Beseler Dicro 45, 45A or 45S for black and white....

[Kodachrome25]

I am currently printing 35, 120 and 4x5 on a Beseler 45MX with an Aristo D2-HI cold light timed with a RH Designs Stopclock Vario. I have been split grade printing with MG filters below the lens, no issues really but I just upgraded all my enlarging lenses to Apo-N's including the 150mm F4. So I would like to start using filtration above the optical path if I can. Obviously, VC heads are really hard to come by and might not be the best long term solution for professional printing, sucks to be us in 2012....

So at the recommendation of several people I respect, I am now looking at paring my Stopclock in non-compensating mode with a color head. I have done a little light search and come up with a little bit, like the exposure times are too long, the bulb contacts can get wonky, etc...

Bottom line is that if at all possible, I need a way to split grade print with filtration above the neg, not be as hot as an oven, work well with my StopClock fit on my 45MX and not die with no parts in a year or two...

Besides recommending wonderful products that are no longer made that you have but I can not find, what is out there and what of the above color heads are great and what can I expect, is it even worth it to eek out a little extra quality out of my Apo enlarging lenses...

[Kodachrome25]

I did some more research, as I often do...

I think I am going to stick to my current method for now, this whole darn MG filter above or below the optical path thing is driving me nuts...I am not seeing any differences up to 20x24 and until I do, I have to get to work...

[neil poulsen]

Here's one good strategy that I've done. Generally, the 45S heads are problematic. The internal electrical components wear out or something. In fact, all three heads you mention are problematic.

I did the following using a 45S and a Zone VI compensating timer with sensor. (I have extra sensors.) I noticed that you can get sensors with your compensating timer. Let me give you just a gist of what I did. It wasn't that hard; just a little tedious at one place, where there wasn't much room to work inside the head.

My 45S head would delay lighting anywhere from a split second to several seconds after turning on the timer. (This of course makes the head impossible to use.) So, I cut the two wires that feed the quartz halogen bulb and connected these two wires to a plug that plugs into my Zone VI compensating timer. It's important to splice in an appropriate rectifier (in the correct direction) into one of these two wires. The rectifier reduces the voltage from a 110 plug to the 83 volts required by the proper quartz halogen lamp used in the enlarger.

There's a perfect location where I placed the Zone VI sensor inside the head to get the proper intensity from the bulb. The bulb itself is far too bright. But, there's a piece of metal inside the light chamber that reflects light from the bulb to illuminate the dials of the head. I placed the sensor in the path of this reflected light, but far enough away that the sensor can't see the bulb itself. Of course, the wires from the sensor are connected to the compensating timer.

I still have to turn on the enlarger, even though I cut the wires to the bulb. All the head's complicated electronics now run the fan, which is needed to cool the head while in use.

All of this gives me a fully compensated, incandescent color head that works great for either black and white or color enlarging.

[neil poulsen]

A couple of notes:

It might be possible to do this without impacting the enlarger's electronics, etc., even if the 45S lighting system is delayed. Theoretically, if the light's not lit, the timer's not running. So, proper placement of the sensor inside the head might be all that's necessary. But I found this "solution" unsettling. When I enlarge, I want to maximum consistency. It would bother me that the enlargers lighting system might delay after turning on the timer. After my adjustments, there's no longer any delay.

If the 45S head were working correctly, I would still want to use the sensor and compensating timer to improve the consistency of operation. This also would only involve properly placing the sensor inside the head. That's an easy thing to do.

[Kodachrome25]

Thanks Neil, I actually bought a spare sensor with the StopClock, so the one that is in my D2-HI cold light can stay there as it will become my mural enlarger light source. I will then put the other one in the 45S if I can ever find one for a fair price. I went from a Metrolux-II to the StopClock Vario in order to keep consistency with up to 3-4 enlarging stations once I get my workshops up, so I know what you mean by consistency, I have done up to 40 prints in a session with no differences because of it.

Hopefully, I would end up getting a head that did not have the annoying delay you speak of...

[neil poulsen]

The top of a 45S opens on hinges. I fastened a piece of plastic about 1.5" or 2" long by about 0.75" wide (maybe 1/4" thick) at the short end (of the plastic) to the underside of the top and carefully anchored the sensor onto this piece of plastic. As one lowers the top and locks it into place, the plastic positions the sensor in the perfect location needed. I used two screws to secure the plastic to the top, so that the plastic won't twist. I drilled two small holes in the side of the plastic and used a thin, insulated wire though these holes to securely anchor the sensor to the plastic. (The insulation keeps the thin wire from cutting into or hurting the sensor wire.) Any movement of the sensor on the plastic or the plastic with reference to the top would alter the compensation and defeat the purpose of consistency.

I found the same plug/connector Zone VI used on their heads at an electronics store and mounted this plug into the back of the enlarger head. (I had to drill about a half-inch hole into the head to do this.) Prior to mounting this plug into the head, I soldered the sensor wires to the correct leads of the plug. With this arrangement, I can connect the Zone VI compensating timer into the 45S the same way that I would connect it into a Zone VI head. Actually, your extra sensor may already include this plug?

[neil poulsen]

Here are a couple of photos to illustrate.

I guess I used an L-shaped piece of plastic for extra stability. As described, it's fastened in two places on the top (lid) of the enlarger head.

[Kodachrome25]

Nice Neil, thanks!

