durst laborator 138s questions

[Liquid Artist]

I am just buying a Durst laborator 138s enlarger, or shall I say practically being given and I have a question or 5 about it.
I could probably figure the answers out on my own, except I won't see it for a week and won't be anywhere near a decent camera store for months after that.

#1- what sort of contrast filters work best with it?

#2- will I need to brace this monster?
2a- if so what works the best?

#3- bulbs, and the best source to buy them from?

#4- How the h*ll am I going to hide this from my girlfriend

#5- who should I sign over my camera gear to in my will, before she finds it and kills me?
(word of advice, never fall in love with someone who can out run you, and throw a spear)

I appreciate all the advice, and any more you can give me on it.

[ic-racer]

Do you have pictures you can post?

"138s" describes the column and 'camera' section of the enlarger. It can accept many light heads. The light head on the enlarger would need to be known to answer those questions.

The most inexpensive head was the condenser head. Durst also had a coldlight version and 3 different 5x7 color heads (CLS300, CLS301 and CLS1000). Heads from other manufacturer's could also be fitted, and heads of sizes other than 5x7 could be fitted (for example 4x5 and 8x10 heads ).

[Liquid Artist]

Thank you Ice Racer, you just taught me the first and biggest lesson about it.

It does have a condenser head with 2 drawers, but no, I do not have any pictures of it. There were no pictures on the ad, and it is a 4 hour drive per direction to take them. I am not planning on making that trip again until I am done the season of work and driving home hopefully on Friday.

However there is still good news here. It is located in the city of perhaps Canada's best camera store, Calgary. So there will still be one chance for me to get any parts at that point.

I wish it was as nice as yours. It's still in mint shape and has hardly been used, but those larger units are simply amazing.
However it's all I should ever need, especially now that I know it can handle an 8x10 head.
I would still love an 8x10 studio camera in the future, but am stopping at 5x7 for field cameras. It's big and back breaking enough.

[ic-racer]

Ok, the condenser head is pretty straightforward. To take full advantage of all the film formats it can enlarge, one would need a complete set of condensers. If you only do 4x5 you can get by with less.

I do believe there is a filter drawer for contrast filters. Or you can use the 6x6cm Ilford filters under the lens. Either way would work find.

A correct lamp for that enlarger can be difficult to find. There is a thread here with some options: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...placement-Bubs

If it does not come with the manual, it is available in PDF format from a few places: http://www.scribd.com/doc/136194608/...structions-pdf

[Luis-F-S]

I am just buying a Durst laborator 138s enlarger, or shall I say practically being given and I have a question or 5 about it.
I could probably figure the answers out on my own, except I won't see it for a week and won't be anywhere near a decent camera store for months after that.

#1- what sort of contrast filters work best with it?

You can get gel or plastic filters for the filter holder, or 12"x12" acetate PC Filters and cut them down and put place it on the top condensor.

#2- will I need to brace this monster?
2a- if so what works the best?

Should not need to unless you're planing on using it in purposes it was not intended for.

#3- bulbs, and the best source to buy them from?

Forget the Durst Bulbs, I think your best bet will be the 150 Watt G40 bulbs, or as IC Racer said, there is an entire thread devoted to the topic.

#4- How the h*ll am I going to hide this from my girlfriend

Put some garland on it. and spruce it with some pine scent and tell her it's a new artificial Christmas Tree.

#5- who should I sign over my camera gear to in my will, before she finds it and kills me?
(word of advice, never fall in love with someone who can out run you, and throw a spear)

Me.

I appreciate all the advice, and any more you can give me on it.

[Larry Kellogg]

Ha ha, I just discovered this thread, and, I'm also getting a Durst 138S, at the end of December. Do you have your enlarger yet?

I can help with 4 and 5.

#4- How the h*ll am I going to hide this from my girlfriend

I think every man needs his own shop, or, in this case, his own darkroom. I get away with buying another enlarger by having it delivered directly to the darkroom.

