, beginning to start building my in home darkroom. Just had a few questions about the machine. I need to get a replacement bulb, I noticed it has a standard light bulb mount, is there a standard bulb that would be sufficient? Also, i need to get a timer for the light, if any suggestions. Thanks!

75w bulb will do a perfect job. I use cold lamp to save power or dry some diffused LED bulbs.

Gee

Make sure there isn't "GE" or something written on the tip of the bulb that will show up in your prints.

You should be using enlarger bulbs, which have a heavier frosting. If you use standard light bulbs, you will get uneven lighting.
Standard enlarger light bulbs are not hard to get.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/74800-REG/Wiko_PH211_Lamp_75.html

Thanks! Any idea what the cheapest but still effective electronic timer would be? or any other method that would work?

tybb said:

Thanks! Any idea what the cheapest but still effective electronic timer would be? or any other method that would work?

Click to expand...

Some people disagree with this, but for my purposes I use a metronome. Counting seconds becomes second nature after a while, and you have your hands free to dodge and burn at all times. No pressing buttons. Works for timing exposures, developer/stop/fixer baths, as well as bleaching/toning baths. Dead simple, very reliable and repeatable.

Otherwise it's best to look in the used market for a Gralab or some such. Do some Googling around on Craigslist or eBay, or visit used departments of photography stores. You could even pick up the phone and call some.

+1 on the metronome. I used to have a stopwatch (auto-sum for test strips), misplaced it, dug out a metronome, and would not return to the stopwatch. But only for exposure.

I should add that sometimes it's really nice to have a foot switch to start and stop your enlarger, irrespective of your method of timing. That will help you keep your hands free during exposure.

And finally, some enlarger timers are REALLY nice, where you can program in tenths of seconds exposure duration. Those are very precise, and as long as you give yourself enough time for the exposure, the amount of time you busy your hands with pushing the timer start button will be very small in the grand scheme of things.

I generally try to keep my exposure times in the 20-40 second duration, by adjusting lens aperture. That gives me ample time to do dodging maneuvers and fairly small adjustments in tonality where needed; it's also enough time for the results of your dodging exercises to look smooth.

Whether you use a metronome or something else probably doesn't matter much in the long run.

Valoy is very good enlarger. I have model with antinewton condenser . But it is very hard to gain even iliumination on theme, because original bulbs for valoy have been smaller than today bulbs.
I sometimes put focomat head on valoy for easier adjustments and more even illumination. With 60 mm rodagon lens results are even better.

Generally the black Valoy II has the clear condensor. Unless a previous owner bought the optional Anti Newton condensor. The blue grey Valoy II came with the AN condensor, and also the last version light grey.

The condensor you can take out from underneath, no need to take apart the lamphead: you push it up a little and then turn in . . . it has a bajonet. Remove the negative holder before you do this, as it's pins can easily damage the glass of the condensor. If the condensor is "frosted", it is AN. If it is clear glass it is not and you will have to do something to avoid Newton rings. I would start simple by using a piece of museum carton and cutting out a rectangle slightly larger than the image on the film. Put that on top of your negative . . . then the glass does not touch the neg and you won't have Newton rings.

Re the bulb, yes an enlarger lamp for sure. Best would be a socalled shortneck bulb, with a bit of effort you can find these. I have that in 150watt in the Valoy II.

Here you find good info: http://www.glennview.com/leitz.htm

75W enlarger lamp. It's a PH 211. There are also 212 lamps that are 150W.
Pick up a couple of spares while you're at it, it's no fun when you start a session & the last bulb blow out.

tybb said:

Thanks! Any idea what the cheapest but still effective electronic timer would be? or any other method that would work?

Click to expand...

Almost any electronic timer will work with a 75 W bulb. Check Ebay, there are usually a gozillion of them listed. I'm partial to LPL, but Beseler, Omega, Gralab and a bunch others make decent ones.