5x7 Darkroom

[Lffbug]

I don't have a darkroom. I think I would like to. Is there a relatively inexpensive enlarger for 5x7 negs or is this mostly a big money endeavor. Seems like what I'm seeing on eBay and CL start at $500 or so and go up from there, while 35mm and MF setups are nearly free. Maybe my perception is wrong?

[adelorenzo]

It think just depends... All three of my enlargers so far (MF and 4x5) have been free and I'm picking up a free 5x7 over the holidays. I have also seen 8x10 enlargers being given away. The problem is the bigger ones are basically impossible to ship so you have to be in the right place at the right time.

[Ed Bray]

I don't know where you are,, but I picked up a floorstanding Devere 507 with stabiliser and timer along with all negative carriers and a 210mm lens for £400 (circa $600). I had to make a 500 mile round trip to collect it though.

[Lffbug]

I will keep my eyes open and be patient then. It's good to hear there are some deals out there.

[Larry Gebhardt]

Where are you located? I have an Omega E that needs a new home. It's not modern, and needs a bit of clean up. It used to have the Omege cold light head, which I took the guts out of and converted to white LEDs. Has a filter drawer for filters, which need to be 5x7, so they are hard to find (and I don't have a set). So I used it with under the lens filters. Worked very well. I replaced it with a Durst 138, so I have no need for it.

I'm in southern NH if you want to pick it up.

[Nathan Potter]

Well I suspect the last free one in Whitehorse, Yukon was around the 1950s. ;)

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[dsphotog]

I don't have a darkroom. I think I would like to. Is there a relatively inexpensive enlarger for 5x7 negs or is this mostly a big money endeavor. Seems like what I'm seeing on eBay and CL start at $500 or so and go up from there, while 35mm and MF setups are nearly free. Maybe my perception is wrong?

You might try posting a WTB in the For Sale/Wanted section.

[John Kasaian]

There's always Elwoods. An enlarger named Elwood just has to bring a smile to your face! Elwood is a golden oldie that go for a pittance if not given away gratis, but they work!:D

[Lffbug]

So what are the downsides to Elwoods? Just being old doesn't make it a bad thing...

[Jim C.]

They're rare to come by intact, in my experience. The wood one's seem to appear frequently,
on the 'Bay but those are either missing the lamp housing, the diffuser, and the stand.
Metal one's are even harder to come by. There's a wall mount one that's been on the 'Bay since forever
but it's missing the lamp housing.

Larry offered you a Omega E, why not take that ? That is if you're located in the US.
I'd jump on it but I'm determined to get my wooden Elwood working and holding out for an 8x10. :)


So what are the downsides to Elwoods? Just being old doesn't make it a bad thing...

[C_Remington]

There's always Elwoods. An enlarger named Elwood just has to bring a smile to your face! Elwood is a golden oldie that go for a pittance if not given away gratis, but they work!:D

I have an 8x10 Elwood with an Aristo 10x10 cold light head. I use it for 5x7 too.

Getting rid of it.

The down side is, they're cast iron and big and heavy. Also, not very precise. But, once dialed in, pretty solid.

[Lffbug]

Where are you located? I have an Omega E that needs a new home. It's not modern, and needs a bit of clean up. It used to have the Omege cold light head, which I took the guts out of and converted to white LEDs. Has a filter drawer for filters, which need to be 5x7, so they are hard to find (and I don't have a set). So I used it with under the lens filters. Worked very well. I replaced it with a Durst 138, so I have no need for it.

I'm in southern NH if you want to pick it up.

I wish I were closer. Texas is just a bit far from NH. If I ever make it up that way I'll check in with you to see if you still have it!

I'm sure shipping costs would be crazy?...

[Larry Gebhardt]

I wish I were closer. Texas is just a bit far from NH. If I ever make it up that way I'll check in with you to see if you still have it!

I'm sure shipping costs would be crazy?...

I think it would need to be shipped in three boxes, two of which would be quite large, but not that heavy. My guess is shipping costs would exceed the value of the enlarger. I'm also not looking forward to the work that packing it will entail. It's probably several hours of materials gathering and labor to get it packed up securely.

[John Kasaian]

An Omega C would be a very nice enlarger----certainly a good excuse for a road trip to Texas as if the B-B-Q and Mexican food and all the great photo ops along the way weren't enough.
I mentioned Elwoods because of the OP's budget concerns.
Yes, sometimes parts are missing but you can make repairs easy enough---you can even swap out the lamp head for a cold light and negative carriers aren't hard to find, or you can fabricate your own. If necessary you can even shim the elevator with wood to put it in alignment---but the best part is barring some catastrophic failure like the column casting breaking, you'll have a darned good usable LF enlarger for not much $$. Mine(an 8x10) has the option of being used horizontally, which might be critical if your dark room ceiling is low. If I had the money, a Beseler M45 with the 8x10 conversion would sure be nice but for the $$ my elderly Elwood is likely all I'll ever need.
I find enlargers are sort of like pick-up trucks. A new one sure is a pleasure to drive but an old "beater" will get the job done just as well.

