4X5 enlarger advice

[rivermandan]

What to buy, where to buy it, and how much money to pay. I can't imagine wanting to print larger then 11X14, I shoot 35mm and 4X5 and don't want to spend more money on an enlarger then my camera if that can be avoided. Space could be an issue, but I would rather take down a wall then spend more money to save space. I also live in a town with no real photo labs and apparently no large format photographers, so it looks like I will most likely have to bend over and take the shipping costs with a grunt. Anyhow, most advice I've googled hasn't been all to pertinent to my situation, so here I am. Suggestions?

[Ash]

I travelled cross country from Swindon to York (UK), but for the cost of petrol I walked away with a 4x5 Beseler CB-7 in working condition, albeit aged and a little grumpy at times. :)

If you search hard enough in your area you may find an enlarger being given away. I'd been waiting a year for a big enlarger to be available to me, and had been waiting specifically for a 4x5 for about 6 months before this one came to me.

It stands about as tall as me, 6ft. It also fits in a shed and with correct fittings will take 35mm up to 4x5.

Keep your eyes out for a Durst or Beseler within the price range you set yourself. Be keen to get it cheap so long as you pick up within a few hundred miles.

Remember you need more space for development, washing, and drying the prints than you do for exposing them with an enlarger!

[Nick_3536]

I assume you're in North America?

Most common choices are Beseler and Omega. Both have made good servicable enlargers over the years. Both can be fairly cheap in todays market.

Which one to get? Which ever one falls into your lap. I could suggest holding out for something but I don't think it makes sense.

FWIW Durst also made good quality enlargers but you'll find them a little harder to find.

What ever you get make sure it's fairly complete and in good working condition.

None of the 4x5 enlargers are tiny but even something like my Beseler CB-7 isn't over whelming. Sure it's happier with over 8' of ceiling and the baseboard is almost 3'x3'. But that's only 3'x3'.

[Randy H]

Wait and look. The bigger enlargers are "gimme's" or durn cheap. I acquired an Omega DII VC with all the carriers, a butt-load of paper, timer and about all I could carry as a freebie. AND.... it came from this forum! cost me a three hour road trip.
Now don't start shouting me down, but I like the Omega vs the Beseler. Footprint on the baseboard is a little under 2ft x 3ft, and enlarger standing from floor up is about 3ft tall. With limited space, I put it on a "microwave cart" that rolls around. When not in use, I can stack all the trays and rollers and motor base in the bottom of the cart, and move it to a corner of the room. With the variable condensors, two lenses and two lensboards, I can print from 35mm to 4X5 negs, up to 11x14 prints. Clearly. To make room, I gave away a Durst CLS35 and an Omega B22 to "newbie" photo students at school.

Keep your eyes and ears open, and wait.

[Paul Ewins]

I started off with an Astron, which is pretty much an oversized 35mm enlarger in concept, but nice and compact. Then I stepped up to a Beseler 45M with its lovely motorized head and negaflat and negatrans film holders. The fact that you don't have to swap condensers when you change heads is also a bonus.

I've since acquired an Omega with an Ilford multigrade head. Although the Omega is said to be better in terms of adjustment I don't like the carriers or the manual crank for height adjustment so I'll probably swap the head over to the Beseler.

For me it has been a case of taking what was available - there was never any choice at the time. However they have all been quite cheap so trading up when something better came along wasn't much of a financial hardship.

[Peter De Smidt]

My favorite 4x5 enlarger is a De Vere 504 with a Dichromat head.

[John Kasaian]

My "fave" is the Omega D-II (the same as a D-2 only with a push-me/pull-you thingy instead of a crank) It is such a favorite that I'm keeping mine even though I don't shoot 4x5 any more. Like others have mentioned, you can pick these things up for free ( a friend rescued his D-2 from a college dumpster) or very cheaply ( my ebay prize cost more in shipping than the enlarger) I'm sure a Beseler is just as good so take your pick. My suggestion is that whatever you get, make sure that it comes with as many accesories as possible. While the enlargers themselves are cheap, when it comes to all the little pieces the prices start to soar skyward!

[kev curry]

My favorite 4x5 enlarger is a De Vere 504 with a Dichromat head.

Great bit of kit and Built like a tank! There also very straight forward to align.

[konakoa]

Another option would be making your own 4x5 enlarger; I modified a old Beseler 23C and converted it into a 4x5. It meets much of your criteria: inexpensive, compact, light weight, and optimized for 11x14 prints.

PM me and I can send you a web address describing the whole process.

[Joseph O'Neil]

I've used Besslers (sp?), Omegas, B&Js, but currently the one I use is a DeVere 504. Best enlarger I have ever used.

