New addition to the family. LS 1200 info.

[Allen in Montreal]

I am cleaning up a Durst 1200 with a CLS 500 head to move into my darkroom.

I am not sure if this will find a permanent home, but I would like to try it MG printing with it which I find myself using more and more.

One of the foot pads was broken while in storage (it was used as a wall mount so the baseboard was stored).
Any suggestions for inexpensive replacements?

There is no 6x9 Femobox, I like to shoot 6x9, is it worth buying a box or will masking the 4x5 off do the trick just as well?

Has anyone purchased a new Femobox made by Durst Pro?
Are they better than the original by huge margins?

Any other tips or cautions with this unit?

Thank you,

amc

[Richard Wasserman]

I use a 1200 with a 501 head–it's a great enlarger. I use a 4x5 Femobox with all formats from 35mm-4x5. I have the others, and have never seen the need to change them. I assume the enlarger would be brighter if I matched the Femobox's to the smaller formats, but that's never been an issue for me.

[Filmnut]

I also use the same setup, and it is an excellent enlarger. Once upon a time I tested all the speed differences between the various diff boxes, and the there was only about a half stop between the 4X5 and the 6X9, and as long as you have you carrier masked off, there is no problem at all.
Durst parts are outrageously expensive for the regular (amateur) user, and I would doubt if you buy one from them at this point in time. As long as there are no scratches on the surface of the diffuser, it should work fine.
Keith

[Allen in Montreal]

Thanks Gents, I will test it out as soon as I can.
If I fall for this Durst like I did for the others, I guess it will find a permanent spot.

The column lock seems to be slipping a little, can that be tightened by adjustment?
I found a brochure but not a manual for the 1200.

I have a 6x6 Femobox for it so for now I will try with just the 4x5 down to 6x4.5 and I will swap it out for 645 and see if it is worth the effort.
The V35 will always get the call for 35mm work.


Durst Pro has new Femos for about $350 per if I recall.

[ic-racer]

According to the Durst literature, the difference between the 4x5in and 6x9cm mixing boxes for the 8x10 CLS head is a 1/3 stop difference.

[gary mulder]

If you are going to invest in a 69 box. Go for a adapter for the bimabox family. It makes handling small negatives easier. Because the smaller negative carrier. But I think a complete 805 will be less expensive.

[Allen in Montreal]

I did a quick test last night, just projecting without processing any paper and I think I will stay put with the 4x5 Femo for 6x7 and above.

I ordered new glass for it today as there is a huge nick in the AN glass.

......
Durst parts are outrageously expensive for the regular (amateur) user, and I would doubt if you buy one from them at this point in time. As long as there are no scratches on the surface of the diffuser, it should work fine.
Keith

$400.00 per!
(I just double checked)

[Blair Ware]

Allen, I have a number of different boxes, but in general only use the 4x5.

--Blair--

[Allen in Montreal]

Just a quick update on the Durst 1200.

Thank you to Blair for a copy of the manual!
And to John for bellows tape to fix a few pin holes.

There are a lot of really good people on this forum.

I printed last night for the first time after getting some new glass for the Femoneg as there were a few big scratches that must have happened during the storage/move.
I masked off the extra area that was lit up by using the 450 box and it worked fine.
The print is perfect and crisp. I really like the enlarger and it will certainly stay in the line up.

I find it a little cleaner to use the straight magenta filters over the combined Yellow/Magenta speed matching combos.

Which begs the question, is there a basic rule of thumb for exposure compensation, for say, 10 units of magenta = 1/4 stop etc??

(I can't post the print I made here as it a street shot taken on 6x4.5 during a downpour last fall. )

[ic-racer]

Each paper is going to respond differently. It is actually a little easeir to make that single-filter chart compensation chart, you just need a step wedge.

If you are using Ilford materials, the Durst chart they give for the combined Y/M works perfect with my Durst 0-130 filters. I'm not sure what you mean by 'cleaner", is it too dim with the two filters?