Beseler 45 - upper bellows adjustment

[HMG]

I have looked on the forum, but can't find an answer to my question.

I'm helping out in a public darkroom with a few Beseler 45s (as well as other enlargers). As many know, you adjust the upper bellows to match the film format you're using. Many of our enlargers seem to be missing that scale, too many to be simple accident. I suppose I could fashion a scale out of flat aluminum stock.

But in a darkroom such as ours, used by many with minimal experience, I'm tempted to set them all at 4x5 even though they're primarily used for smaller formats. My thinking is that they'll get even illumination with any format size, though perhaps with reduced illumination for smaller formats.

Is my logic correct?

[jp]

I have a dichroic head and just leave it at 4x5. No idea how it would fare with other light sources.

[HMG]

I think the adjustments aren't made with diffusion heads such as the dichroic. I know that on a Beseler 23c, you make the same upper bellows adjustment with the condenser head, but not with the dichroic head.

[Alan9940]

I think the adjustments aren't made with diffusion heads such as the dichroic. I know that on a Beseler 23c, you make the same upper bellows adjustment with the condenser head, but not with the dichroic head.

Same on the 45 series. If using any type of diffusion head, you actually want it on the 4x5 setting.

[Steve Goldstein]

Which is the 4x5 setting? All the way up, all the way down, or...? As you can tell, my 45 doesn't have the ruler. I've had the light source all the way down (bellows compressed), which has always seemed to be fine for 35mm, 6x7, and 4x5 with my Zone VI head.

[HMG]

I believe it's all the way down, but won't be able to confirm until tomorrow. Your Zone vi head is (I believe) diffusion so won't have the same light dynamics as the condenser head.

[Keith Pitman]

I remember that Zone VI directed the bellows should be all the way down with their heads.

[Alan9940]

Sorry, HMG, all the way down. I use an Aristo VC unit on my Beseler 45 and the light source is just barely above the negative.

[jp]

Here's the scale (metal tape measure looking piece) on my 4x5 CB7. Ruler for reference.

[HMG]

I appreciate the info on diffusion heads. But please keep in mind that my question is about the condenser head.