However, if you are starting out new, I used an Omega D series for a long time. They seem to be plentiful, spare parts are not too hard to come by nor too expensive, they are rugged, simple to use, and I find, when needed, easy to repair. For starting out new, a used Omega might be the way to go.

joe

[ANDY7000]

I travelled cross country from Swindon to York (UK), but for the cost of petrol I walked away with a 4x5 Beseler CB-7 in working condition, albeit aged and a little grumpy at times. :)

If you search hard enough in your area you may find an enlarger being given away. I'd been waiting a year for a big enlarger to be available to me, and had been waiting specifically for a 4x5 for about 6 months before this one came to me.

It stands about as tall as me, 6ft. It also fits in a shed and with correct fittings will take 35mm up to 4x5.

Keep your eyes out for a Durst or Beseler within the price range you set yourself. Be keen to get it cheap so long as you pick up within a few hundred miles.

Remember you need more space for development, washing, and drying the prints than you do for exposing them with an enlarger!

Beseler Repairs can be made by me Andy Iam the original Beseler tech that worked for them
for years I carry every diagram timers,dicho heads,color head controllers,8278,power supplys,Enlargers,
Slide dups,PM1 ,PM2 Analyzers and etc. CONTACT ANDY AT: IROBOT-BLUE@JUNO.COM http://photographyrepairs.4t.com
Aug 5th 2007 http://photographyrepairs.4t.com/ phone 610-253-3836

[ANDY7000]

I travelled cross country from Swindon to York (UK), but for the cost of petrol I walked away with a 4x5 Beseler CB-7 in working condition, albeit aged and a little grumpy at times. :)

If you search hard enough in your area you may find an enlarger being given away. I'd been waiting a year for a big enlarger to be available to me, and had been waiting specifically for a 4x5 for about 6 months before this one came to me.

It stands about as tall as me, 6ft. It also fits in a shed and with correct fittings will take 35mm up to 4x5.

Keep your eyes out for a Durst or Beseler within the price range you set yourself. Be keen to get it cheap so long as you pick up within a few hundred miles.

Remember you need more space for development, washing, and drying the prints than you do for exposing them with an enlarger!

Beseler Repairs can be made by me Andy Iam the original Beseler tech that worked for them
for years I carry every diagram timers,dicho heads,color head controllers,8278,power supplys,Enlargers,
Slide dups,PM1 ,PM2 Analyzers and etc. CONTACT ANDY AT: IROBOT-BLUE@JUNO.COM http://photographyrepairs.4t.com
Aug 5th 2007 http://photographyrepairs.4t.com/ phone 610-253-3836

[walter23]

What to buy, where to buy it, and how much money to pay. I can't imagine wanting to print larger then 11X14, I shoot 35mm and 4X5 and don't want to spend more money on an enlarger then my camera if that can be avoided. Space could be an issue, but I would rather take down a wall then spend more money to save space. I also live in a town with no real photo labs and apparently no large format photographers, so it looks like I will most likely have to bend over and take the shipping costs with a grunt. Anyhow, most advice I've googled hasn't been all to pertinent to my situation, so here I am. Suggestions?

I got an Omega D6XL with dichroic colour head and a ton of accessories for a few hundred dollars. The colour head is great for doing variable contrast stuff without bothering with filters - you just dial in different colour filtration to get different contrast grades. In practice I do split-grade printing, doing test strips with yellow & magenta filtration to set contrast. Very convenient.

You'll need an easel (sauders 4-blade is the nicest to use), and a lens for 4x5 (a schneider componon 150mm or 135mm is a good bet, componon-S even better, or a rodenstock rodagon of the same focal lengths). For 35mm you'll probably want a 50mm lens as well (these can be had essentially for free). I have a couple of Nikkor EL lenses and they seem to be ever so slightly less sharp (as seen with the grain magnifier) than the schneider componon-S, but the prints are still very nice.

Most of the time you can find someone selling an enlarger and giving away all the accessories with it. I think this is the best way to get into a darkroom because the accessories are often worth more than the enlarger itself.

[J V McLure]

When I was a teenager of the 60s shooting 6x6 with a Yashicamat TLR, my grandfather gave me an Omega B22 XL. I still own it today. I worked the heck out of it – and it never needed repairs. It is in retirement in the back of a closet now – and ready to go back to work at anytime. A very well built enlarger. The darkroom at my high school had an old Beseler enlarger. Compared to my Omega, the thing seemed like a piece of junk.