[Carl J]

Where are you located? I have an Omega E that needs a new home. It's not modern, and needs a bit of clean up. It used to have the Omege cold light head, which I took the guts out of and converted to white LEDs. Has a filter drawer for filters, which need to be 5x7, so they are hard to find (and I don't have a set). So I used it with under the lens filters. Worked very well. I replaced it with a Durst 138, so I have no need for it.

I'm in southern NH if you want to pick it up.

Larry, I'm West of Boston. Might be interested in the Omega. Was trying to find an image online of the Omega E but there's a lot to sift through. What are the dimensions, roughly?

Thanks.

[Larry Gebhardt]

Larry, I'm West of Boston. Might be interested in the Omega. Was trying to find an image online of the Omega E but there's a lot to sift through. What are the dimensions, roughly?

Thanks.

It's roughly the same footprint as the Omega D, but I don't have the original baseboard so the actual footprint is variable. The column is shorter than the Omega D with the XL column. Probably about the same height as the regular Omega D. The head is obviously bigger to handle the bigger negative size. It's out in storage in the attic of the garage so I can't readily measure it for you. If you want to come and look at it just let me know. And if you need the exact height I can get out there to measure it in a few days.

[jeroldharter]

After the holidays I will be posting an 8x10 enlarger that would be find for 5x7. I will shed a tear to be sure. If you like 5x7, at some point you will ant to try 8x10. It is inevitable. Enlarging an 8x10 negative is really something. Just a plug for my future post, but good luck with the 5x7 and happy holidays.

[Carl J]

It's roughly the same footprint as the Omega D, but I don't have the original baseboard so the actual footprint is variable. The column is shorter than the Omega D with the XL column. Probably about the same height as the regular Omega D. The head is obviously bigger to handle the bigger negative size. It's out in storage in the attic of the garage so I can't readily measure it for you. If you want to come and look at it just let me know. And if you need the exact height I can get out there to measure it in a few days.
-
Hi Larry,

Thanks for the info about the E. I just came into a classic 4x5 D a few months ago (almost set up) but having 5x7 capability would be even better -- if it didn't take up too much more room. I was able to transport the D split between the trunk and the back seat of my car. Let me get you my measurements first as far as how much wiggle room I may have.

[Jerry Bodine]

Was trying to find an image online of the Omega E but there's a lot to sift through.

Here's (http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/) a link to look at for the Omega E enlargers. There are four models, E3, E4, E5 and E6. I have the E6 with XL column, but I converted the lamphouse to LEDs to give it VC capability using Ilford under lens filters. There is adequate space in the Omegalite lamphouse for the conversion. My baseboard is 18x34".

[rjmeyer314]

So what are the downsides to Elwoods? Just being old doesn't make it a bad thing...

I have 2 Elwoods, an 8x10 that I brought about 30 years ago, and a 5x7 that I brought 15-20 years ago. I haven't found a downside, other than the fact that you can't buy parts, lensboards, or other size negative carriers. On the other hand I've never needed any parts. I've always made new lensboards from wood when I've wanted them. If your ground glass diffusion screen breaks it's easy to get a new one from a local glass shop. Light bulbs are somewhat hard to get supposedly, but there was a recent discussion on the net of where to get them, and there were (are?) several for sale on Ebay recently. I really like the quality of the prints my 2 Elwoods produce. I had brought a Omega F color head that I was going to modify and install on the 8x10 Elwood, but I hate to loose the Elwood diffusion head, and so the Omega head sits in the basement unused. By the way, I use a 130-something mm Repromaster lens on my 5x7 Elwood. It covers the format, is very sharp, and lets me get 20x24 prints on the baseboard.

[Carl J]

Here's (http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/) a link to look at for the Omega E enlargers. There are four models, E3, E4, E5 and E6. I have the E6 with XL column, but I converted the lamphouse to LEDs to give it VC capability using Ilford under lens filters. There is adequate space in the Omegalite lamphouse for the conversion. My baseboard is 18x34".

Thanks, Jerry, for the link to the E's. At first, hurried, glance a bewildering array until I searched further down the discontinued models list.... :)

[Carl J]

It's roughly the same footprint as the Omega D, but I don't have the original baseboard so the actual footprint is variable. The column is shorter than the Omega D with the XL column. Probably about the same height as the regular Omega D. The head is obviously bigger to handle the bigger negative size. It's out in storage in the attic of the garage so I can't readily measure it for you. If you want to come and look at it just let me know. And if you need the exact height I can get out there to measure it in a few days.


Larry, my column (which I guess is standard) is approx. 46". Enlarger height about 45" vertical. A 60" column, say, would be pushing it almost to the ceiling. The wooden base (looks original) is 26x18". I checked Jerry's link, sounds like yours is perhaps an E5 or newer? Knowing the height would be good when you get the chance (no hurry).

Thanks!

[Anthony Oresteen]

Years ago I stumbled into a Beseler 57MB with an Aristo cold light head. Nice enlarger; moded it a bit with Beseler 45 parts.

Negative carriers are very hard to find - I use a Zone VI 5x7 carrier that fits - barely.