Zone VI Cold Light

[Kyle M.]

I have a Zone VI Cold Light head and the stabilizer that I was given several years ago with a 4x5 enlarger. I have never used it just powered it up with the instructions to make sure it worked and it does. I was wondering are these desirable at all and do they have any value? I was thinking about listing it here but I have no idea what to ask.

 

[George Collier]

There is a lot of info, testimonial, advice, etc on this site for these. They were made by Aristo for rebranding by Zone VI Workshops (of Fred Picker fame). There were heads made for graded paper, and those for filter driven variable contrast paper. Your best option is to search for various phrases on this forum, you will find much to read.
I don't know where the firelands are, but if you are within phone access from Virginia, I can tell you a lot, if you want to DM me.
If it is a filter head, allowing the use of variable contrast filters, it opens up the technique of multigrade printing (various contrast grades used on the same print) - another search crtieria.

 

[Kino]

If I remember my history correctly, the Firelands were just North of Dayton, Ohio and around the Toledo area. They were tracts of land given to Revolutionary War Veterans and property owners burned-out during the war.

 

[Kyle M.]

Yep I’m in the North central Ohio area. I got the cold light and a beseler 45mx free a few years ago from a friend who also got them free. i haven’t had the time or space to set everything up nor do I see that changing anytime soon.

 

[Rick A]

You should ask exactly what you paid for it. Plus shipping if applicable.

 

[john_s]

The original single tube cold light head produced light that was mostly at the blue end of the spectrum. I have one but I now use a 2-tube one from Aristo the VCL4500. I have read that the single original tube did not perform well with VC filters (very little green in the light) but I've also read contradicting reports, saying that it worked well with a supplementary yellow filter.

Later, Aristo made a wider spectrum tube for the single tube head. These were available for a while from a company that took over Aristo. Maybe they are still available. Do a search for Ken Nadvornick if you are interested.

 

[Alan9940]

Later, Aristo made a wider spectrum tube for the single tube head. These were available for a while from a company that took over Aristo. Maybe they are still available. Do a search for Ken Nadvornick if you are interested.

That is the V54 tube intended for better results with variable contrast papers. I, too, have an original Zone VI cold light and stabilizer, but I used this setup back in the 1980's only on graded papers. I heard that using a yellow filter would allow printing on VC papers, but IIRC the results were not great. When I moved on to VC papers, I got an Aristo unit that was like the VCL4500 but required the use of VC printing filters. This had the V54 lamp and I used it for many years. Later, I found a VCL4500 unit in really nice condition and use it to this day. It makes printing so much more convenient, especially when printing different contrasts in different print areas.

 

[Louis Nargi]

I have one For my Durst M601 because I did not see a difference in the results from other light source

 

[Kyle M.]

Well since I was so close to having my darkroom finished anyway I decided to keep it. I made my first ever prints two nights ago. When I was given the enlarger I was also given a 250 sheet box of Ilford 8x10 fiber base paper, along with several other boxes of Ilford 8x10 paper including a box warm tone all fiber base. I’m not sure if it is VC or Multigrade I’d have to go look but I’m very happy with the prints I have made so far. That fiber base paper sure does curl when it dries. I have some 5x7 RC variable contrast paper on the way.