Umm... My L184 just walked through my front door. It's kinda freaking me out as it was offered sight unseen. I can say that it literally came with the kitchen sink. Again, get friendly with those old photo guys. Photos to come. It is all in a pile right now.
Fantastic! Yes, post pictures!Originally Posted by Robbie Shymanski
I finally got around to testing the Ilford MG filters under the lens with my W45 Aristo head and a supplementary 30cc yellow filter. I can say that it works as explained in the Ilford literature. The individual filters' response bunches up at the high-contrast end, but overall it is a very usable system. In fact, my results were a little better than the indicated chart as I got about a 1/2 or more step change when going from 4 to 5 (in the diagram they are really close together). I don't see any reason to upgrade the light source.
I still was not happy with the evenness of illumination with my Aristo head. I had previously made a 'center filter' for over the diffusing filter but I did not get it exactly right, so I decided to re-do it.
This is a print of the enlarger light source projected through the lens with no negative in the carrier. I used Grade 5 to emphasize any unevenness and it looks like the scanner emphasized the contrast even more.
I wonder if all Aristos are this bad?
My previous attempt to even this out involved making an in-jet print on transparency material. I over-did it a little and it was printing with the center too light.
After a few more tries with inkjet printed center filters at various densities I finally got a good result. The bottom is a little dense, but that might be the filter alignment. I can't print a filter for the whole 10x10 field, I can only print 8.5x11 which I center in the middle of the light source.
In the old days we made masks like this by exposing lith film with the enlarger set for 1:1 repro size, and processing in a low-contrast developer. Worked perfectly after a couple of tries to fine-tune it. This was for a Super-Chromega F 10x10 head, where all four ELC lamps are on one side of the head... what a silly design that is.
You deserve a medal for all your work! However you don;t mention if the thing works after all your heroic efforts! I hate to mention it, but the thread I thought I was following was for an "Ampilator". not a Durst which is a well-thought-of piece of machinery.
Yes it works fantastic, I couldn't be happier. I did some 16x20s the other day and the evenness of illumination was perfect. The Ilford MG filters work extremely well, I have no complaints.
(now I need to upgrade my 8x10 camera and lens...)
Hey there Ice-racer - Very cool work you've done. I'm the Durst-zilla guy (rebuilt and modified my L184 to accept the camera assembly from a Beseler CB7). I just got another L184 over the weekend and I am beginning to fix this one up too (my first one is now gone, because of a cross country move - I kept the CB7 portion though). Take care, Jeromie
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