LF/ULF contact prints using 35mm enlarger as a controllable light source.

[Lachlan 717]

Finally getting around to learning contact printing now that the house renos are done…

First, I don’t have access to a room to set up as a darkroom, either permanent or temporary, so will be looking at a hydroponics grow tent. So, room will be a consideration.

It also means I will need a table top light source for exposure.

Given the cheap cost of old 35mm enlargers, especially if they have a crap lens, led me to consider it as a controllable (via stopping down/up) light source.

It will also be easy to set up/pack up.

I will need up to 7x17 and 11x14 which should be fine with 35mm base boards.

Thoughts?

[Mark Sampson]

If you use enlarging paper, a 35mm enlarger should be just fine.
If you want to use contact papers, like Azo, Lodima, or Lupex, then your exposure times will run into minutes. That's what I found when using a 4x5 enlarger to expose Azo. The common practice for this type of paper is a suspended light bulb of high wattage.
Of course alt-processes, platinum, salted paper, etc., require a great deal of light, like sunlight.

[Oren Grad]

Yes, that makes perfect sense. I use my 4x5 enlarger with color head as my light source for contact printing with standard variable contrast papers, because that's what I already own. But there's no reason a 35mm enlarger couldn't serve as well.

[Lachlan 717]

Thanks, Mark and Oren.

This is going to be the charcuterie board for contact prints. If I like it, I’ll probably order the main course.

[xkaes]

As mentioned, it should work fine, as long as the column gets high enough with your (unspecified) lens -- set at "infinity". One thing to keep in mind that all enlarging lenses (in your case, it really doesn't even need to be an enlarging lens) have plenty of light fall-off when used open wide. So stop down at least two f-stops to minimize that problem -- unless you like lighter corners.

If you need the bright light from a wide open lens, just make sure you get the enlarger head WAY UP HIGH -- which kinda, sorta defeats the purpose. A light meter can tell you how much light fall-off you have.

[Mark Sampson]

Now that I think of it- 20 years ago when I played around with Azo, I took the lens out of the enlarger and let the cold-light shine directly onto the contact frame. That still led to minute-long exposures. With enlarging paper, that would be too bright. Have fun- Best of luck!

[Lachlan 717]

Longer exposure should be fine - allows a bit of D&B if required. Thanks!

[ic-racer]

Unless you need to use the dichroic filters of the enlarger, you might have a more even exposure across the paper with a lamp 5 or 6 feet away.

A sensitive method of checking even exposure across the paper is to expose the paper to the light without a negative.

[nolindan]

Ditto Mr. Racer. Cheap enlargers are crap when it comes to producing even light. Hang a bulb from the ceiling - good enough for Edward Weston.

If you want to go full luxe look for a nuArc contacting printing light. It's a point source, though, so dust will be a problem. The liight has a filter slot, unfortunately it is the wrong size for VC filters.

[monochromeFan]

Ditto Mr. Racer. Cheap enlargers are crap when it comes to producing even light. Hang a bulb from the ceiling - good enough for Edward Weston.

If you want to go full luxe look for a nuArc contacting printing light. It's a point source, though, so dust will be a problem. The liight has a filter slot, unfortunately it is the wrong size for VC filters.

if a person is contact printing LF or ULF, they should look at using an LED screen for the light source.

It was, maybe still a thing, but people were doing "darkroom prints" by taking a photo with a camera or cell phone, tossing it to grey scale with photo shop, and inverting it into a negative. And then putting a sheet of regular enlarging paper on the monitor in a dark room of course, and then turning the monitor on to make the exposure.

Also, you COULD get contast filter sheets to lay on the negative. That would not be cheap though. Have seen ultrafine or freestyle have an option to buy custom sized contrast filter sheet.

[Lachlan 717]

Unfortunately, as described, I won’t be able to hang a bulb in the tent. Thus, looking for an alternative.

[domaz]

I would use the 35mm enlarger and worry about uneven lighting if it becomes an issue, but I also use a 4x5 enlarger for contact printing without issue. Another bonus for the 35mm enlarger is that many of them can easily be adapted to be a "copy stand" for digicam scanning. The price of a simple reliable copy stand these days is surprisingly high.

[j.e.simmons]

At one time I used a Vivitar enlarged made for 35mm and 120 as a light source for 8x10 contact prints. I believe the lens was 80mm or so. It worked fine. My only concern would be whether the column is long enough for 11x14.

[Vaughn]

Unfortunately, as described, I won’t be able to hang a bulb in the tent. Thus, looking for an alternative.

Should work fine, raised up high enough, you should get good coverage for 11x14 with most 35mm enlargers. I have used a 4x5 enlarger without the lens for Azo -- sped things up a bit. I have also used a clip-on light clipped onto the enlarger head so it could be raised up and down and plugged into the timer.

Bare bulbs do work, but my eyes have never liked going from safelight conditions to the blast of bright white light.

[xkaes]

If the enlarger head can't get up high enough to cover, just use a lens with a shorter focal length, or stick a close-up lens/filter on the lens you're stuck with.

[Tin Can]

I use my Spot Meter to check the evenness of light on the paper

and have made a center filter to even out the light

[monochromeFan]

Should work fine, raised up high enough, you should get good coverage for 11x14 with most 35mm enlargers. I have used a 4x5 enlarger without the lens for Azo -- sped things up a bit. I have also used a clip-on light clipped onto the enlarger head so it could be raised up and down and plugged into the timer.

Bare bulbs do work, but my eyes have never liked going from safelight conditions to the blast of bright white light.

Not all 35mm CAN go over 8x10 for some reason. Not just due to baseboard size.

[malexand]

I recently built a contact printing box - with both UV and White dim-able LEDs for my 6x36" cirkut negatives. So far I have not noticed a need for extra diffusion.
Box is about 6in high and easily transportable.
250161

[xkaes]

Not all 35mm CAN go over 8x10 for some reason. Not just due to baseboard size.

There are a few enlargers that can't make prints larger than 8x10. They were made to be very compact -- some even fit in a suitcase. Others were designed for quick repetitive 8x10 production, for example, or operation without a darkroom. But these enlargers are the exception to the rule -- that the vast majority of enlargers can make prints larger than 8x10".

250162

[Vaughn]

Not all 35mm CAN go over 8x10 for some reason. Not just due to baseboard size.

That is why I wrote "you should get good coverage for 11x14 with MOST 35mm enlargers."