z6 cold light head

mitch brown · Dec 20, 2006

i am looking at buying a z6 cold light head and have 2 questions. when did or did zone 6 start using the v54 light and if it doesnt have a v54 does the arisro ligt a direct fit?
thanks
mitch

bdial · Dec 21, 2006

Seems likely that Aristo OEM'd the Zone 6 head, but the best way to find out would be to contact Aristo. They don't show the Z6 head in their list of replacement lamps on the web. http://www.aristogrid.com/prod02C.htm

resummerfield · Dec 21, 2006

Is the head in question the Z6 5x7 head for the Z6 enlarger, or the conversion head for the Beseler/Omega series? It sounds like you mean the single-tube head, and I think the single-tube conversion heads are pretty much stock Aristo heads.

pgomena · Dec 22, 2006

I changed my original Beseler-configuration Z6 lamp for a V54 with no problems. They appeared at the time to be identically shaped.

Peter Gomena

jstraw · Dec 22, 2006

pgomena said:
I changed my original Beseler-configuration Z6 lamp for a V54 with no problems. They appeared at the time to be identically shaped.

Peter Gomena

Did you use a Y40 filter on the original lamp for VC and if so, do you see shorter exposure times with the V54?

Neil Poulsen · Dec 26, 2006

I spoke to Aristo about the Zone VI head. They did not oem the head and regarded it as a rip-off of their heads. I forget the name of the person with whom I spoke there.

jstraw · Dec 26, 2006

Neil Poulsen said:
I spoke to Aristo about the Zone VI head. They did not oem the head and regarded it as a rip-off of their heads. I forget the name of the person with whom I spoke there.

I don't know who you spoke to or why they told you that but even if "OEM" isn't exactly what they were, they're Aristo heads. As far as I know, no one else tooled up to make them. Picker may have had them modified by a third party but they were made by Aristo. They're D2 heads. I'm not sure the V54 lamp existed during any of the Zone VI variant's product lifecycle.

Neil Poulsen · Dec 27, 2006

I checked with Aristo. Louise Kessler there verified that Aristo had absolutely nothing to do with Fred Picker, either for his enlarger heads or Zone VI heads previous to his enlarger.

jstraw · Dec 27, 2006

Neil Poulsen said:
I checked with Aristo. Louise Kessler there verified that Aristo had absolutely nothing to do with Fred Picker, either for his enlarger heads or Zone VI heads previous to his enlarger.

Please don't take my skepticism personally. I believe that Kessler told you that. I'll freely admit that I have no evidence to support my position. But there is not a thing that any soul at Aristo could tell me that would disuade me from the belief that my Zone VI head is a modified and re-badged Aristo D2. First of all, Picker sold Aristos before he sold Zone VI's with the probe and stabilizer. Is Aristo so vested in disavowing a relationship with Picker that they claim he was never a reseller? Do they claim that the lamps in the housings are not theirs? What are we to think, that some glass blower near rural Newfane, VT was bending them in his barn? Is there some explanation for Aristo's failure to ever so much as have their attorneys fire off a cease and desist letter to this upstart that was ripping off their designs?

Occam's razor tells me that my Zone VI is an Aristo. I am 100% open to explanations to the contrary and for all I know, the next post here will contain one but to date, I've heard nothing to persuade me.

pgomena · Dec 28, 2006

I tried the yellow CC route and found it to be a big PITA. It was not as effective or versatile with polycontrast filters as the V45. It mostly acted as neutral density and slowed my printing down a lot. I seem to find the V45 to be just as fast in terms of printing times as the old tube. It's a good lamp.

Peter Gomena

Neil Poulsen · Dec 29, 2006

Maybe you can get pictures or dimensions from Aristo that enable you to determine if one of their replacement lamps would work. Best to call, or email. I wonder if they would allow returns, in case a lamp didn't fit?

jstraw · Dec 29, 2006

http://aristogrid.com/prod02CB_D2.D2-HI.htm

Put a Zone VI sticker on it and install Picker's stabilizer probe and that *IS* my head.

The "D2 Series Lamp" is a direct replacement, as I understand it.

jstraw · Dec 29, 2006

jstraw said:
http://aristogrid.com/prod02CB_D2.D2-HI.htm

Put a Zone VI sticker on it and install Picker's stabilizer probe and that *IS* my head.

The "D2 Series Lamp" is a direct replacement, as I understand it.

Calumet sells the lamp:

http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/AI2003.html

And they own the Zone VI brand. They probably know if it fits.

Ranger Bob · Dec 29, 2006

I just looked at my D2 coldlight head in my D2V and it sez Aristo
Hecho en Newfane...

jstraw · Dec 29, 2006

Ranger Bob said:
I just looked at my D2 coldlight head in my D2V and it sez Aristo
Hecho en Newfane...

Now that's humor.

mitch brown · Dec 31, 2006

i belive that richard ritter would know if aristo made them or not , and then i can't understand why aristo would say they didn't. if they did?
mitch

jstraw · Dec 31, 2006

wager123 said:
i belive that richard ritter would know if aristo made them or not , and then i can't understand why aristo would say they didn't. if they did?
mitch

Because they OEM'd them to Picker on the basis that end-user warranty would be Picker's concern and not their's perhaps. That the modifications Picker had done to them voided Aristo's warranty.

That's just a guess.

Picker had no manufacturing. He didn't build a thing. He jobbed everything out. If you're Aristo and Picker has someone replicating your product. Do you allow that?

z6 cold light head

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