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What enlarger(s) do you own/use?

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I use a 4x5 Omega D-II (from the Korean War era) that carries a Zone VI compensated cold light head. Along with various EL-Nikkor lenses. This setup is not the most sophisticated, but it's worked well for me since 1989 or so.
 
IMG_3014.JPGIMG_3015.JPG

Forgive the yellowness, I use a bug light as my "main" light in the darkroom and leave only the red lights on when I'm not doing alt processes that can handle the yellow. There's no "proper" light source in the room anywhere haha.

First shot is the head. It leans hard into the "Borg" aesthetic. From bottom to top you can see the bellows, the head itself (black 3D printed bit sitting on top of the top bellows), then a big ol' heatsink, and finally the power supply unit on top of that. It uses 256 neopixel LEDs and a diffuser plate cannibalized from a Zone VI cold light head.

Second picture is the custom control panel. It runs on a Pico RP2040 microcontroller that I programmed in CircuitPython. The cord coming into the top is power from the power supply as well as data out for actually controlling the lights. The cord on the bottom goes to my foot pedal. Buttons are for controlling exposure time (in minutes, seconds, stops, or 1/12 stops), the two on the right are for activating compose/focus mode (all LEDs at 100% brightness on R, G, and B channels), and the far right button is the same as the foot pedal, just a "start exposure" button. Top knob controls contrast grade in 1/2 grade increments from 00 to 5. Bottom knob control "neutral density" (really just selective dimming of LEDs) in 1/3 stops from 0 to 5 stops.

It was a really fun project to put together, and it's a real joy to use. So much easier than messing around with that heavy condenser head and giant filters in and out of the tray.
 
BHuij said:
View attachment 326210View attachment 326211

Forgive the yellowness, I use a bug light as my "main" light in the darkroom and leave only the red lights on when I'm not doing alt processes that can handle the yellow. There's no "proper" light source in the room anywhere haha.

First shot is the head. It leans hard into the "Borg" aesthetic. From bottom to top you can see the bellows, the head itself (black 3D printed bit sitting on top of the top bellows), then a big ol' heatsink, and finally the power supply unit on top of that. It uses 256 neopixel LEDs and a diffuser plate cannibalized from a Zone VI cold light head.

Second picture is the custom control panel. It runs on a Pico RP2040 microcontroller that I programmed in CircuitPython. The cord coming into the top is power from the power supply as well as data out for actually controlling the lights. The cord on the bottom goes to my foot pedal. Buttons are for controlling exposure time (in minutes, seconds, stops, or 1/12 stops), the two on the right are for activating compose/focus mode (all LEDs at 100% brightness on R, G, and B channels), and the far right button is the same as the foot pedal, just a "start exposure" button. Top knob controls contrast grade in 1/2 grade increments from 00 to 5. Bottom knob control "neutral density" (really just selective dimming of LEDs) in 1/3 stops from 0 to 5 stops.

It was a really fun project to put together, and it's a real joy to use. So much easier than messing around with that heavy condenser head and giant filters in and out of the tray.
Click to expand...

Nice. I admire your electronics and programming skills. It does look a bit sci-fi. :smile:
 
BHuij said:
View attachment 326210View attachment 326211

Forgive the yellowness, I use a bug light as my "main" light in the darkroom and leave only the red lights on when I'm not doing alt processes that can handle the yellow. There's no "proper" light source in the room anywhere haha.

First shot is the head. It leans hard into the "Borg" aesthetic. From bottom to top you can see the bellows, the head itself (black 3D printed bit sitting on top of the top bellows), then a big ol' heatsink, and finally the power supply unit on top of that. It uses 256 neopixel LEDs and a diffuser plate cannibalized from a Zone VI cold light head.

Second picture is the custom control panel. It runs on a Pico RP2040 microcontroller that I programmed in CircuitPython. The cord coming into the top is power from the power supply as well as data out for actually controlling the lights. The cord on the bottom goes to my foot pedal. Buttons are for controlling exposure time (in minutes, seconds, stops, or 1/12 stops), the two on the right are for activating compose/focus mode (all LEDs at 100% brightness on R, G, and B channels), and the far right button is the same as the foot pedal, just a "start exposure" button. Top knob controls contrast grade in 1/2 grade increments from 00 to 5. Bottom knob control "neutral density" (really just selective dimming of LEDs) in 1/3 stops from 0 to 5 stops.

