Re: Highest quality enlarger
Well, here's a shout from the wilderness: the only enlargers I would never consider are Omegas. I've happily used Durst, Besseler (own one, used several), Saunders, Leitz ...
The Omegas I've used were in friends' darkrooms, my college darkroom, and the commercial lab where I worked for two years. They spanned every 4x5 model over two decades. And they were all dogs. Not a single one was capable of maintaining alignment through repeated use. The people who used them disliked them; the people who maintained them cursed them.
At my college darkroom, out of frustration, the darkroom technician invited the school's machinist to try to come up with a solution. He almost fell over when he examined the D-2s. Gave us a point by point lecture on how there were no known methods to manufacture a machine more cheaply and innefectively. He suggested recycling them, threw up his arms and walked out laughing!
Anyway. For cheap enlargers, I'm much happier with Beseler. Once you align it (which takes some extra effort) it will stay aligned for years. I've also had no issues with Durst, although I would not pay the extra money for one.
Re: Highest quality enlarger
Quote:
Originally Posted by
paulr
Well, here's a shout from the wilderness: the only enlargers I would never consider are Omegas. I've happily used Durst, Besseler (own one, used several), Saunders, Leitz ...
The Omegas I've used were in friends' darkrooms, my college darkroom, and the commercial lab where I worked for two years. They spanned every 4x5 model over two decades. And they were all dogs. Not a single one was capable of maintaining alignment through repeated use. The people who used them disliked them; the people who maintained them cursed them.
At my college darkroom, out of frustration, the darkroom technician invited the school's machinist to try to come up with a solution. He almost fell over when he examined the D-2s. Gave us a point by point lecture on how there were no known methods to manufacture a machine more cheaply and innefectively. He suggested recycling them, threw up his arms and walked out laughing!
Anyway. For cheap enlargers, I'm much happier with Beseler. Once you align it (which takes some extra effort) it will stay aligned for years. I've also had no issues with Durst, although I would not pay the extra money for one.
My Omega DII, that I have been using for 45 years, has perfomed admirably. I have never had an alignment problem and last aligned it in 2004. Your experience sounds more like user abuse than a design flaw. Or perhaps mine is an earlier model.
Re: Highest quality enlarger
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Drew Wiley
And the Durst is the Ferrari.
It is made in Italy....
Re: Highest quality enlarger
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Merg Ross
My Omega DII, that I have been using for 45 years, has perfomed admirably. I have never had an alignment problem and last aligned it in 2004. Your experience sounds more like user abuse than a design flaw. Or perhaps mine is an earlier model.
45 years! Now that is a good track record.
In the days of shooting Tri-X for the newspaper, we had an amazing chief darkroom tech, Armand, a life'er in the Montreal Star and then The Gazette darkroom, I learned so much from him, anyway, when they ditched the Durst 138s (1977 or so), he then worked on two Omega D2 units, both with Omega cold lights, his prints were always perfect. No one touched his enlargers, (there were 8 in the darkroom and his two were off limits without permission). I think they were as good when they left the darkroom, as when they entered it.
Re: Highest quality enlarger
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Allen in Montreal
45 years! Now that is a good track record.
In the days of shooting Tri-X for the newspaper, we had an amazing chief darkroom tech, Armand, a life'er in the Montreal Star and then The Gazette darkroom, I learned so much from him, anyway, when they ditched the Durst 138s (1977 or so), he then worked on two Omega D2 units, both with Omega cold lights, his prints were always perfect. No one touched his enlargers, (there were 8 in the darkroom and his two were off limits without permission). I think they were as good when they left the darkroom, as when they entered it.
Allen, that may be the answer; one enlarger, one operator. No one, other than myself, has touched mine in the 45 years. A community enlarger would be an invitation to disaster.
Re: Highest quality enlarger
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Drew Wiley
My first enlarger was a 4x5 Omega with colorhead. I still use it, mostly for 4x5 black and white work. These are indeed a good buy and hold up well. But you can get from
point A to point B in a VW Bug as well as a Ferrari. And the Durst is the Ferrari. I bought two Durst chassis, one in good condition, the other for parts; but both have
now been completely refubished. I also have a big 8x10 color enlarger of my own design. But let's put things in perspective: an Omega enlarger in good condition might
run you a grand or less; a really clean or boxed late Durst is going to run you anywhere
from fifteen to a hundred grand, depending on the format and accessories - if you can
find one. Most of the Fleabay bargains you see are pretty ratted out. Let's just say
that if I run into a clean Durst Chassis for two to four grand, I'm certainly not going to
tell anyone else!
If you have faith in electronics and you can get your hands on a durst Optopia in good condition, the name optopia explains all.
It will do 13 X 18 cm it is a modern design table standing and auto focus.
I have great fun making color prints with it. (and b/w) :D
Re: Highest quality enlarger
I have a Condit mfg made in Sandy Hook Conn. w/ 10x10 Zone VC head will produce a 40x50" print
Re: Highest quality enlarger
Ron,
I was reading through this thread this morning and I thought, where is he? If you are near some of us you might see some of the qualities that are being described. I am just south of Cleveland, OH with a:
Durst 138S a 5x7 enlarger converted to 8x10 with a 12x12 Aristo Cold light head and a Saunders 4550XLG/VCCE Enlarger.
Ice racer is not far away with a Durst 1184
Maybe I haven’t had enough coffee yet. Ice racer has an old Ferrari and I have a small snow plow. Maybe this idea of us getting together isn’t a very good idea after all.
When I moved up from 35mm to 6x7cm I asked the man who sold me the Mamiya RZ about enlargers. He said be sure to get one that will print 4x5 because most people go up from 6x7 to 4x5. He suggested a Durst. I thought, not a chance. I would encourage you to look beyond where you are to where you might go in the surprisingly near future. I now shoot 8"x10" occasionally and 7"x17" full time.
John
Re: Highest quality enlarger
I use an LPL 4550 XLG with the VCCE (variable contrast constant exposure) head. It is a very smooth and sweet machine, completely modular, extremely sturdy. One of the finest points about it is being able, with the VCCE head, to change contrast without needing a change in exposure time. If you choose to use a dichroic head you can switch the heads out easily.
Re: Highest quality enlarger
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John Powers
....Durst 138S a 5x7 enlarger converted to 8x10 with a 12x12 Aristo Cold light head...
Ice racer is not far away with a Durst 1184
Ice racer has an old Ferrari and I have a small snow plow. Maybe this idea of us getting together isn’t a very good idea after all........
That is one hell of a sweet snow plow!! :)