very large prints, diffusor vs. condenser?

chris77 · Dec 2, 2017

hello. as i am doing large prints from 5x7 using a diffusor (and therefore higher contrast negatives) i am wondering what i could gain from a condenser? would there be a true avantage ?
merci,
chris

removed account4 · Dec 2, 2017

chris77 said:
hello. as i am doing large prints from 5x7 using a diffusor (and therefore higher contrast negatives) i am wondering what i could gain from a condenser? would there be a true avantage ?
merci,
chris

chris77
some say the condenser head will give you more snap but it really depends on what your printing style is
what size prints are you making ? ive made big stuff usng both type heads it was just a matter of using
the right kind of negative ( cold light has to be a little denser ) and the right sort of filtration ..
sounds like fun whatever type you use
john

[Moderator's note: off topic portion deleted]

chris77 · Dec 2, 2017

hello john.
i am printing up to 140 cm wide from 13x18 using a rodagon 210.
and yes! its a pleasure.
i am about to make a website to show some work. it has all been happening slowly, but will be more productive now as i am focussing exclusively on it for the months to come. ️

Neal · Dec 2, 2017

Dear Chris77,

There is no need to move to a condenser enlarger unless you need a tiny bit of contrast that you can't otherwise get. Assuming your negatives are reasonably exposed and processed that can't be an issue. Keeping everything aligned and clean will get you where you want to go.

Good luck,

Neal Wydra

Bob Carnie · Dec 2, 2017

Neal said:
Dear Chris77,

There is no need to move to a condenser enlarger unless you need a tiny bit of contrast that you can't otherwise get. Assuming your negatives are reasonably exposed and processed that can't be an issue. Keeping everything aligned and clean will get you where you want to go.

Good luck,

Neal Wydra

I agree with Neal.. I use both types of enlargers for murals with little consideration as to which one is better...

chris77 · Dec 2, 2017

thank you all.
kind regards, chris

ps. the versalab parallel IS useful... and quick

nworth · Dec 2, 2017

Condensers generally put more light through the lens, and would be preferred on that basis. But I have an 8X10 DeVere 1010ET (which doesn't work any more) that was designed to make gigantic murals, and it has a 5000 watt diffusion head. If I wanted to make anything over from about 16X20 up to 60 inches wide today, I would probably go digital with a scan of a large format negative. Whatever you use, cleanliness is extremely important and difficult.

voceumana · Dec 2, 2017

Condensers and diffusion light sources produce the same sharpness and resolution--condensers sometimes have the appearance of greater sharpness because they print with slightly higher contrast. Note that large size prints seem to need higher contrast than smaller size prints, and that some negatives don't make good size large prints where smaller prints from the same negative are just fine.

Use whatever head you have and it will be OK.

Sirius Glass · Dec 2, 2017

Either condenser or diffuser will work well. The advantage of the condenser is that it can reach higher contrast levels while providing the ability to have the filaments and the print on the bulb to show up on the print and also amplify any dust in the system. I use a diffuser because it came with my enlarger and I am happy with the results. It is a choice of preference much like which end of the egg to open [Reference to Jonathan Swift https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilliput_and_Blefuscu].

ic-racer · Dec 2, 2017

chris77 said:
hello. as i am doing large prints from 5x7 using a diffusor (and therefore higher contrast negatives) i am wondering what i could gain from a condenser? would there be a true avantage ?
merci,
chris

Shorter printing times for the same wattage. But I'll bet the condenser head you have has less wattage than your diffusion head.
Processing very large prints is always a challenge. I'd be interested in knowing how you do it. Trays vs troughs.

chris77 · Dec 3, 2017

ic-racer said:
Shorter printing times for the same wattage. But I'll bet the condenser head you have has less wattage than your diffusion head.
Processing very large prints is always a challenge. I'd be interested in knowing how you do it. Trays vs troughs.

i have built tray tables. troughs didnt work for me.

Doremus Scudder · Dec 3, 2017

As mentioned, both diffusion and condenser heads will deliver exactly the same sharpness; the lens is focused on the negative - sharpness is a function of lens quality, depth-of-focus, negative flatness, accuracy of focus, etc. not the light source.

For a given negative, a diffusion source will yield less print contrast than a condenser source (some of us keep a condenser head around just for that extra contrast boost for those every-now-and-then-too-flat negatives ).

With two different negatives of the same scene optimized for the light source used for printing (i.e., the diffusion negative developed to an appropriately higher contrast index), the resulting prints should be, for all intents and purposes, identical except for the following:

Condenser sources tend to emphasize grain a bit more as well as dust and crud on the negative and holder glass. This is due to the directional nature of the light. Diffuse light "sees around the corners" of the grain and dust a bit, thereby minimizing them somewhat.

Best,

Doremus

ic-racer · Dec 3, 2017

chris77 said:
i have built tray tables. troughs didnt work for me.

"Large" can be many sizes. How big? Bigger than 50" (1.2 meters)? I'm also interested in other details, like which enlarger and head and lens are you using now?

chris77 · Dec 3, 2017

up to 140 cm, enlarger is an adapted studio camera, built like a tank, laser-aligned. diffusor head home made (led). lens is rodagon 210.
you are welcome!

very large prints, diffusor vs. condenser?

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