A new road along the LF journey

[lilmsmaggie]

Hi,

Since making the decision to learn LF, the topic has been raised by those I've talked to, either as a suggestion or as a question: "Will you be doing your own film processing?"

So, in the interest of forward looking, what should I be considering from an equipment perspective, e.g., enlargers, lenses, etc? Everyone keeps saying: "Now's the time to be looking at used equipment? My response: Where? :)

[vinny]

craigslist
ebay
google
here
apug.org
photo.net classifieds

[cdholden]

To add to vinny's list,

photo clubs,
graphics arts schools,
colleges,
thrift stores,
swap meets,
etc

[Gem Singer]

You forgot Midwest Photo Exchange and B&H for new and used enlargers and darkroom equipment.

Freestyle Sales for paper and chemicals, and the Photographer's Formulary for chemicals and darkroom supplies.

[Paul Bujak]

and...

Columbus Camera Group
Pacific Rim Camera
Equinox Photographic

[Tim k]

Someone, here I think, did the same thing to me.

Now 4 enlargers later, I have to say, " Hi my name is Tim, and I have GAS". Its addicting. You get what you think, is what you need. And then you see an ad, where someone is practically giving something away.....

I think "now" is good advice. The more electric cameras and computers they sell, the more the good stuff is affordable. I'd move quick before they all come to their senses.

[lilmsmaggie]

Any specific 4x5 enlargers come to mind?

[cdholden]

Omega D2 or newer.
Built like a tank, working units or spare parts are plentiful, oodles and gobs of them still in service after decades of use.
I'd suggest the one in my garage if you were closer to TN.

[Bill Burk]

Not a specific enlarger, but if you get a cold-light head, or color head with a diffuse light source you won't have to go shopping for one later when you read up and realize you want one. While I prefer single graded paper, you might want to use multi-grade. That's where a color head (or filter drawers) will come in handy.

[Hugo Zhang]

Dwain,

See if you can enroll yourself into a community college which has photographic programs. Usually it's free if you do it as non-credit.

Hugo

[John Kasaian]

Any specific 4x5 enlargers come to mind?

I'd suggest the Omega D2 (or D-II) or a Beseler 45. Lots of these are around and there are lots of parts and accessories available for them, IMHO.

Avoid off brands like the Solar unless somebody gives you one for free. It'll work but you'll have a much better "support system" with an Omega or Beseler (and BTW there are kits to convert the Beseler to 8x10 if you succumb to the madness!)

A good friend fished his D2 out of a dumpster and I paid $40 for mine. Finding this stuff is part of the fun---don't be surprised if someone asks you to "please, just get it out of my house!"

[harlekin]

I bought a Chromega D II head on ebay and it turned out the guy was local. He threw in the rest of the D2 it was on just to get it out of his garage. (He was stepping down to a smaller enlarger as he didn't shoot LF.) It has been easy and fairly inexpensive to pick up the rest of the things I needed, like the lens cone, negative carrier, and lens.

Watch out for the Omega D4 though. I almost picked a chassis up for free at a local film shop, but the lens cones and focus rails for those are exorbitantly priced. I'd only get a D4 if it included the lens cone and autofocus rail for the appropriate lens.

[Donald Miller]

Having owned an Omega D2 I would recommend the LPL 4550 VCCE. I own one of these and it is aligned out of the box and stays aligned. That was something that I could not say about my experience with the Omega D2.

The older Bessler's design is not as steady.

[drew.saunders]

If you ever make it to the peninsula, Keeble and Shuchat in Palo Alto has a used darkroom section. I've picked up a couple of my Jobo bits there for relatively reasonable prices.

[lilmsmaggie]

Coolio! -- Thanks to everyone for the feedback and advice. Just realized that I should have perhaps narrowed my needs to B&W processing. I hear color processing is a totally different dimension altogether :D -- not sure I even wanna think about going in that direction.

[Stephen Lumry]

Second the LPL, I had an Omega D5 and moved up to the LPL even though you generally have to pay real money for them. The D5 is built like a tank; however, using it is like driving one IMHO.

[dap]

In the US you can't go wrong with an omega D2/D5/D6 or a Beseler 45. There are "better" enlargers out there (DeVere, Durst, LPL), but Omegas and Beselers have MUCH better parts availability on the second hand market (lens boards, negative holders, specialty heads, etc.). Many bargain enlargers turn out to be rather expensive if you have to track down and pay big prices for missing/easily lost pieces that are required for use, so make sure all the needed parts are there when you buy it.

There has never been a better time to buy darkroom gear. The market has pretty much crashed so the stuff is being sold for a small fraction of what it would have cost you 5+ years ago. The only down side is the fact that companies making new darkroom gear are dropping just as fast as the 2nd hand value of the equipment. With new gear not being made anymore and the majority of used darkroom equipment ending up in the trash (I would bet that for every enlarger that trades hands a dozen or more end up in the city dump) the selection of second hand gear is going to get smaller and smaller as the years go by.

[Bruce Barlow]

Enlarger? GRAB the LPL VCCE that's offered for $600 elsewhere on the forum right now. It's in California, too. I love mine

[sanchi heuser]

Add to Vinny's list:

gffoto.de

A europe based and german speaking LF forum.
You have to regist yourself to read the posts.

All kind of large format equipment offered in "An- und Verkauf".
Prices are mostly OK.

sanchi

[jp]

I just do B&W, but I would also suggest considering a color head on the enlarger for it's variable contrast capabilities. It's all cheap, so you might end up spending an extra $20-50 to get a $1000 color head with the enlarger transaction. I have a Beseler CB7 which I find no fault with other than being big and needing a cooling fan, which is pretty common with 4x5 and bigger enlargers.

If space is not an issue, it might be handy to have a small enlarger, like the omega b or c series for 35mm/120 use if you use those formats. They are quick and nimble for small formats, and you won't have to make any adjustments on the 4x5 enlarger for the smaller film.

http://www.f64.nu/albums2007/album171/DSC6769.sized.jpg

[Bill Burk]

Yup, like jp498 said - color-head's are not just for color anymore. If you want to do variable contrast paper, you'll be wondering where to put the filter if you get a D2. I decided to go with graded paper and pursue film exposure and development control. All because I have a D2 with Omegalite (not a color head) and I don't want to put a filter in front of the lens if I don't have to.