Regardless, it's always better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.

#5- who should I sign over my camera gear to in my will, before she finds it and kills me?
(word of advice, never fall in love with someone who can out run you, and throw a spear)

I appreciate all the advice, and any more you can give me on it.

If you want to name me as your beneficiary, I can send you my particulars.

For your other problem, I suggest you join a local running club and start training. Within a few months, you should be able to out run her.

As for the spear, run away in a zig zag pattern. That will make it harder for her to hit you. Good luck.

[Luis-F-S]

Post some photos of the enlarger when you get it. L

[Liquid Artist]

Ha ha, I just discovered this thread, and, I'm also getting a Durst 138S, at the end of December. Do you have your enlarger yet?

I can help with 4 and 5.



I think every man needs his own shop, or, in this case, his own darkroom. I get away with buying another enlarger by having it delivered directly to the darkroom.

Regardless, it's always better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.



If you want to name me as your beneficiary, I can send you my particulars.

For your other problem, I suggest you join a local running club and start training. Within a few months, you should be able to out run her.

As for the spear, run away in a zig zag pattern. That will make it harder for her to hit you. Good luck.

Yup, I got it. What a beautiful machine, and I can hardly wait to get some time off and use it.

I begged for forgiveness and she left me live this time.

I would join a running club, except she is 1/2 Masai, some of the most legendary runners from Africa.
With 38" legs vs my 32" legs.
I'd probably live another 30 seconds or so.

I'm still not sure what to do with my camera gear.
She's always saying she's planning on a yard sale when I'm working.
If she sells it for what I told her I paid someone will leave there very happy.

Oh, by the way you will be very happy with yours.

[Larry Kellogg]

Yup, I got it. What a beautiful machine, and I can hardly wait to get some time off and use it.

I begged for forgiveness and she left me live this time.

I would join a running club, except she is 1/2 Masai, some of the most legendary runners from Africa.
With 38" legs vs my 32" legs.
I'd probably live another 30 seconds or so.

Ok, most likely, you're doomed, but all hope may not be lost. It's not all about leg length, although that is part of the equation. Here is a picture of me with Leonel Manzano, silver medal winner in the 1500m race at the London Olympics in 2012:



I'm on the right, Leonel is on the left. ;-) You'll notice that he is quite a bit shorter than I am, and he's also quite a bit shorter than the guys he beat in the race:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=Ry8GWJMpIVQ

The trick is increasing your cadence. I'm going to need you to get your cadence up, way, way up. Garmin makes watches that interface with foot pods that count foot strikes, so that's a way of quantifying your cadence.

We're all stuck with camera gear, and little white lies to our wives about what we paid for the stuff. I just tell my wife to put it on eBay in order to get market prices for everything. Enough said. There will be some nice surprises for her, and not for people who show up at a yard sale. ;-)

Yes, I think I'm going to be happy with the 138!

P.S. Luckily, I never ran seriously in my youth, so I don't know how fast I could have been, I only know how slow I am in my advancing years.

I'm still not sure what to do with my camera gear.
She's always saying she's planning on a yard sale when I'm working.
If she sells it for what I told her I paid someone will leave there very happy.

Oh, by the way you will be very happy with yours.

[ac12]

I am just buying a Durst laborator 138s enlarger, or shall I say practically being given and I have a question or 5 about it.
I could probably figure the answers out on my own, except I won't see it for a week and won't be anywhere near a decent camera store for months after that.

#3- bulbs, and the best source to buy them from?

I appreciate all the advice, and any more you can give me on it.

Short answer is a G40 bulb from your local hardware store or online bulb dealer.
That is the distilled solution from the linked thread.
And when you buy it, buy in bulk and store the spares.

I got a bunch of G30 bulbs to use in my L1000, for when I finally get it up and running.
The L1000 has the same problem as the L138, where the original Durst bulbs are effectively not available.