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Thread: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

  1. #1

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    My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    Got this from a fellow member last year. It does not fit in my toilet dark room! Finally bought a small studio to accommodate it!

    Just set it up and as I never saw one in real life, got a bit of issues and may I ask some basic questions here:

    a) It comes with Aristo cold light head and my installation as follows:

    The cold light head has a label - "Aristo, D-2 HI". I plug the thermo cord to the a transformer (down from Hong Kong's 220v to 110v) and the other plug to a device called "aristo solid state contractor model 1200" and insert this other plug from the cold light head into the outlet labelled something about "to a light source up to 1200w". For the 2 other cables from this solid stat contractor device, one (black) cable to another transformer outlet (110v). The other (grey) cable (marked in the device for connecting to the timer) I plug into a transformer so that I can use my 220v timer to control it. (In one stage I forget and insert that grey cable directly into the 220v timer and lucky no smoke comes out. But I guess I better go through a transformer so that my 220v timer give the 110v to this device).

    It seems to work.

    In particular, may I confirm that thermo cord is really to the 110v and not somehow get to the timer. Also the black cable is to the 110v and not somehow to a timer.

    b) Can this light source be used with RH Design's Zone Master II and/or Stop Clock Professional?

    c) The cold head comes with a white opaque material and 2 yellow filters. I guess the opaque one is to put between the light source and the enlarger (it fits perfectly there).



    But I am not sure about the 2 yellow filters. Is it just for protection or you need a yellow filter(s) for cold light source? I cannot recall using yellow light bulb though.



    d) the cold head is just hang it there. There seems no mechanism to lock it. Is that right?

    e) I used IIford Multigrade Paper and also its under-the-lens filter system (00 to 5). But unlike my smaller 6x6 enlarger, this under-the-lens filter mechanism does not fit into lens board for the Beseler system. It seems one can just put the filter like a "red filter". It is not very elegant may I say and not perfect fit as well. Is this the way to use under the iiford under-the-lens filter for Beseler 45?

    f) Is there another system one should use when I have time/money to get one?

    g) I have found that my (leica screw mount) enlarger lens can be used. However, all the lens board comes with a strange shaped column which when attached to the system will give you a red dot / light projected onto the paper. What is the point of that? Also the 135mm lens come with the enlarger also have something that screw into the lens board, what is that?




    h) to project the image horizontally (to the wall), I need some extra support (for the cold light head not falling out) and somehow make the enlarger horizontal. What is the name of these parts?

    g) How to make this into a 8x10 enlarger? What parts and light source needed?

    h) How to make this into a 4x5 or even 8x10 color enlarger? What parts and light source needed?

    Sorry so many questions. The whole things seemed to setup and I am ready to go next week. Just make sure I am on the right track and also prepare myself any next step.

    Thanks for any advice.

    BTW, any advice on using the Beseler 4x5 enlarger would be welcome.

    Side questions

    1) Also, my easel is too small and what is good easel for this for 16x20.

    2) Well, I now also have a CPA and wonder can Jobo do larger than 16x20. If so, how? Its print drum is only 16" circumference (just fit 2 8x10 as I develop using that). If so, what is the recommendation for next size up easel and Jobo print drum?

    Dennis Ng

  2. #2

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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    The cold light just sits there. I used duct tape to secure it. If you intend to tilt the head, I'd use light steel cable over the top secured to the mount.
    The column you refer to is a light pipe and it illuminates the aperture on the lens. I you do color block it off or remove it. Beseler makes mounting plates without them. You can make your own with either aluminum or plywood.
    There should be a diffusor. I think that's what you are calling opaque, and yes it fits directly under the light source. The yellow filters may be to eliminate some of the blue light & make it possible to use MC filters.

  3. #3

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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    strange shaped column which when attached to the system will give you a red dot / light projected onto the paper. What is the point of that?
    It actually projects a small amount of light to the lens aperture scale. Older lenses don't have backlit aperture scales and this makes it convenient to set the aperture.

    It seems one can just put the filter like a "red filter". It is not very elegant may I say and not perfect fit as well. Is this the way to use under the iiford under-the-lens filter for Beseler 45?
    That's the way it works. Some people make a holder that attaches to the lens board to hold the filters but Beseler's method should work fine.

    to project the image horizontally (to the wall), I need some extra support (for the cold light head not falling out) and somehow make the enlarger horizontal. What is the name of these parts?
    Aristo heads were designed to just slip onto the head. You would have to fabricate a hold down to do horizontal enlargement.

