What enlarger(s) do you own/use?

[igzabeher]

I have an Omega D3 that I use, and an Omega B600 I'm looking at parting with. I'll try to take and attach photos at a later time.

 

[mshchem]

I just spent $157 at the lab on B&W prints and several enlargements. That‘s no longer sustainable. Negotiated a Beseler 23C. Arrives next week. I’ll need to try to hide it in the garage. Madam says don’t bring anything inside. I don’t think it’ll fare too well in the South Florida heat.
Q. Anyone (mshchem) know the year range on this one (70’s)? What parts should I keep inside under A/C (lens and condenser)?

Definitely the lens, needs to be dry. That's probably mid 50's through late 60's. The bellows need love and care too.

 

[Dennis S]

Beseler 45 MXR. Did a bit of Lith printing tonight and I know it will outlast me.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Doremus, May I please get a copy of your darkroom sink plans? I’m trying to figure out how to build one in a large bathroom.

My email is rembeteresa@yahoo.com

Email sent.

For years I worked in a bathroom that I converted to a darkroom when needed. I still have the over-the-tub sink I built. It fits a standard tub and stands on pipe legs with suction cups. I'm still trying to give it away to a good home if you're interested (or anyone else, for that matter).

Doremus

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Chromega E, very nice those are not that common!

Yeah, I got lucky. I got the Omega auto-focus E chassis and the "flying-saucer" cold light head and transformer along with the Chromega head for $40 years ago. I'm still trying to give the chassis away to a good home...

Doremus

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

- Omega ProLab rigged for 20x24in from 120neg
- Omega D6 rigged for 20x24in from 4x5neg
- Omega D2 rigged for 11x14in
- Focomat 1c for small prints.
- UV burner on the right which needs to find a new home.

 

[albada]

- Omega ProLab rigged for 20x24in from 120neg
- Omega D6 rigged for 20x24in from 4x5neg
- Omega D2 rigged for 11x14in
- Focomat 1c for small prints.
- UV burner on the right which needs to find a new home.

I counted 25 trays in your darkroom. You're running a serious lab there.

Mark

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

I counted 25 trays in your darkroom. You're running a serious lab there.

Mark

Ha ! There is at least a double amount of trays on the wet side
Lith, regular dev, or toners have their own specific trays.
There was a time you could grab all of this for next to nothing, trays but above all enlargers.
I print or process film almost everyday.

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

I have a simple but good Philips PCS130 from the early 1980s. Note the Soviet-era Czech clockwork timer!
View attachment 325476

The Philips PCS 130 always fascinated me , how do you like it?
I had a PCS2000 colour enlarger but sold it.
I change my enlargers like my wife changes her shoes!

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

Saunders LPL 4550 XLG

Working my way up to one!
I hope I will not be disappointed Currently using Beseler 45mxt, Durst M605 and a LPL 670 cxl.
The Beseler has been a huge disappointment.

 

[snusmumriken]

The Philips PCS 130 always fascinated me , how do you like it?

It suits me very well, I am not even slightly tempted to change. Despite being a budget model, it was really well designed by somebody. The body is robust, and the movements work flawlessly. I dispensed with the baseboard, to make it easier to move the easel around. The column is as rigid as aluminium sections can be, but I found it drooped at high magnifications under the weight of the head, causing poor alignment - I suspect that happens with a lot of enlarger designs, even with steel columns. Since I wanted to standardise on 16x12, I solved the problem by fastening the top of the column to the wall with a threaded stud; and subtly shimming one end of the negative carrier with a thickness of cornflake packet. The head can be rotated if you want to make prints larger than 20x16 on a nearby wall (never done that), or if you need to correct converging verticals (done that only once, worked a treat).

Given a Rodenstock lens, but also subject to my own limitations as a printer, print quality is as good as I could want. Here is last Thursday's effort:

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

Beseler 45 MXR. Did a bit of Lith printing tonight and I know it will outlast me.

Cannot say I am enthralled with my Beseler 45MXT,, I'm working to purchase an LPL 4500 with VCC head.
meanwhile I will use an LPL c670 and a Durst M605.
If you do lith are you interested in my Kodak Ektalure Xd 40" x 30 '.
I'm in Nanaimo!!

 

[ic-racer]

- Omega ProLab rigged for 20x24in from 120neg
- Omega D6 rigged for 20x24in from 4x5neg
- Omega D2 rigged for 11x14in
- Focomat 1c for small prints.
- UV burner on the right which needs to find a new home.

Wow, a lot of boxes of 20x24. This is sad, when I set up my current darkroom in 2000, I can go up to 20x24, but have not done any that big yet due to expense. Are you selling prints for profit to afford all that paper?