Today, I have two Omega D2 XL enlargers in my darkroom. One is set up as a D2V and has the variable condenser lamp house. The other is equipped with a Super Chromega D Dichroic color head with Chromegatrol power supply/timer and foot switch. Both are mounted with the top of the mast braced back to the wall. Even though they are between thirty and forty years old, these enlargers as rock-solid, smooth operating and highly accurate instruments that yield excellent results. I have never needed parts or repairs – but if I did, they are easy to source.

You can pick up an Omega D2V in excellent condition for a couple hundred bucks on ebay. Equipped with the right lenses, you would be able to print your 35mm and 4x5 negatives like a pro.

There may be better enlargers and I have just not had the opportunity to use one. I’m sure I will be an Omega man cradle to grave.

J V McLure

[Carsten Wolff]

Another vote for the DeVeres, or a Durst, but as others have said, whatever falls into your lap cheap. I myself own 2 Dursts and am really happy with both. Recently, I e.g. bought an old Durst 3S (5x7), which I also use for 4x5 and, dare I say it, 6x17; for 200$, but as space is an issue for you that type might not be the best choice.....
Ones with a cold light head might be nicer to use than condensor head ones, but every head has its pros and cons....

[otzi]

While we are on the enlarger subject, what are peoples view on the saunders/LPL 7452 with the V.C.C.E. head. This product rarely gets a mention.

[Mick Fagan]

Otzi, the first LPL 745 was almost identical to the LPL 7700 in a lot of aspects. Obviously it was scaled up, but by and large it seemed to be more like the 7700.

I had the 7700 then moved up to the 7451, I used the wall mounting brackets and made my own drop table for both of these enlargers.

About 2 years after having the 7451 I almost became the owner of a 7452. Close inspection showed that this is a much beefier unit, there is a 50mm spacer between the column and the head. The idea is that you can make bigger enlargements before the bottom of the column starts to get into the picture, this is probably the best change over the earlier unit.

The VCCE head is quite good, I have used the 7700 version and also a colour head and found that the VCCE version worked better, as it should. I used a darkroom with the LPL 7452 and VCCE head and found it to be almost identical to the 7700 version, apart from the scaled up size for the larger format.

Australia and the USA seem to have a few of these compared to Europe. I don't remember being able to do any alignment on any LPL enlarger as I believe they are all set by the factory, So check that the unit hasn't been dropped somewhere in it's life.

I have the instructions for the 7451, if you would like a look. They aren't much but they may give you an idea of the construction.

Mick.

[cyrus]

I know of someone giving away an old D2 if you want to pick it up - with a couple neg holders and the old Woollensack enlarger lens and cap too. Pickup NYC area.

[max_ebb]

Remember you need more space for development, washing, and drying the prints than you do for exposing them with an enlarger!

Depending on how you process though, only the enlarger actually has to be in the darkroom. I set up temperature controlled drum processing in the kitchen, and I taught my wife to do the processing. All I do in the darkroom is expose the paper and put it in the drum. The processing equipment can be stored in a fairly small space when not being used.

[John Kasaian]

Depending on how you process though, only the enlarger actually has to be in the darkroom. I set up temperature controlled drum processing in the kitchen, and I taught my wife to do the processing. All I do in the darkroom is expose the paper and put it in the drum. The processing equipment can be stored in a fairly small space when not being used.

Awww Max! Most of the fun of souping prints is watching the image appear in the tray!

[John Kasaian]

Seriously, if you want a lf enlarger check out Criag's List for a major city. In the S.F. Bay area I've seen D-2s and Beseler 45s go for practically give away prices!

[J D Clark]

The choice of enlarger might depend on what you want to print. I can only speak to black and white printing with variable contrast paper, and for that the Saunders (Omega, now) 4500 or 4550 with the VCCE (variable contrast, constant exposure) enlarger is hard to beat in the creative control it allows you.

John Clark
www.johndclark.com

[Keith S. Walklet]

How far are you from Idaho?

I know where there are three 4x5 Omega Super Cromega D enlargers with Dichroic II color heads that are in need of a good home.

[Stephen Willard]

I have an 8x10 enlarger, but did have a 4x5 once upon a time. Remember a cheap enlarger that does get not the job done will not be cheap in the long run. Make sure it has adjustments to align the film plane, lens plane, and base board. Make sure the overall design is rigid and will not vibrate. Be cautious with a cooling fan in the head for it can cause vibration. I prefer diffusion heads over condenser heads because the former reduces dust problems. Check out the fine focus to make sure it works. Make sure the controls work smoothly.

Hope that helps.

[Utomo Tjipto]

Hi All,

I am a newbie in printing 4x5 with Dichroid Head.
I am being offered a Super Chromega D Dichroic color head, complete with lenses and other accessories. I have never print using enlarger with Dichroic Head, before at my frinend's I always use a Condensor type.