    How to make this into a 8x10 enlarger? What parts and light source needed?
    Beseler made a kit that did this. Included an 8x10 cold light head, adapter and negative carrier. You can find it occasionally, but make sure it has the negative carrier-a lot of used kits don't.

    How to make this into a 4x5 or even 8x10 color enlarger? What parts and light source needed?
    To do 4x5 color, you need the condenser head (with a color printing filter set), any number of dichroic color heads they made or the Universal 45 system with a color controller. There was also a Minolta/Beseler additive color head that was great, but it used flash tubes that are no longer made so you should avoid them

    For 8x10 you would need to fabricate an adapter to hold the negative and head on the enlarger.

    I would get an enlarger aligning tool because of the design of the enlarger. It allows you to tilt the lens stage and, as you already know, the enlarger can be tilted to horizontal. But because of this flexibility, the enlarger can go out of alignment. When this happens, you can't get sharp images side to side and/or front to back (depending on what is out of alignment.) Stopping down the lens can help if the alignment isn't bad, but it is better to fix the problem.

    As far as your easel, I would get a Saunders. Beseler also used to make a 4 blade adjustable easel that would hold 16x20.

  4. #4

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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    Thanks.

    May I further ask for the alignment tool, what should I get?

    Dennis

  5. #5

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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    The Versalab Alignment tool is probably the easiest alignment tool IMO....

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._PARALLEL.html


    Thanks,
    Dan

  6. #6

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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    Quote Originally Posted by dng88 View Post
    Thanks.

    May I further ask for the alignment tool, what should I get?

    Dennis
    I don't know what to get but I know what not to get. Don't get the one made by Beseler, it's a PITA to use.

    I vaguely recall that there was some sort of issue with the Aristo cold light head and VC papers that required use of the yellow filter so I suspect the ones you have were intended to deal with that possible issue and not for protection. I had the Aristo variable contrast head and never needed a yellow filter but I seem to remember reading about using it with other cold light heads. If you google on some phrase like "yellow filter VC paper" or "yellow filter cold light source" you probably can find more information.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  7. #7
    http://www.spiritsofsilver.com tgtaylor's Avatar
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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    Quote Originally Posted by DanK View Post
    The Versalab Alignment tool is probably the easiest alignment tool IMO....

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._PARALLEL.html
    Thanks,
    Dan
    Although it cost almost $200 new, it's the best alignment tool out there. So easy and quick to use, you'll check the alignment every time you start a session and even when you change heights for enlargements.

    Outside of the laser, you'll need 2 open end wrenches - an 11mm and another one whose size escapes me now - and a torpedo level. Level the table first, then the easel, THEN the enlarger.

    Thomas

  8. #8

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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    @Brian do a search -- the yellow filter seems to lower the contrast (1998 thread!)

    http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0006gg

    But you said you never needed it -- does it mean that VC paper can produce 00 to 5 with it? Learning split grade as well, any issue here?

    ...

    It seems the Versalab Parallel is a must. Might have to get the print washer and find a Versalab 16x20 easel ...

    Thanks all!

  9. #9

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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    Quote Originally Posted by dng88 View Post
    @Brian do a search -- the yellow filter seems to lower the contrast (1998 thread!)

    http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0006gg

    But you said you never needed it -- does it mean that VC paper can produce 00 to 5 with it? Learning split grade as well, any issue here?

    ...

    It seems the Versalab Parallel is a must. Might have to get the print washer and find a Versalab 16x20 easel ...

    Thanks all!
    The Aristo VCL4500 head that I used went from 0 to 5.1 (I think it was) without the need to use a yellow filter (note that the numbers on a variable contrast head like mine don't correspond exactly to paper grades, IIRC 5.1 on my vc head was the equivalent of something like a grade 4.5 paper, not a grade 5 paper). I also have a vague recollection that some change was made - possibly to the paper I used or possibly to the non-variable contrast heads like yours - that eliminated the need for a yellow filter.

    I'm sorry that I'm so vague on all this stuff but I've been printing digitally for about 8 years and haven't been using a darkroom except to process film so my memory is a little hazy.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  10. #10

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    Re: My Beseler 4x5 just setup and some basic questions

    c) The cold head comes with a white opaque material and 2 yellow filters. I guess the opaque one is to put between the light source and the enlarger (it fits perfectly there).



    The 2 yellow filters are a 40cc Y, made to bring the cold light back into sync with 1st gen MG papers. Now the thought is more towards a greenish yellow filter to do the same task.

    IC-racer posted a chart (in his Durst 8x10 thread) that showed what he expected to get using the filters, it is a compressed version of 1-4.5 approx. I don't think you can hit 5 with those filters.

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