It was a really fun project to put together, and it's a real joy to use. So much easier than messing around with that heavy condenser head and giant filters in and out of the tray.
Click to expand...

Nice work.
This is the kind of electronics that manufacturers of enlargers would have offered had digital not halted their engineering. For example, you have a knob that sets grade -- that's a big step forward from the dinosaur technology of a tungsten bulb plus contrast-filters.

Mark
 
albada said:
Nice work.
This is the kind of electronics that manufacturers of enlargers would have offered had digital not halted their engineering. For example, you have a knob that sets grade -- that's a big step forward from the dinosaur technology of a tungsten bulb plus contrast-filters.

Mark
Click to expand...

There's a fellow from Denmark that sells 8x10 conversion kits. I put one on my Durst Laborator 138. Not only does it give me the ability to enlarge 8x10 but converts the enlarger to LED. I am probably going to buy an Intrepid 4x5 enlarger and use it to replace the dichro head on my Laborator 1000. A Heiland LED head is $1500 for the L1000. I guess what I am saying is I am not sure you have to build your own anymore. The 8x10 Conversion kit cost $800. The Intrepid light source is under $500. I am impressed by anyone who can build their own! Some of these bulbs (like those for the L138) are rare as hen's teeth and cost more than the whole shebang from Intrepid. We need to support these boutique businesses; they have been wonderful supporting our hobby.
 
sunbeamland said:
There's a fellow from Denmark that sells 8x10 conversion kits. I put one on my Durst Laborator 138. Not only does it give me the ability to enlarge 8x10 but converts the enlarger to LED. I am probably going to buy an Intrepid 4x5 enlarger and use it to replace the dichro head on my Laborator 1000. A Heiland LED head is $1500 for the L1000. I guess what I am saying is I am not sure you have to build your own anymore. The 8x10 Conversion kit cost $800. The Intrepid light source is under $500. I am impressed by anyone who can build their own! Some of these bulbs (like those for the L138) are rare as hen's teeth and cost more than the whole shebang from Intrepid. We need to support these boutique businesses; they have been wonderful supporting our hobby.
Click to expand...

Fully agree !
 
Like a lot of impoverished Europeans, I own a Meopta Opemus. It's good for up to 6x6 and is fitted with the corresponding colour head. Wish my daughter would clear enough rubbish out of my "darkroom" to enable me to use it. It uses a pair of Minolta CE's - a 50mm f2.8 and an 80 mm f5.6
 
510Oakster said:
I love your space! I would like to learn more about your Focomat!
Click to expand...

Well, the 2c version can print from 35mm up to 6x9 negs. It has a double lens turret, with a 60mm lens for 35mm negs and a 100mm lens (Focotar II) for medium format negs. Mine has the standard condenser head and filter drawer (some printers install multigrade heads, like an Ilford 500H). Thanks to its massive construction there is plenty of space to move around your easel on the baseboard (this can be a problem with enlargers that have a straight column; there are workarounds though). I can't find much else to say really, apart from the fact that it is wonderfully engineered, rock solid and a joy to use.
 
I have two, the LPL 4x5 with the black and white head, and the Leitz V35, which is the white one that looks like a robotic arm... and seemed so modern when it came out forty years ago.
 
Omega D5-XL, with Ilford Multigrade 400 setup..
Turret with Rodenstock 80mm & Rodenstock 105mm, EL-Nikkor 150mm. Also an EL-Nikkor 50mm f2.8
 
Guillaume Zuili said:
- 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.
Click to expand...

I think this confirms I’ll be able to go from 6x6cm negative to 20x20” print without wall mounting? Picking up a D6 this weekend, pretty relieved to see this setup!
 
Mick Fagan said:
Welcome to the forum.

Interesting that you have the 108s and the 504 DeVere enlargers, commercial enterprise?

I have a DeVere freestanding 504.
Click to expand...

Semi commercial.

I got the 504 years ago.
I found the 108s at the end of last year.
 
Still only one: 4"x5" Chromega Dichroic II 5D-XL
 
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