Calumet must be getting close to the actual launch date. On Calumet's website it's been "out of stock - expected from the factory" for almost a year now, but is now expected on December 11th.
I noticed that View Camera magazine is doing a review of a new Calumet light source...does anybody know if it's the LED head? Has anybody tried one out? The idea of using LED's really makes sense to me, but all the delays sure don't inspire confidence.
I believe, this guy (search for Huy Finney) will built one if people ask him. Other than that, he mentioned, that Electronics World Mag (Dec05) runs an detailed how-to-do article for his LED head. His website offers a little preview of the head: http://www.huws.org.uk/ (look for the 4x5 enlarger head link).
I talk to Richard Newman, who consults for Calumet, about it once in a while. He has one and loves it. It is 3.5 stops brighter.
Apparently, the can (case) that it is in had manufacturing problems do to probably the usual quirks in new developement, but who knows when it will hit the streets.
I ordered mine in October of 2004. The due date has been bumped about 5 times since.
I visited with Alan Ross a couple of weeks ago, and he said he had a review of a LED head that was going to be printed in View Camera. I think he said he liked it.