The thing is, the Dichroic Head has fungi covering the filters. Will this affect the prints?
If significantly so, because I only intend to print B/W, is it possible to remove the affected filters, or change the affected filters?

Your advise please.

Thank you so much for the input

Cheers,
Utomo

[Joseph O'Neil]

Hi All,

The thing is, the Dichroic Head has fungi covering the filters. Will this affect the prints?
If significantly so, because I only intend to print B/W, is it possible to remove the affected filters, or change the affected filters?

Cheers,
Utomo

-snip-

Fungus can affect everything and anything. For example, fungus can actually "eat" or etch glass on your lenses and ruin them over a period of time.

Two comments than - first, the danger of cross contamination to the rest of your gear - cameras, lenses and darkroom equipment would have me worried.

Secondly, you can disinfect equipment form fungal infection, but in doing so you are likely to ruin/destroy the filters and many other parts of the enlarger. For example, what if some of the fungal spores are already inside some of the electric parts & power supply? Who can one really be sure.

As a general rule, no matter how good something looks or appears to be, anything int he past that has been offered to me with any hint of fungal infection I just walk away from. To me, it's simply not worth the risk. You might get those fungal spores inside your darkroom, and over time, they can infect you other gear. They might even make you sick too.

I would thank the other party very much, but politely decline.

take care
joe

[John Kasaian]

-snip-

Fungus can affect everything and anything. For example, fungus can actually "eat" or etch glass on your lenses and ruin them over a period of time.

Two comments than - first, the danger of cross contamination to the rest of your gear - cameras, lenses and darkroom equipment would have me worried.

Secondly, you can disinfect equipment form fungal infection, but in doing so you are likely to ruin/destroy the filters and many other parts of the enlarger. For example, what if some of the fungal spores are already inside some of the electric parts & power supply? Who can one really be sure.

As a general rule, no matter how good something looks or appears to be, anything int he past that has been offered to me with any hint of fungal infection I just walk away from. To me, it's simply not worth the risk. You might get those fungal spores inside your darkroom, and over time, they can infect you other gear. They might even make you sick too.

I would thank the other party very much, but politely decline.

take care
joe

Some fungus can be quite tasty when sauteed in butter and garlic!:D

[Joseph O'Neil]

Some fungus can be quite tasty when sauteed in butter and garlic!:D

Yes, I did try that once, but ended up having this really bad trip man.......

:D

[rod454]

Would a Beseler 4x5 MX with a Dichor head be adequate? Photography is a hobby for me. I have never made a print or developed film but I think I will try it as soon as I can get some stuff together. This enlarger also has a B&W head.
I guess this is not the place for introductions. I am new here. I recently bought a 4x5 and a couple of lens, meter, ect. and exposed some polaroid film. So I'm off on a new thing.
I'm also enjoying reading posts here. Thanks

[John Kasaian]

Would a Beseler 4x5 MX with a Dichor head be adequate? Photography is a hobby for me. I have never made a print or developed film but I think I will try it as soon as I can get some stuff together. This enlarger also has a B&W head.
I guess this is not the place for introductions. I am new here. I recently bought a 4x5 and a couple of lens, meter, ect. and exposed some polaroid film. So I'm off on a new thing.
I'm also enjoying reading posts here. Thanks

That should work out nicely for you!

[Toyon]

I think the Omega/LPL 4500 is a terrific unit. Mine's never needed alignment and handles smaller formats easily.

[walter23]

I have a D6 XL with the chromega dichroic colour head. Got it for a couple hundred bucks - a local guy was clearing out his old darkroom. The colour head is great for contrast filtering for VC / Multigrade paper. Both the D5 and D6 are nice (XL just denotes a longer column for bigger enlargements, and as you're doing 11x14 max you probably don't need it but by all means grab one if it comes up). I got the diffusion head but you might find a condensor head. I don't think it matters which one you get though some prefer one over the other for more subtle reasons - eg negative scratch suppression on diffusion. If you can't find the dichroic colour head a B&W head is equally fine if you get a contrast filter set from ilford or kodak or whoever (would likely come with a used enlarger) - just a bit more hassle to insert filters into the filter tray or whatever. It's nice to just dial in your contrast on a colour head.

Look for someone local unloading one with all the accessories. You'll save a fortune over buying trays and tongs and safelights and paper safes and easels and timers and all that jazz separate. If you can't find someone in your city / town, look at classifieds in any major cities that are within reasonable driving distance. With a bit of patience you'll find a steal.