I want to buld 4x10 enlarger–looking for ideas

[Richard Wasserman]

I am looking at building a dedicated 4x10 enlarger and could use some direction and inspiration. I don't have the room or budget for an 8x10 and am hoping to construct a counter top unit. I have been thinking along the lines of a Beseler 45MX with an LED light source. I would prefer a variable contrast light source, but could easily live with under the lens filters. Make sense? Any other ideas? Also, which lenses should I be considering for this format? Thanks!

[Wayne Aho]

Ansel Adams used an old studio camera, and had a vacuum board to hold his print paper. He found that for 8x10 negatives, this was cheaper than using a real 8x10 enlarger. Pictures are in one of his called the "Print". You can make your own film holder using masonite. Another option is an old 8x10 field camera.

Wayne

[Drew Wiley]

It will probably be a lot cheaper to start with an 8x10 used light source. It can be
tricky to evenly distribute light from a smaller source. Designing a proper mirror box
to send the light strongly sideways requrires some special components, namely, a
linear-array fresnel (a completely different animal than a conventional lens-style fresnel).

[Keith Pitman]

I use a Zone VI enlarger with an 8x10 head, and I made a 4x10 negative carrier. (See: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=45128&page=2 . . . post #18).

I think you could do the same with a Beseler with the 8x10 head.

[Daniel Stone]

just an idea, what about taking say an old Kodak/ Ansco 8x10 camera, and using that horizontally? 12" of bellows should be more than enough(300mm) IMO, maybe a touch more.

what about getting some of the 12"x12" ilford MG filters, and instead of a MG head, just making drop-in filters between the negative and the light source?

I'm thinking something along these lines for myself(albeit for 8x10 negatives, but with 4x150w R40 bulbs, shooting into a 3/4" thick piece of white, translucent material(like a cutting board-type material, smooth)

-Dan

[Brian C. Miller]

What about building a negative holder and light source for your current camera? The Graflex Graflarger (http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/graflarger.html) was a workable solution.

[domaz]

There is a good thread on APUG (http://www.apug.org/forums/forum43/84944-diy-4x5-enlarger-led-head.html) about making a 4x5 enlarger LED head. Could easily be scaled up to 8x10 (or 4x10) I would think.

[ic-racer]

The popular 240mm lenses are a first obvious choice. I also think that if you are going to only do small enlargements (3x or less) then a 210 may also work.

If you can get by with a 210mm lens, then your enlarger height, bellows draw, etc. will be that of a 5x7 enlarger.

[Richard Wasserman]

There is a good thread on APUG (http://www.apug.org/forums/forum43/84944-diy-4x5-enlarger-led-head.html) about making a 4x5 enlarger LED head. Could easily be scaled up to 8x10 (or 4x10) I would think.


That's exactly what I was thinking of doing. It seems as if it should be relatively easy to do.

[Richard Wasserman]

The popular 240mm lenses are a first obvious choice. I also think that if you are going to only do small enlargements (3x or less) then a 210 may also work.

If you can get by with a 210mm lens, then your enlarger height, bellows draw, etc. will be that of a 5x7 enlarger.


I'm only going to be doing 2-3x enlargements, anything larger would need to be scanned and printed digitally. So, other than being a bit dim, would a 210mm G-Claron be a reasonable choice?

[ic-racer]

I'm only going to be doing 2-3x enlargements, anything larger would need to be scanned and printed digitally. So, other than being a bit dim, would a 210mm G-Claron be a reasonable choice?

If reports of using these at infinity on 8x10 cameras are correct, you should have total coverage of 4x10 with that lens.

[jeroldharter]

I would use a proper enlarging lens like a 210-240mm Componon or Rodagon.

If you are going to the trouble, you might as well make an 8x10 or 12x12 light source.

The most simple LED source would be a grid of white LED's with under the lens VC filters. A more complicated source would be adjacent grids of green, royal blue, and white LED's, all on a dimmer, and all usable simultaneously. Far out of my league. Might be worth doing a 4x5 mock up before committing to the larger dimensions.

Some links:

http://www.huws.org.uk/
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum41/11082-led-enlarger-head.html
http://www.deadbread.com/crumbs/23c.html

http://www.huwswebthing.talktalk.net/54ondevere.jpg

http://www.deadbread.com/crumbs/23c10.jpg

[Henry Ambrose]

Richard,

I have a variable contrast LED head on a Focomat that Huw built. It works great. There should be a number of posts here that will show up in a search.

Here's one thread:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=46822&highlight=led+enlarger

[Richard Wasserman]

I certainly have a lot to think about, mainly about the light source. There are more resources for information and parts than I realized. This does seem like a project I can do given enough time. I wish I had more of a background in electronics, but at least I do know how to solder and construct things. I have built several kits, stereo equipment primarily, and modified others. I can follow directions, and would love to find published plans for what I want to do, but that seems to be wishful thinking.

[Jimi]

Another DIY idea:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=19820

[cyrus]

Not to sound demotivational, but isn't it a lot cheaper to buy an enlarger nowdays? They seem to be going pretty cheap like the Omega D2

[ic-racer]

Not to sound demotivational, but isn't it a lot cheaper to buy an enlarger nowdays? They seem to be going pretty cheap like the Omega D2

That was going to be my first post, but when I re-read the OP, he does not have the room for an 8x10 enlarger. It is physically possible to build a 4x10 enlarger smaller than an 8x10 enlarger, because of the shorter focal length lens needed for projection.

However, with respect to the head, I agree that it is going to be much easier to use a standard 8x10 head. They are not hard to come by.