Large format Enlarger Advice - Please

[docw]

I am going to caution you against the 138. I have one and have never been able to get it working properly because it is impossible to find a decent light source. The original bulbs are a fortune and hard to find. I tried to build an LED replacement but I really don't know what I am doing. The only non-original bulbs that work are high wattage and extremely hot so you have to build some kind of ventilation system. Every bulb I tried, other than the 500 watt ones, had serious light drop-off. So unless you have some mechanical skills, the Durst could be a huge pain in the arse. Furthermore, any replacement parts or extra parts you might want usually cost a fortune. I am trying a few more solutions before I get rid of mine, but as it is, it just takes up space. I would love to find an Ilford VC head for it, but they don't come up very often. Now I contact print 5x7's and print 4x5 on a DeVere.

I can't believe that anyone would design an entire enlarger based on a particular bulb (which is now impossible to find)!

Good luck.

[Sal Santamaura]

I am going to caution you against the 138. I have one and have never been able to get it working properly because it is impossible to find a decent light source...

Incorrect:

http://heilandelectronic.de/led_kaltlicht/lang:en

Possible regardless of which 138 head configuration one has. Easy to pay for is another matter.

[Jim Jones]

Ah, the Elwoods! Hauling a 5x7 home atop a '73 VW bug was an adventure. It had to sit on the darkroom floor to clear a low ceiling. After losing it and the darkroom in a fire, I quit using 5x7 and bought a much more elegant and versatile DeJur 4x5. Basic relics like the Elwood and DeJur can be easier to maintain and modify than more sophisticated equipment.

[John Kasaian]

Ah, the Elwoods! Hauling a 5x7 home atop a '73 VW bug was an adventure. It had to sit on the darkroom floor to clear a low ceiling. After losing it and the darkroom in a fire, I quit using 5x7 and bought a much more elegant and versatile DeJur 4x5. Basic relics like the Elwood and DeJur can be easier to maintain and modify than more sophisticated equipment.

You can also use them to warm tortillas!

[bob carnie]

Hi Sal thanks for the link- do you know if they are making these units for Contact printing, Silver and Pt Pd?

Incorrect:

http://heilandelectronic.de/led_kaltlicht/lang:en

Possible regardless of which 138 head configuration one has. Easy to pay for is another matter.

[Sal Santamaura]

Hi Sal thanks for the link- do you know if they are making these units for Contact printing, Silver and Pt Pd?

Bob, I don't recall seeing or hearing of any such items. I've got a Heiland on my Beseler 23CIII that I use for contacting silver.

That said, I encourage you to contact Juergen Heiland and ask what he can do for you. My LED source was one of the earliest he made, elegantly adapted to the 23C long before mounting kits for the long list of enlargers on that page were developed. He can probably custom-build whatever you need.

[Drew Wiley]

A greater variety of heads were made for the Durst 138 than any other enlarger I can think of, both by Durst and aftermarket manufacturers. Since the chassis is
so solid, they are in fact one of easiest enlargers to customize with your own head if desired.

[Luis-F-S]

I am going to caution you against the 138.

I can't believe that anyone would design an entire enlarger based on a particular bulb (which is now impossible to find)!

Good luck.

The G40 150 watt bulb should more than suffice, esp since you're printing 4x5. You should not need ventilation though I would still use a fan on the head. I have 3 of the 300w original bulbs which I use with a dimmer both to lower the intensity and extend the bulb life. Also have the Aristo D57 cold light head for it which works fine. The Durst 138S is a wonderful enlarger if you have all the parts (carrier, boards, glass, etc.) and in if good condition. They last forever, my 40 yo SM-183 looks new!

You can also go with the LPL 4500 enlarger and the VCCE head which was suggested if you don't want to deal with the Durst's idiosyncrasies.

[docw]

Incorrect:

http://heilandelectronic.de/led_kaltlicht/lang:en

Possible regardless of which 138 head configuration one has. Easy to pay for is another matter.

Thanks, Sal! This is exactly what I am looking for. Now if Heiland would only tell us how much it is, lol. Their prices seem to be a Big Secret or, at the very least, they don't make it easy to find them. That makes my wallet nervous, but one can't be faint of heart in the LF world.

[Sal Santamaura]

.Now if Heiland would only tell us how much it is...

From the page I linked, just click on the SUPPORT tab, then the Price List link. You'll end up here:

http://heilandelectronic.de/files/do...st_2016_05.pdf

Remember, I did write

...Easy to pay for is another matter.