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Thread: Possible light source for 8X10 enlarger

  1. #11

    Join Date
    Feb 2015
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    Sheridan, Colorado
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    Re: Possible light source for 8X10 enlarger

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Woodbury View Post
    ...and if it doesn't work out, grow your favorite plants inside. Dual use.
    And if you happen to live in Colorado, or several other similar States, you could make a profit -- and afford a factory made enlarger!

  2. #12
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Dec 2011
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    22,384

    Re: Possible light source for 8X10 enlarger

    Eric, sounds great.

    Thanks!

  3. #13
    HHChapman
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    Sep 2008
    Location
    West of Redwood City, California
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    59

    Re: Possible light source for 8X10 enlarger

    These LED strips perform brilliantly as a light source for a large format enlarger. Testing contrast filters from 00 through 5 printing a projection step wedge the gradation is nice through the entire range. They are extremely bright too:
    https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...Specifications
    They are tuneable but don't bother with that. Best to combine the cool and light terminals at full power. Adding the color temperature controller cuts output and doesn't improve performance.
    I just finished building and testing a head for my 4x5 enlarger with these and am very pleased with the results.
    I built a head for my 8x10 enlarger using an earlier iteration of these LEDs, slightly less bright and not quite perfect with contrast control but very much good enough. I applied them to a 1/2" thick aluminum plate to act as a support/heat sink. Built a 3" high box from hobby plywood to hold it above the diffuser. Used connectors available from the vendor to wire each strip as you can see in the photo. A huge improvement from the original 600W tungsten halogen beast of a head that needed a cooling fan and stood a foot higher. The LED head is faster as well.
    You need to size your power supply properly and wire it to a relay so the LED power supply can stay on and the relay can switch the LED power supply output on/off with the output of your enlarging timer. The power supply itself shouldn't be powered by the timer as it will flicker and give poor control.
    Print well,
    -Harlan
    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #14
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Jan 2001
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    Fond du Lac, WI, USA
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    8,954

    Re: Possible light source for 8X10 enlarger



    Yes, this is probably the easiest way to get RGB control. Red is useful for positioning fancy dodging tools under the enlarger.....
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

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