Rayham Perfect 5x4 enlarger

[Adrian Brewster]

I have been offered a free "Perfect" enlarger which were made up until the 1950s, early 60s, but I am on a very limited budget and by the time I pay for the petrol to collect it ( I live in Northumberland and it is in Coventry), buy a suitable lens and bodge a lens panel, the cost of the project is beginning to escalate particularly when someone this week bought a Durst Lab 1200 complete with lens on ebay in Newcastle for £200, lucky sod.
The enlarger has an empty drawer (see pictures on www.design-creative.com/enlarger/index.html ) which the doner thinks is a filter drawer but I am concerned that it may be a missing condenser. There is a condenser in the lamp house but could the drawer be for other condensers for 35mm, MF etc. I'll only be using it for 5x4 so I don't know if they are needed or not. I know it is difficult to tell from the pictures but do you think this is worth saving or fit only for the skip.
I can find very little info about this enlarger so I'm hoping that you may know whether I should go for it or should I be more patient and wait for a De Vere, Durst or Beseler to turn up?
Thanks

[jp]

Considering all enlargers are pretty cheap used, I'd suggest waiting to get what you want if you're not in a big rush. It might be a great enlarger, but I'd personally stick with a well known brand for used parts and accessories inventory and possibilities, especially bulbs. If someone else come here and says that enlarger is awesome for particular reasons, then it might be worth the trip.

I recently bought a beseler cb7, with lens, colorhead, and accessories for $210+$150shipping, Fedex freight damaged it and refunded the whole deal, and I've spent about $120 and couple hours fixing it. So I'm out $120 and a couple hours for a nice complete enlarger.

[kev curry]

Adrian, it seems to me that you've really answered your own question.
With the current availability of enlargers that are complete with lens, lens panel, voltage stabilizer, timer, etc why gamble with buying a potential headache?
It might be a better idea to patiently search the listings on eBay.
As an example I picked up a nice wall mounted DeVere Dichromat 504 complete with 3 lenses, stabilizer, timer, 2 mixing boxes, inserts from 35mm - 4x5, and new bulbs ect for a little more that £200.
You might also want to send out some feelers here with a WTB (want to buy) ad in the for sale section and you could do the same here http://www.lf-photo.org.uk/forum/ in the classified section of the UK forum.

Good luck
kev

[Adrian Brewster]

Hi
Thanks to all those who have read my question and your replies jp and kev. I think the significant thing is that nobody has said that this is an absolute gem of an enlarger that deserves saving at whatever cost. I think I will develop my levels of patience and wait for a better one to come along. Sadly most cheap/free 5x4 enlargers seem to turn up in the South East and of course the US but if anyone hears of one available in the Northeast of England, I would be very interested. If anyone is interested in the Perfect, I will discuss it with the doner and put it on the for sale forum if they agree.
Adrian

[jp]

There are some cars worth saving, and some airplanes worth saving, but enlargers are just back room tools, and their current prices bear that out.

[Nevillestarling]

Hey guys, I live in Zimbabwe and all I could get my hands on was this enlarger. I'm wondering what kind of lamp I could use for it? Could I just use a generic one! Or should it be specific?

Also does anyone know where I could get some information on it as I have put most of it together but seem to be either missing parts, extra parts or I have put it together completely wrong.

Thanks, Nev.

[john the camera]

Hey guys, I live in Zimbabwe and all I could get my hands on was this enlarger. I'm wondering what kind of lamp I could use for it? Could I just use a generic one! Or should it be specific?

Also does anyone know where I could get some information on it as I have put most of it together but seem to be either missing parts, extra parts or I have put it together completely wrong.

Thanks, Nev.

Hi Neville,
I came across this site just now, while looking info on Prefect enlargers, as I have owned one for the past 30-odd years. It's one I used to work on when I worked as a printer for a small company, so bought it when the business folded in the late 1970's. Perhaps there are other models, but mine had a cold light head, which is a 10mm approx, glass, mercury vapour tube, going "up, across and back" across the square area, behind and above an opal perspex sheet, directly above the negative carrier.
The m/v tube is wired on to a piece of stiff white card, acting as a reflector, which fits between the top and bottom halves of the head. In the top of the head are two componets, which I believe to be a trasformer and a "choke" or stabiliser.
Mine has been out of service for a few years, as one of the aforementioned components has packed up, and I'm now in the process finding a way of getting it replaced. I love this enlarger, as it's so well built and sturdy, once mounted on a good bench, and fixed to the wall. Mine's on a Dexion frame, so if I remove the baseboard, I can project on to the floor is need be. Also the way it slides up and down the collumn is great too, with a nice release/brake lever, just where you want it.

Hope this helps, and good luck with yours!!

[john the camera]

PS. Regarding the mv tube, you have to get them made up to the original , or similar pattern. Mine was last replaced in 1980, so I'm praying it still works ok when the electrics are sorted out!!