Multigrade with Beseler & Zone VI - is it right?

[Nick Wood]

I've been waiting, waiting and waiting for a decent 5x4 enlarger (other than De Vere) to appear on the auction site over here in the UK.

A Beseler 45 MXT with Zone VI cold light head has appeared, but I'm a little anxious as to the method of filtration for multigrade printing.

The seller has told me that filters (which he no longer has!) have to be placed under the enlarger lens. I assumed to start with that he meant it was a condenser head with a filter tray below the cendenser lens... but no.

Can anyone allay my fears that such a method doesn't affect print quality? Presumably you have to keep the filters super clean? Is there a special Beseler 'thingy' for holding the filters, and indeed are there special filters for this enlarger?

Help - the auction finishes in less than two days.

Thanks

[Ralph Barker]

The Ilford below-lens VC filter set comes with its own holder that attaches to the lens. I'd assume others would be made with a similar design.

As long as they are kept clean and unscratched, there should be essentially no effect on image quality - just like using gel filters in front of a taking lens.

[paulr]

I haven't tried using the below the lens filters ... i briefly used vc filters above the film with a zone vi cold light (i built a jig to hold them them there in a drawer ... worked better in theory than in practice) but then tossed it out when i stopped using vc paper. i was nervous about sticking a filter in the optical path, though i can't say i tested it to see what difference it would make.

one issue is that the cold light has a prettty strong blue color balance, so your contrast grades will be a fair amount harder than the number on the filter. possibly by a whole grade ... maybe someone can tell you exactly what to expect.

[Oren Grad]

Aristo has a tube, type V54, with a spectral balance suitable for variable contrast filtration. Many older cold light tubes are difficult to use effectively with VC filters.

[Arne Croell]

I've been waiting, waiting and waiting for a decent 5x4 enlarger (other than De Vere) to appear on the auction site over here in the UK.

A Beseler 45 MXT with Zone VI cold light head has appeared, but I'm a little anxious as to the method of filtration for multigrade printing.

The seller has told me that filters (which he no longer has!) have to be placed under the enlarger lens. I assumed to start with that he meant it was a condenser head with a filter tray below the cendenser lens... but no.

Can anyone allay my fears that such a method doesn't affect print quality? Presumably you have to keep the filters super clean? Is there a special Beseler 'thingy' for holding the filters, and indeed are there special filters for this enlarger?

Help - the auction finishes in less than two days.

Thanks

I've used below the lens filters for years with that very setup, no problem at all. my Beseler has a swing out holder that works for the Ilford filter set in frames (if that is still around). Just make sure that the filters are the thin gelatin or polyester ones like the Ilford version in frames. Due to being so thin they won't affect the optical path to any discernible degree. You have to keep them clean, though, dirt and scratches will reduce contrast. Don't use the thicker acrylic versions under the lens, they were only made for filter drawers above the negative.
The problem Oren addresses is different and refers to the fact that the regular cold light tubes have more blue than green light in their spectrum. I used a 40Y filter between the diffusers of the cold light to counteract that a little, but its not perfect. Even with the 40Y the grades are not evenly spaced and certainly not speed matched. But with some experience you can use it. If you buy a new head some time in the future you could always go for a real Multigrade head.

[Nick Wood]

Thank you all for the advice.

I've since investigated the below-the-lens filters - Ilford still make them.

Don't think I'll be bidding too high; a multigrade head would probably suit me better, but I am fascinated to experience 'cold light' for the first time. Is it all that it's cracked up to be, I wonder?

[jmcd]

Is cold light all its cracked up to be?

I gathered from reading texts, ad copy, and other exposure to photographic discussion that cold light was the way to go.

But I did have trouble getting any contrast variation from a two-tube Zone VI head, after a year or so of use.

Now I am having a little trouble with a different cold light, trying to tame its relatively high light output. But it is extremely responsive to contrast filtration.

In the meantime, I have dusted off the condensers and made some prints. There are several influencing factors involved, but the condenser prints are noticeably sharper, and good tones are produced. When I get my cold light tuned up for my use, I expect that sharpness will improve with larger enlarging apertures.

My guess is that either system is capable of an excellent print. But I have yet to see "contact print quality" from an enlargement, even though I have worked diligently to achieve it.