Think of 2 cones of light meeting at lens center. Most lenses not all.
Think of 2 cones of light meeting at lens center. Most lenses not all.
Tin Can
Okay, just a lot to digest as I learn this thing, before I fire off the first image. Need to figure out how to adjust the colored filters so they are properly in and out of the light path. Not sure what to adjust though. My luck, I touch something and springs will fly everywhere!
I believe the lever on the left side is either a neutral density filter or engages/disengages the dichroic filters. Durst users manuals are kinda limited in information but this head pretty much like any others so your general darkroom guidelines will transfer pretty well. I have a pair of Laborator 1200 head (an AC 1200 and a VLS 500) and find them very similar in operation to a Beseler or an Omega. Have you just tried using a metronome for a timer?
Also, take a look at the L1200 manual: http://www.galerie-photo.com/manuels/durst-l1200-manual.pdf
Have not tried a metronome. I am sure I can figure out how to adjust, but always easier to start with a manual, even if crappy. I am bull in porcelain shop.
Last edited by Steven Ruttenberg; 19-Oct-2018 at 22:52.
I am always aware of time. I clock watch and have clocks everywhere in my home and DR.
I also count time inside my head and check my silent count of 30 seconds often against digital.
My last 4x5 films I developed in a daylight can. Count to 60 and add up minutes.
I recently did that before I unpacked my timers and was using a closet and kitchen sink.
My DR setup has it a delay. Cracked ribs...3, I counted them.
Many old pros used metronomes set to tick tock seconds. I read about that.
Tin Can
That is a fantastic enlarger. A baby version of the L1840!
When I get a new color head for B&W printing, I always contact print a 21 step test wedge at full Magenta and another at full Yellow. Nothing fancy, just count how many gray bands you can see. I ignore the 'just white' and 'just black' bands. Each gray band will be about 15 units on the ISO(R) contrast scale. (Each band is 1/2 stop, so 0.15 log d).
Typical figures might be Grade 5 = ISO(R) 40 to 45; Grade 4 = ISO(R) 60 to 70; Grade 3 = ISO(R) 80 to 90; Grade 2 = ISO(R) 100 to 110; Grade 1 = ISO(R) 120 to 130; Grade 0 = ISO(R) 140 to 150; Grade 00 = ISO(R) 160 to 180.
So, you are looking for around 3 or 4 bands with the Magenta filter and around 11 bands with the Yellow filter.
If you got a lens with it, you can see how much flare the lens has at normal printing apertures by projecting your 21 step wedge and comparing your results to the above. Make sure you mask the white light around the step wedge in the negative stage or the results will show all your lenses are crap.
Lens is a 135mm, but too small diameter to attach to lens board. So no trying it out yet.
I did go thru the entire head tonight. The color filters look good, just some swirl marks and very minor pitting of glass. The clear one has a fog around center I can't clean off. I think I will look for color filters and clear ones, plus start collecting parts pieces to keep it going for the next 100 years. Really simple device. The fan motor is the one that worries me. I need to get a bunch of those as well as find a shop that can rebuild the electric motors.
If it is a L900 then the scales on the column would be from 50 to 105mm and the lenses would be on a turret.Originally Posted by mpirie
It is a CE 1000. Shows it right on the column and the head is a CLS 450.
Apologies Steve, for some reason i hadn't read the post properly.
Mike
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