 

[DWThomas]

Since about 95% of my film shooting is medium format, I acquired an Omega B-8 back in 2006. It is stretching a little on 6x9, but works well for 6x6. I have three EI Nikor lenses (50, 80, & 105mm) and the supplemental condenser lenses so I can also do 35mm on the rare occasion I shoot it.

I also more recently acquired a Mamiya 16 "ENLA" head which is a piece of engineering that mounts in place of an enlarger lens and has a condenser and film holder to do subminiature work. The little gizmo uses the bigger enlarger as a source of light and mechanical support. I don't have the associated 16mm Mamiya camera , but the gizmo shows promise for use with my Minox negatives.

I have a cold light back that can mount on a 4x5 press camera, should I become desperate to do enlarge 4x5. (I have a Burke&James Press, but haven't done much with it in the last couple of decades.)

My 8x10 pinhole camera I limit to contact prints -- an 8x10 enlarger would be bigger than my dark room!

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Wow, a lot of boxes of 20x24. This is sad, when I set up my current darkroom in 2000, I can go up to 20x24, but have not done any that big yet due to expense. Are you selling prints for profit to afford all that paper?

These are 11x14 boxes. 20x24 are not in the pic and much less in stock. Paper prices went up big time. I do Lith so I have a lot of old expired papers.
Yes I'm lucky to be represented in gallery. Print sales, books and artist residencies are my income.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Since about 95% of my film shooting is medium format, I acquired an Omega B-8 back in 2006. It is stretching a little on 6x9, but works well for 6x6. I have three EI Nikor lenses (50, 80, & 105mm) and the supplemental condenser lenses so I can also do 35mm on the rare occasion I shoot it.

View attachment 326103

I also more recently acquired a Mamiya 16 "ENLA" head which is a piece of engineering that mounts in place of an enlarger lens and has a condenser and film holder to do subminiature work. The little gizmo uses the bigger enlarger as a source of light and mechanical support. I don't have the associated 16mm Mamiya camera , but the gizmo shows promise for use with my Minox negatives.
View attachment 326104

I have a cold light back that can mount on a 4x5 press camera, should I become desperate to do enlarge 4x5. (I have a Burke&James Press, but haven't done much with it in the last couple of decades.)

My 8x10 pinhole camera I limit to contact prints -- an 8x10 enlarger would be bigger than my dark room!

That adapter is really cool. Minox calling !

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Cannot say I am enthralled with my Beseler 45MXT,, I'm working to purchase an LPL 4500 with VCC head.
meanwhile I will use an LPL c670 and a Durst M605.
If you do lith are you interested in my Kodak Ektalure Xd 40" x 30 '.
I'm in Nanaimo!!

What are the negative points of the Beseler ? Overall bad conception ?
Never used one but the 8x10 option is tempting.

 

[DWThomas]

That adapter is really cool. Minox calling !

I have a Minox B I bought in the 1960s during a moment of excess cash -- or something. I only in the last five or six years got it out again after Blue Moon had some film available. (But I admit at my advanced age it's really awfully tiny to fiddle with!) And somewhere in my gallery here there's a shot of a print made with that gizmo. I had a heck of a time getting a grain focuser to show me anything useful; need to figure that out some day.

 

[snusmumriken]

Since about 95% of my film shooting is medium format, I acquired an Omega B-8 back in 2006. It is stretching a little on 6x9, but works well for 6x6. I have three EI Nikor lenses (50, 80, & 105mm) and the supplemental condenser lenses so I can also do 35mm on the rare occasion I shoot it.

View attachment 326103

What a pretty enlarger that Omega is!

Also relieved to see someone else has dark walls next the enlarger.

 

[David Lingham]

De Vere 203 bought new in 1982 with Dichromat head controlled by a RH Stopclock.

 

[ooze]

A Focomat 2c and a Meopta Opemus 6 with diffuser head.

 

[snusmumriken]

A Focomat 2c and a Meopta Opemus 6 with diffuser head.
View attachment 326132

Wow, what a beautiful darkroom!

 

[DWThomas]

What a pretty enlarger that Omega is!

Also relieved to see someone else has dark walls next the enlarger.

Thanks! But confession time ... That shot was taken at my table-top "studio" not in my darkroom. Currently there is dark paneling on one wall near the enlarger, and if I ever get my act together on making the darkroom more efficient, perhaps the other wall in that corner will darken.

 

[BHuij]

Beseler 45MXT with a custom built LED head and controller. Absolutely love it.

 

[albada]

Beseler 45MXT with a custom built LED head and controller. Absolutely love it.

Can you provide a picture of it?

Here's my Beseler 45MCX with DIY LED-head. The thick aluminum plate is overkill for cooling, but I didn't want to figure out how to get/make cooling fins.

I'm hoping that @Melvin J Bramley will respond to the question of why he dislikes the Beseler 45. It seems fine to me.

Mark