What MF Enlarger in a tight space?

Fintan · Apr 13, 2008

I'm looking to add one or two enlargers into my darkroom for to allow some friends to use my darkroom and to do some introduction workshops.

The space I have doesn't have a lot of headroom unfortunatly and my choice of enlargers will be much restricted. I really like the mechanism of the leitz focomat v35 but some of the guys do MF and it wouldn't make sense to get a 35mm unless I have to.

Can you please see the diagram for the dimensions I have. The drawing is pretty much to scale.

Can anyone suggest a model that can take MF and fit this space?

Thanks for looking

Fintan

Jon Butler · Apr 13, 2008

http://www.kienzle-phototechnik.de/

Hi,
Take a look at the above site, They do make a MF/6X7 enlarger similar in
design to the V35.

JON

haris · Apr 13, 2008

Simplest solution (as I can see it) is to be restricted with print size. That way base of enlarger not need to be large, and enlargers head not need to be raised a lot, so you would have space. If enlargers base is too small for enlarger to be stable, you can try wall mounting. This is what comes to my mind first. Second thing is, as far as I can remember Meopta's Opemus 5 head is not going too heigh. Also, column of Opemus 5 is not going straight up, it is angled toward front, and that too helps. Just keep in mind Opemus 5 is up to 6x6 cm enlarger.

I use Magnifax 4 (6x7) and altough I don't know it max heigh (with head raised up), I think it is too tall for your space. Opemus 5 is significally smaller.

About Kienzle enlargers and your space: 6x7cm enlarger (model C67) has max height ca. 1280 (1440) mm, your min heigh is ca. 950mm, baseboard is 550x725x40 mm (other sizes can be ordered) and your baseboard place is ca. 820mm, so if not biggest print size is needed, it maybe can be solution for you.

craigclu · Apr 13, 2008

Would a drop table help for larger prints? A wall mount unit could be mounted at the optimum point for maximum column use and then inserts could be removed from the table as needed. A friend had a darkroom with a cold light Beseler 23C and he used its swivel head to wall project. My first darkroom (1967!) as a teenager had me turning the post mounted head to the table edge and projecting to the floor for larger prints.

Dave Miller · Apr 13, 2008

Fintan, I have a Durst 707 that is a good 6x7 VC enlarger. but it is about 39" high, so too tall. Have you considered cutting away the worktop to that the baseboard can sit lower?

Fintan · Apr 13, 2008

Thanks for the replies, I have a DeVere 504 in there already for big prints etc so I don't want to make any structural changes or tilt the head for wall or floor printing etc. This is just to accomodate some extra people in the darkroom.

RobC · Apr 13, 2008

I have, packed away, a DURST Modular 70 Pro. The column height on that is 44in and with head full up it needs 53in. I don't know if that 44in includes the baseboard height. I seem to remember that there was another (non pro) version which had a shorter column. So if there was, and using a wall mount, it may fit your purpose but with limited enlargement size although I guess 12x16 should be fine. It definitely takes 6x6 and probably 6x7 which my modular 70 does.

I would suggest you phone Terry at Northern Photo and ask him because if anyone knows, he will. They are/were the UK service centre for DURST and are a good source for anything durst based including second hand enlargers.

pentaxuser · Apr 13, 2008

Just measured my Durst 605. My counter top height is about 35.5 inches. If yours is only 32 inches then the column height means that it would fit with about 5-6 inches to spare and allow the head to go almost to the top of the enlarger column. However it only goes to 6x6 not 6x7. I have never checked max print size in MF but it is way beyond 8x10. Possibly at least twice that i.e. 16x20

I'll check size if you are interested. Let me know

pentaxuser

MattKing · Apr 13, 2008

1970s vintage Beseler 67C, with the single, angled column - 41 inches high, 11 inches from the wall. At maximum height, the head is about 1 1/2 inches higher, but it is also 6 inches farther from the wall.

That includes about 3/4 inch for the baseboard.

It may just fit, especially if you mounted it directly to the countertop.

You could even brace it against the ceiling at the same time.

The current Beseler Printmaker 67 Dichro has a maximum height of 39 1/2 inches.

Here is a link to it on B & H's site

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/149741-REG/Beseler_6768_Printmaker_67_Dichro_Color_.html

Finally, here is an Omega enlarger that has a maximum height of 39 inches:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/39291-REG/Omega_403703_C700_Condenser_Black_.html

I realize that the availability in Ireland of Beseler (and maybe Omega) is likely to be much more restricted than here.

Matt

RobC · Apr 13, 2008

OK I just found some old Durst literature. The Modular 70 Start has same column height as the pro but is a little less high overall becuase of thinner baseboard so that's not going to work for you.

However it also says that the DURST M370 has an overall height of 39.4 inches but it doesn't tell me how far the head protudes above the column height but if its more than 2 inches then it will work for you and it takes upto 6x7 negs.

Give Terry a ring at Northern Photo and he should be able to tell you if or how far the head protudes above column height or not.

Or if someone with an M370 here can tell you then that should do it.

RobC · Apr 13, 2008

N.B. The Durst M370 requires a conversion kit to do 6x7 but they appear to be still available from the durst online shop.

Fintan · Apr 13, 2008

Great info, thanks very much for those posts.

What MF Enlarger in a tight space?

Fintan

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