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Thread: LPL 4500 or a....

  1. #21

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    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Quote Originally Posted by Oren Grad View Post
    I think my Beseler was in a war from all the light leaks it was riddled with! Yeah I read a lot of people mask off the 4x5, thats a nice option to have.

  2. #22

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    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Quote Originally Posted by Luis-F-S View Post
    The LPL 4500 is a Great enlarger. Probably the best 4x5 enlarger made today. It's current and parts are easily available, new and used. The VCCE is probably the best B&W head made. I would keep an eye out on the forums and Craiglist for one. I bought one for around a Grand and then found an XLG for half of that on Craiglist. Funny, I've managed to align mine without any problems. I had two Zone Vi's bought new and sold them both. Hated them. The Dursts are great as long as they're in operating condition and have all the pieces parts. Otherwise, Good luck! If you get a Durst, get a simple one, not one with 1970's electronics. You'll have a nightmare unless you're really good with circuits. PM me if you want more info.
    Sounds good thanks!

  3. #23

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    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Quote Originally Posted by neil poulsen View Post
    I have a Zone VI and definitely love it.
    Wow thank you for all the info, I do love the size, I too will have a tiny space that I have to utilize. I will have to move mine in a few months and may ever end up building out a trailer as a darkroom cause im tired of the tear down rebuild ive had to do over the years but it sounds like the ZONE VI is more dedicated to one size once set up? im ganna be going back and forth from MF to LF everytime.
    Thanks!
    Last edited by lostlabs; 11-Dec-2019 at 11:56.

  4. #24

    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Man, I feel like I really scored. A few weeks ago I got an LPL 4550XL with a VCCE head for about $350, including a few accessories. Now I keep seeing the same enlarger priced in many multiples of that.

    If only I could track down the dang masking adapter hah!

  5. #25

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    Dec 2019
    Location
    North Alabama
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    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Quote Originally Posted by sperdynamite View Post
    Man, I feel like I really scored. A few weeks ago I got an LPL 4550XL with a VCCE head for about $350, including a few accessories. Now I keep seeing the same enlarger priced in many multiples of that.

    If only I could track down the dang masking adapter hah!
    DDDamn! yeah I think im sold on the LPL 4500 or 4550, the VCCE is amazing but I think in my time frame im going to widen my search to include the dichroic unit.

  6. #26

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    Jan 2013
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    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    You won’t regret it. I’ve got both Durst and DeVere 8x10’s and if I only needed 4x5 I’d get the LPL! I’ve also got the dichroic head-haven’t used it yet.

  7. #27

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    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Quote Originally Posted by Luis-F-S View Post
    You won’t regret it. I’ve got both Durst and DeVere 8x10’s and if I only needed 4x5 I’d get the LPL! I’ve also got the dichroic head-haven’t used it yet.
    I really thought i was going to end up with a DeVere prob have the most time on that and a 45mxt but im stoked for the LPL really sounds like the right fit for my needs.

  8. #28

    Join Date
    May 1999
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    553

    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Quote Originally Posted by jose angel View Post
    The main issue with the LPL is the lack of adjusting facilities. Also, it is difficult (if not impossible) to adapt a cold light source.
    Hmm, please let me to quote my own words.

    With cold light source I'm referring to a light source that remains... "cold", say a LED based source, not an Aristo type fluorescent cold light head which (to my taste) is -absolutely- inconvenient. LED sources are a HUGE improvement, so I have all my working enlargers (4 in two darkrooms) equipped with LED... with the only exception on the LPL (sadly, because LED sources are great by its modulation capacity). I'd love to find LED replacement bulbs for that dichroic lamp. Any day.

    My LPL is the 7452 Dichroic version, which I like, it is a nice enlarger, with its modern look and "simplicity"... well, I'd like to have fully adjustable lens carriers, also a head adjustment built-in system. And it is certainly somewhat difficult to align (well, compared to my Dursts, or to my vintage Omega).

    Yes, you can shim some planes, LPLs ONLY bring a "partially" adjustable lens stage. For an "easy" alignment at least a wall mount is needed. If not, you must rely on shims, and with such heavy weight, I'd not say it is an easy task. My LPL was bought new, and it was never 100% aligned. Of course it is in perfect shape, never ever received a knock; so I always thought that the factory aligned argument was just marketing... that turned to a myth. Or it's just my unit, or maybe I'm looking for extremely minimal tolerances.

    Well, please notice I'm not saying it is a bad enlarger (I keep mine after the years, so think it`s one of my favorites, -I have discarded quite a few ones-), but e.g., many Beselers have full adjustment capability (although sometimes useless), my Omega is just fine (not so elegant but working at 100%), some Dursts are amazing (like the ones I keep), even some dirt cheap ones like the Meoptas I have used were easier to align. I'd say the "perfect" enlarger should be (1) the one that is fast and comfortable to use, also (2) the one that can be easily (and perfectly) aligned, and (3) keeping that alignment after continuous use... The LPL has a nice ratio. Just my opinion

    BTW, here in my surroundings LPLs are insanely expensive, and so hard to find.

  9. #29
    the Docter is in Arne Croell's Avatar
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    Dec 1997
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    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Quote Originally Posted by jose angel View Post
    Hmm, please let me to quote my own words.

    With cold light source I'm referring to a light source that remains... "cold", say a LED based source, not an Aristo type fluorescent cold light head which (to my taste) is -absolutely- inconvenient. LED sources are a HUGE improvement, so I have all my working enlargers (4 in two darkrooms) equipped with LED... with the only exception on the LPL (sadly, because LED sources are great by its modulation capacity). I'd love to find LED replacement bulbs for that dichroic lamp. Any day.
    As Sal mentioned in post #8 (including a link), Heiland electronic makes an LED head for the LPL 47xx enlarger series. It is listed on their site under Jobo, since Jobo was the distributor of LPL enlargers in Germany.

  10. #30

    Join Date
    May 1999
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    553

    Re: LPL 4500 or a....

    Thank very much, Arne. I’ll have a look.

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