Intrepid 4x5 as a permanent enlarger?

[Bernice Loui]

Contact prints can be done with nothing more fancy as a bare light bulb with a on-off switch and a contact printing frame.


Bernice

I like working in the darkroom but only being able to do contact prints with 4x5 and having to use 35mm or MF for large prints feels kinda backwards.
That's why I wanted to have at least something working in my darkroom.

[Tin Can]

Just keep looking local and talking to everybody about Large Format

and your dire need for an enlarger

go to photo shops of any kind

tell old people

beat the street

I did that 10 years ago and stuff keeps coming

I have had people join this forum just to give me gear and supplies, they found it in a basement, etc

Your country has oodles of gear

[Luis-F-S]

Thanks!

I am in Switzerland, not sure that's gonna be helpful since most people here are probably US based.

There are two Durst Laborator 138 on our local "Craigslist" but one of them (about $650) only has the 35mm and MF condensers and the other one is about $1100.
TBH they might not even fit in my darkroom because the ceiling is pretty low.

You can get additional condensers on the auction site. There are a gozillion posts on the 138 on this site. Search for them and read them.

[Jeroen]

If you can't find a decent enlarger in Switserland, try a French forum with lots of used gear: http://www.galerie-photo.info/forumgp/list.php?6 or a German forum: https://grossformatfotografie.de/boa...n-und-verkauf/.

By the way, you can lower the baseboard of a Durst 138, so even if your ceiling isn't very high, you can stil make huge enlargements. According to the user manual the column measures 2080mm, so that's all the ceiling height you need.

[Bernice Loui]

The head of the 138 can be tilted to 90 degrees allowing it to be used as a horizontal enlarger. The foot base has wheels with a groove. These grooves can work with a track to allow the 138 to roll into position with accuracy if needed.

Not only does the base board drop, it has a locking ball joint allowing precise alignment between film holder to enlarger head optimizing lens performance and print image quality.

Space wise, any table top enlarger cannot utilize the height potential of a floor standing enlarger as the base board drop optimized the available darkroom space for the enlarger. Distance between base board to film holder is limited on a table top enlarger, floor standing enlargers have much lesser of this limitation.

If overall height of the 138 is a real problem, replace the condenser head with a modern LED or similar diffusion head.. which is not that difficult to do. This could reduce the overall heigh of the 138 by about 10" or 250mm.

More very useful features no enlarger converted view camera can easily achieve.



Bernice

[Tin Can]

I never found a 138, but did look hard, as they are very compact in floor space

5 years ago I had 3 10x10 enlargers set up and running beside 2 4X5 Beseler, 1 MX & 1 CB7 on the very nice special AdJust a Table Beseler made for both, each different

The FOTAR 10X10 a heavy monster had a footprint not much wider than the 4X5 it was much taller, but my ceiling was over 11 feet. Very hard to move anywhere and I needed major help twice

My point is, look for ALL enlargers, not just one special thing, many are customized, and perhaps better!

My current favorite is a customized Beseler 45V-XL Enlarger wall mounted with 10X10 Arista Conversion DIY by a very famous photographer

I drove 1200 miles RT for it and somehow got it on my wall, with a winch

[Delfi_r]

I have two 138, one came from Bäsel and was really cheap, two years ago. Wait a little be patient. The enlarger doesn't need more than a normal ceiling clearance. If you wait some more perhaps you'll find a good 4x5 enlarger. In Europe are pricey because people think they fit in a flat..... If you want to print GF sheets the enlarger is not the most of space needed.

Yes the Durst 138 can print horizontally, there is a special tube to do it properly, I can send you the data (I own it, it came with the second Durst 138)

[Luis-F-S]

No

I Join Randy Moe in Welcoming you to the forum

Not just No, but Hell NO!!!! I've given two Dursts S-138 away, and still have the SM-183. Look around, you'll find one!

[wenzlern]

I have had people join this forum just to give me gear and supplies, they found it in a basement, etc

Well that's my cue, just joined after reading your post . I have an L138 that is looking for a home (Zurich, Switzerland). PiratePHD, check your PM's, I'll send you my phone then we can figure out if it is a good fit.

best,
Nils

[Roberto Nania]

I currently have an Intrepid 4x5 (mk 4) but I'm thinking of upgrading to a Chamonix 45-F2 at some point.

I have also been looking for a 4x5 enlarger but haven't been successful in finding a good deal.

Would the Intrepid with their enlarger kit be a good permanent solution as a enlarger?

Thanks!

Hello Pirate,

I had the Intrepid 4x5 (shortly after sold for a Chamonix) but not the enlarger kit.
It is not easy to get a 4x5 enlarger in Europe as it is in US but I think that if you are patient enough it will pop-up some good deal (maybe it will take few months).
I am in the same need and I'm waiting patiently for a good Laborator 1200 or maybe an Omega. Actually, there is a Laborator 1200 from Germany on ebay 1500€ +300€ shipping, not for my pockets, I know I can find one at half the price in Italy in few months.
De Vere and Beseler are too scarce to hope to find one in EU but maybe you're a lucky guy