I have an &x10 Devere not a Zone VI, but I did own two of them which I hated and sold; so I know how they work! For $200 though it's a steal!
I have an &x10 Devere not a Zone VI, but I did own two of them which I hated and sold; so I know how they work! For $200 though it's a steal!
Besides which, if l leave it on focus the light switches off after a period of time automatically. Also Mike the idea of constant times and combined Blue and Green is contrary to Split printing ( broadly speaking)Originally Posted by Luis-F-S
Maybe a DeVere is unique, but most tube electronics live longer if not switched on and off over shorter durations.
Ever notice how incandescent bulbs often burn out when the power switch is flipped on?
Same with tubes, they don't like the initial power surge on startup when ambient.
Some devices have slow start up to alleviate this age old problem. My old tube radios are turned on for 12 hours then turned off, as I don't trust them as I sleep.
Randy, I don't disagree with your comment, but it runs counter to the way Fred Picker (founder of ZoneVI) taught me how to print. His approach was that if you made your test strips with, say, 3 second intervals, and found that the 5th strip (15 seconds) was your starting point, you made the print with 5 3-second exposures (which he argued would be different from going to a 15 second print). Bottom line, you are intentionally using more short duration bursts. I stress that I am not arguing your point on the electronics and impact on lifespan of tubes, merely that the ZoneVI guru himself worked, and taught, a contradictory approach.Maybe a Durst is unique, but most tube electronics live longer if not switched on and off over shorter durations.
Ever notice how incandescent bulbs often burn out when the power switch is flipped on?
Same with tubes, they don't like the initial power surge on startup when ambient.
Some devices have slow start up to alleviate this age old problem. My old tube radios are turned on for 12 hours then turned off, as I don't trust them as I sleep.
As for the need to leave the tubes on, or make pre-exposures before making a print, my experience is that something is often necessary, even with the ZoneVI heater and compensating timer. You can tell if the tubes are stabilized by watching the green light on the head during exposure. If the head is unstable, the light goes off. My experience taught me that if I didn't do something, I would sometimes (but unpredictably) see that the head was unstable (i.e. tubes had cooled too much) during the first one or two exposures (I print as Fred taught). The "Picker Approach" is to test: try using the head without any pre-exposure or pre-warming; if it stays stable, great. If not, you will have to adopt a strategy to ensure it is stable when you need it to be.
First, a general question, showing my ignorance of things electronic. I scanned the 2-page instructions for the Compensating Timer, so I have it in my Documents file as a .pdf. As far as I can tell, there is no way to make a .pdf available to the Forum so it can be archived if this question arises again?
In the meantime, if Duolab will PM me an email address, I will see if I can send you the .pdf as an attachment to an email.
Here are some Samsung phone pics.
The enlarger is about 5'7", In the prior picture you can see the smaller lead weight that is added for the 8x10 head. I'm going to need a pair of binoculars to stand up and focus. This unit will work but don't confuse it with a real 8x10 enlarger. It wiggles if you touch it, enough that, I get tired of waiting and steadied it to calm it down. It really needs fixed bracing from a wall.
Benefits, I carried it down into my basement by removing the lead counterweight, and the baseboard. And, I brought two of these home, in the back of my Wife's '07 Subaru wagon. It will work fine for my playing.
Randy, It's no Saltzman! I'm going to make a base should put the easel about 27" off the floor.
Best Regards, Mike
I think I'm going to just try to print a couple prints using both tubes together just to get started. I have never done any split printing. I have always been afraid of jiggling the enlarger while adjusting the knobs. I use a Dichro head on a Beseler 4x5. If I can get where I can make a decent print straight, maybe I can work up the courage to try the split thing with this. I also have another Beseler with the Zone 6, 5x7 VC head (recent acquisition) that I can practice with some medium format negatives.
I cant imagine anyone using these Zone VI machines for anything other than large format.
Best Regards, Mike
A couple of notes:
1. Wall mounting the enlarger should make it very stable. I have two. Both are wall mounted.
2. Zone VI sold a focusing extension. If you didn't get one with either of your enlargers, you might want to fabricate one unless you have really long arms.
3. I don't use the extra weight in the 8x10 enlarger. You have to hang onto the head when moving it, but I found the additional weight dragged in the column.
Did you get all the instructions you needed? I have some printed materials on these enlargers that I can share if you let me know what you need.
Keith Pitman
It's clearly a real stretch to try to take a 4x5 enlarger and make it into a 8x10. Still it will work for me. 200 bucks. I really have no clue how I will focus as there are no extension shafts. Maybe I will get a knuckle and a 20 inch extension for a 1/4 inch ratchet
I would love a Devere. But explaining to my wife why I need a 1200 lb 10 foot tall enlarger that cost, even used, real money. It ain't gonna happen. There was a Devere dichro with all the light integrator boxes ,carriers, really nice, I think they wanted around 3500, again a steal for a nice example. Fortunately for me I didn't pounce or I would be living in our garden shed
Best Mike
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