durst enlarger

[luis a de santos]

I would like to post this question to all those using durst enlargers purchased from durst pro usa. Well over a year ago I purchased a 10x10 enlarger.Because of delays in the construction of my studio I asked them to hold it.They did although they charge me for storage. Approx last May I asked for my enlarger and it was shipped to me in a large crate. Only the chasis was sent and I was told the head and other minor components will be sent separately.The end result is now that I have still not received the light source and other components. I have called the company a minimum of 200 times and every time is a different story of something shipped wrong to them or not being available etc etc .More frequently that not I can not talk to the head person and they give me the run around. This has become a serious problem and I can not use my darkroom for work. If anybody has had the same experience I would like to know to see if a group protest could have more of an effect. I may be forced to return the enlarger but if these problems are an indication of how this company works getting the money back would be an impossibility. Thank for your replays

[Donald Miller]

luis, Is this a distributor of Durst products or a retail outlet for Durst products (such as a camera store)? I have not heard of problems with Durst as a company myself...however I have only the reports about the distributor here in the states on which to draw. I use their equipment and find it to be of excellent quality.

[Michael Kadillak]

Did you order a condensor head or a diffusion head? I know for a fact that the mirrors for the condensor heads were placed on back order as the only manufacturer that can produce the mirrors for these heads to Durst specs got handed a government order and I am have also waiting for them. I am disappointed, but it is out of his control. I find the products to also be of high quality but highly specialized requiring customization. As a result, you cannot go to the backroom and just find it on the shelf. I am sorry that you are disappointed and would completely understand if you want your money back.

[luis a de santos]

Thank you for the responses. As a point of clarification,they did not charge me while the enlarger was at their place but when it was shipped before I could use I had to pay the storage that was significant. My enlarger is a color head and not a condenser one. I will just hope that the gods above will expedite this delivery and I would be able to use it.

[Michael Kadillak]

Terribly sorry for your frustration. Can you get some detail specifics concerning what is holding up your order? I am assuming that you are talking directly with Jens.

[Andre Noble]

It's been almost a year, that is not good. One day soon I hope to buy a Durst 10x10 myself. Ebay is the best place right to find a deal on the huge Dursts, if you have the patience.

Luis's experience with them makes me think that the only to deal with Durst USA is a person to person exchange of cash for merchandise at their oregon location.

One year is completely unacceptable. With that kind of customer service in a downturning market, he'll be out of business soon.

[Michael J. Kravit]

Durst pro USA installed three large Durst Enlargers for a close friend of mine. One is a Durst 184 with variable contrast compuerized closed loop digital light head and the other is a Durst Optio 5x7.

Jens Jensen personally flew to South Florida and installed both enlargers for my friend. I have personally ordered items from Durst Pro-USA. They have shipped them without advanced payment on a trial basis.

During the week there are three people in Durst-Pro USA's office. Yesterday we called with a question about one of the two enlargers. No one answered so we left a message. Our phone call was returned today (Sunday) by Jens himself.

From what I understand, Jens is always open to upgrading a head or exchanging heads or chasis when one item is not available. Perhaps he can offer you a different model that he can obtain faster.

I have found Durst-Pro USA to be responsive and attentive to my needs.

[Erik Eks]

It doesn't help Luis in the slightest because he is still waiting for his enlarger after a whole year. Without the head, he has only a chassis. What baffles me is how some like Michael J. Kravit and his friend report good service while others, to put it unkindly, seem to get shafted. The enlargers all cost the price of a car, I hear; I would think that all customers deserve equal good treatment.

Like Andre Noble, this gives me pause for doubt about dealing with this company for I don't know which group I will fall into.

[Michael J. Kravit]

After speaking with Durst Pro USA it seems that Mr. De Santos may not have reported the whole story.

Durst Pro reports that when the enlarger was ordered Mr. de Santos was told that the head he wanted is rare and hard to find on the used market.

Durst Pro reports that Mr. de Santos has a limited budget and opted not to accept a different head that would be more expensive albiet currently available. Durst Pro is still searching for the head that was ordered, but is currently not available on the used market.

For Izaak, when purchasing used equipment there are bound to be problems. These enlargers are large complex and often times well used and sometimes abused. Parts often break and repairs are required. If one does not have the stomach to weather the storm, then perhaps a new unit would be more appropriate.

Jeff's 5x7 Optopia auto-focus, auto-everything enlarger is very cool. I am quite impressed with it, but personally prefer my lowly Durst L1200 Multigraph. I for one would not have the patience to wait several months for installation and working out all of the bugs.

I don't think that it is a matter of ill will, but perhaps just a differing of perceived expectations.

[Erik Eks]

I wonder, Michael.

Fact: Durst Pro USA accepted full payment for a full enlarger, not part of, from Luis.

Fact: Luis was promised and led to believe he was getting a full enlarger.

Fact: Luis was charged storage on a full enlarger.

Fact: Luis was told in May 2003 that the head and other minor components will be sent separately from the chassis.

All this indicates that Durst Pro USA caused Luis to believe that the head was indeed available. If such is not the case, than the above-mentioned facts will NOT have occurred. If the head Luis desired is rare and not available, was Luis apprised of the situation? It seems not. There is still no good reason not to answer Luis's 200+ calls and give him evasive answers such as they were waiting for the right parts or something like that. It is either available or not. Luis was not told what Michael was told. It is still not right to let Luis wait a full year and he is still waiting for something he was led to believe was available and that he had paid a full amount on. If Luis had known that he would be playing a long waiting game for the head, would he still have gone ahead to pay the full amount on it? Clearly not or he won't be writing this today. No, it is clear to me that Luis was promised a full enlarger and after the money was received, the situation took on another complexion.

Furthermore, Durst Pro USA claims not to sell used; in fact, on its website, Durst Pro USA cautions one about buying used because one cannot be sure that one would get a functioning machine which is the only reason Luis went to Durst Pro USA in the first place. As for the rare Durst 10X10 color heads, I am quite familiar with all the models, CLS 300, CLS 2000, CLS 1840; one sees them for sale on Ebay often. In the last year alone, I counted more than 5 units for auction. Certainly, it is not so rare that it cannot be delivered in the space of one year. And there are other places to buy used such as RK Equipment.

It clearly has nothing at all with whether the head was rare or not, whether it was used or not. It has everything to do with what Durst Pro USA promised Luis at that point in time.

I am happy that you and your friend, Jeff, received good service from Durst Pro USA but you seem to imply that Luis is not telling the whole truth.

Comparing your facts with Luis's own, I am quite sure I know whom to believe. One of us is not getting the entire picture.