The sensors from RH Designs are pretty much plug and play, if I get a 45S that does not need a cup of coffee to acknowledge that the timer has started, it should go together fairly quickly...

[Kodachrome25]

Well I finally have a nice clean 45S, no timer delay issues, seems fine except....the vibration from the fan makes it unusable. I am going to take a look inside to see if I can tighten something or look for worn out padding. If I can not resolve this I will return it and scratch the whole color head idea...

[Captain_joe6]

On the broader scale: more than likely you do not want a Dichro 45, as they are few and far between in good working order, and subject to impossible repair opportunities. The Beseler-Minolta 45A head requires its own controller, and as such will not pair well, if at all, with your RH StopClock. In reality, what you're looking for almost doesn't exist. A precise, consistent, stable light source that puts out a minimum of heat is only available from LED's. Unfortunately, there is no VC LED head available, to my knowledge, for the Beseler 45-series enlargers.

To get what you're after, you'll either need to switch to Omegas and use those nice new VC LED Heads available on eBay, or accept some limitation of your requirements. The enlarger market has almost entirely become a cottage industry at this point, and I'm not holding out for anyone to come up with a VC Beseler light source.

[RichardSperry]

I tried the Beseler 45A Minolta flash head.

If you're not dodging and burning, it might be useful for production level print making. It has built in Variable Contrast effects. You need the controller and sensor, of course.

I tried it, hated the 7 second thing, then sold it.

Dan, have you tried the Ilford Ilfospeed 500 head yet? There is one available in Ohio now for local pickup. I missed out on one for cheap a year ago before I realized their value. I still have my Aristo head, but without a controller it has no consistency and I don't use it.

[Kodachrome25]

On the broader scale: more than likely you do not want a Dichro 45, as they are few and far between in good working order, and subject to impossible repair opportunities. The Beseler-Minolta 45A head requires its own controller, and as such will not pair well, if at all, with your RH StopClock. In reality, what you're looking for almost doesn't exist. A precise, consistent, stable light source that puts out a minimum of heat is only available from LED's. Unfortunately, there is no VC LED head available, to my knowledge, for the Beseler 45-series enlargers.

To get what you're after, you'll either need to switch to Omegas and use those nice new VC LED Heads available on eBay, or accept some limitation of your requirements. The enlarger market has almost entirely become a cottage industry at this point, and I'm not holding out for anyone to come up with a VC Beseler light source.

Actually the 45S head is still made and sold and parts are readily available. I talked to the seller about it and he indeed replaced what he thought were worn out shocks and grommets with harder ones, hence the vibration. Beseler has said that the parts are available for purchase so I can go that route if I want.

It's a tough call because even at 22x26" I see no image degradation whatsoever in using new 3.5x3.5 MG filters below the 150 Apo-N with my slick Cokin holder...none. But the idea of dial in filtration with this simple head is an attractive draw.

For a hobby shooter, there are indeed lots of great used enlargers and what not going for cheap out there. There is also lots of great film and papers still left, a lifetime worth. But when it comes to taking it to the next level and getting those filters above the neg stage of a solid enlarger like a 45M series, then it gets really hard to pin down the system.

An LPL with a VCCE head is a great option, but I am trying to avoid re-doing all my gear to do that. Worst case I will rig a ball bearing riding computer fan like this guy did:

http://alexbondphoto.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/beselermod.pdf

[neil poulsen]

On mine, the vibration over the years caused the fan to move towards the housing. As a result, the blades could just touch this or that surface. I moved it back, and it was better. I might check into new shocks/grommets.

[Kodachrome25]

I pulled the entire fan assembly and even pulled the fan blades off and it still had too much vibration while in my hand so I bet it is on the way out. So I just ordered this fan:

http://www.acinfinity.com/speed-control-fans/92-mm-kits/ac-infinity-speed-control-fan-kit-92mm/

It will put out similar CFM on high but likely be more quiet with dual ball bearings. I can also wire it to use the existing 115V leads if I choose. Being a box design, I am going to get inventive about how I mount it in terms of vibration dampening as there seems to be some room to play with. The best part is that during the exposure, I can turn down the speed to half and get no risk of vibration and then crank it back up post exposure.

I bet this sucker does the trick...

Neil, I can't seem to find my spare optical sensor yet but I found that little reflective window that yours is pointed at so I will eventually follow suit.

[Kodachrome25]

The fan is in and seems to work great, I even hard wired it into the leads of the old fan so it comes on via the main power switch. I jacked up the enlarger to print a 120 neg at 24" and had my wife cycle the fan through the speeds and off and found no difference using a critical grain magnifier. I did find the light source cut off the corners of a 4x5 even with a negaflat carrier so I took apart the mixing box and filed the corners out, that did the trick. I also have to say that the evenness of illumination over my cold light is great, looks very even.

I have yet to try a print with it yet though since it is about 10 degrees in my storage closet darkroom. I did see a tiny delay in the start of the timing cycle with my Stopclock, so now that I found my second sensor cable, I might just go ahead and install it after all.

[Captain_joe6]

The 45S is made, the Dichro 45 is the one to watch out for. If the head displays filtration values on lighted dials, you're solid. If it displays it on led panels, steer clear unless you really know what you're looking at. The 45S is a step up and a step down all at once, but ultimately an improvement.

And agreed, the LPL VCCE is really nice.