New Darkroom equipment disappearing Buy Now

[Tin Can]

It took about 5 years to build up my enlarger lenses, have full sets ( 35mm, 120mm & 4x5 ) for three enlargers for once I start teaching workshops.

The Rodagon 50 & 105 G lenses took a bit of searching but the 150 F4 Apo N took a lot longer and was not cheap. The 150 Apo is so insanely good that I have passed on 150 G lenses since the Apo will print larger than the biggest roll paper size currently offered.

There are indeed tons of good enlarging lenses on the used market, but stand alone lenses like Rodagon G mural lenses and the mind blowing good 150 Apo N....they pop up but are a pain in the rear to source, glad I have mine checked off the list!

We'll see how long Rodenstock offers the 50, 80 and 105 Apo N new considering how cheaply they go for used...

I got a nice set of Rodagon all in one go with an 8X10 enlarger. Supplemented with a few El Nikkor.

Gave up on old enlarger lenses such as Ektanon.

[John Kasaian]

I think your work flow needs to be considered when amassing "stuff." Those tanks are neat if you have a "for reals" dark room and are going through a lot of chemicals.
I found it too easy to accumulate more stuff than I really need and that has become a distraction on the picture taking end as well as in the dark room. The prospect of "stuff" not being available in the future is a worthy concern but my immediate concern is photographing and contact printing. Having redundant gear is probably a good idea (I started playing with big cameras shortly after being separated from the Army Reserve after 18 years where I served in the Signal Corps and the importance of "redundancy" was drummed into us.) Having an extra timer and grain focus thingy, even an enlarger sitting in a box in storage is a good idea, much like having a PRC-6 or gen-set buried somewhere, protected from EMPs. But how much is enough? How much is prudent? How much is simply hording?
I'm thinking there may be a business opportunity here for someone to "focus"(see what I did there?) on, say enlargers like Beseler M45 and 23s. They are cheap right now and broken ones are near free. Scoop up any good deals you find on Craig's list and stick them in a storage room, build an informative brand dedicated website like Classic Enlargers has for Omegas and wait two or three years for the new enlarger market to completely tank out. You'll be able to offer parts support and refurbs at a considerable profit on your investment. Might be nice retirement nest egg.

[bigdog]

I'm thinking there may be a business opportunity here for someone to "focus"(see what I did there?) on, say enlargers like Beseler M45 and 23s. They are cheap right now and broken ones are near free. Scoop up any good deals you find on Craig's list and stick them in a storage room, build an informative brand dedicated website like Classic Enlargers has for Omegas and wait two or three years for the new enlarger market to completely tank out. You'll be able to offer parts support and refurbs at a considerable profit on your investment. Might be nice retirement nest egg.

I've had this same thought for, oh, ten years now. I have the inventory. I have 6 (count'em six) enlargers that I do not use. Honestly, I didn't purposely buy them, they have "accumulated" over decades due to upgrades and bulk buys of other darkroom gear. However, I have attempted to sell a couple of the 4x5s and have been unsuccessful. Local buyers have backed out, when they found the same machine for free after agreeing to buy mine. Shipping one of these beasts is still prohibitive. There may be a time, but it hasn't come yet, and I think 2 or 3 years is very, very optimistic. On the local Craigslist, folks are still asking $200 for a 23C that may be worth $50. There is certainly no shortage.

EDIT: Ahem, as I scroll farther down today's postings:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...or-pickup-only

[Tin Can]

10 to 15 years or longer.

Actually I think at least 2 generations.

If death by binary code really started in earnest 15 years ago, we have 25 more years before an earnest revival of traditional method.

20 years per generation and my great grandchildren will want what was thrown away over time.

We are very forgetful as time passes.

I might, but most likely not live another 25 years to age 89. My mother lives at 94, father died at 87.

Don'y hold your breath.

[John Kasaian]

I don't know about that. Plenty of stuff relegated to the junk heap in the past 20 years is now considered valuable in the niche market---axes, Disston hand saws, American bicycles, typewriters,classic Coleman lanterns are worth lot more today than in the recent past. Maybe even more than when new. Axes & hand saws because of quality you can't find today---typewriters and bikes---?

[Tin Can]

apples and oranges

[evan clarke]

I have 20 enlargers in my darkroom from 4x5 to 11x14 And all the support stuff and hope to be the historical repository of Darkroom process

[bob carnie]

Holy Crap Batman.. That's a lot of gear.

I have four now- two 4x5 condensers for small neg, one 8x10 durst horizontal for murals and the sweet daddy of all enlargers my 11x14 deveere in mint condition...

I have parts for the condensers,which btw I love working on.. they are so simple and easy to use for split printing.

but 20 Evan ,now I know where to go when I need parts.. even Jerry Ullesman called it quits after about 12enlargers in a row.

Bob

I have 20 enlargers in my darkroom from 4x5 to 11x14 And all the support stuff and hope to be the historical repository of Darkroom process

[Renato Tonelli]

I am really enjoying this thread - the darkroom is the reason I photograph with film.

I have accumulated a lot of gear which is all at my workplace (Durst enlargers, Jobo processors, etc.etc.). Recently, a long-time friend came to visit me at work and hung out with me while I went to make some prints in the darkroom: he knows that all or almost all of the equipment in the darkroom is mine; he saw the large cabinet full of binders with my negatves and contact sheets; he saw the mounting press and an a large assortment of materials associated with it. He had to ask what I have been asking myself: "What are you going to do with all this stuff when you retire?!? You are going to need a truck just to move it...." In truth, I will not need a truck; I will need a tractor trailer.

Would all this stop me from purchasing a Leica V35 enlarger set-up if a good opportunity presented itself?

[Tin Can]

We really don't retire, we just no longer get paid for our work.