An imagined LED enlarger light source for 4x5 -- NEW INFO FOR TECHNICIANS

[Peter De Smidt]

Isn't whether the lights change properties over time what matters, whatever the cause? I know my strip lights that I used in my scanner source did change properties, and fairly quickly. The hour ratting on LEDs seems likely to be some theoretical best-case type of thing, something which is unlikely to be met with any reasonable use.

[Ulophot]

If I could justify the cost of a Heiland, I wouldn't bother with this. However, I also know I'm not alone on a limited budget, adn it seems to me there is a place for something ready to go for those of us who also are not shop wizards.

[Ulophot]

Thanks to you all for your replies. I can see that I'm just too far out of my league. I -- we -- will have to wait until someone undertakes the project seriously. In any case, surely a plain white source that plugs into our timers, to be used with filters as so many of us do, can be a less expensive item than the Heiland. someone previously mentioned the Intrepid light source, but it's not clear to me how I would adapt this to my D2.

[Drew Wiley]

It takes a bit of luck, but lots of used 4x5 enlargers with working colorheads show up, often for free if you pick it up, especially for popular brands like Omega. I've turned down at least two dozen free enlargers. I already have enough. But it would be nice for there to be realistic alternatives to cold light heads.

[Eric Woodbury]

For simple, use white LEDs and contrast filters. There are a few DIY approaches to LEDs at https://www.ledsupply.com/ You could also use a mix of green/blue LEDs and filters. This would be much like the V54 coldlight.

And Drew is right that there must be plenty of color heads around. Somebody gave me one for an Omega. I gave it to somebody else. However, as I watch Craigslist every day for misc photo gear, there is less and less of the analog gear; almost none now in Santa Barbara where there was so much because of Brooks Photo school in years past. Perhaps the big purge is done.

[Dugan]

If Samy's is still around in SB, ask there if anybody knows of anybody trying to get rid of one?

[Drew Wiley]

Is Brooks still around? My brother studied there around 1962.

[Dugan]

Brooks is gone.

[Peter De Smidt]

Why not take this and adapt to your enlarger: https://www.adorama.com/gosl60w.html You may, or may not, have to add diffusion. If you don't like those, there are gazillion led panels.

[Ulophot]

I very much appreciate all the responses, and maybe others will be able to do something with some of them. I started this with a previous thread, in which I made more explicit that I when I build things, they are faulty. I don't fool around with wiring or anything electric about which I have any doubts. Therefore, the cautions I received above regarding heat and operating issues, suitability of particular LEDs, and light output, as well as the admonition that I was dreaming to think anyone would be interested in making $50/hour for constructing a few of my imagined enlarger sources, as reasonable as that may seem to me, have suggested that I'm out of luck. Maybe the Godox could function, but again, it would require construction to adapt.

Regarding the "zillion" LED panels, maybe there are, but please note the cautions referred to, as well as the construction issue, which lead me to wait for someone better suited than I to demonstrate a solution. I am an optimist and hope that someone will. It's a good technology, and it seems like an eminently worthwhile venture that many of us would like to see accomplished -- a simple, enlarger-model-adaptable, white LED light source in a properly engineered housing, at a good price point, that would serve reliably for maybe as long as a cold light lamp rating, c. 10,000 hours.