Beseler 45M vs Durst L1200

[Paul Ewins]

I have a Beseler 45M that I have equipped with an Ilford MG500 head. It is a great setup apart from a few small issues. Another MG500 head came up on eBay recently and I decided to buy it for spare parts. It came with a Durst L1200 chassis and a couple of Femoneg carriers, one with a 35mm mask and the other with glass (and two spare pieces of glass).

A bit of googling showed that the L1200 is highly regarded. The L1200 would overcome the issues with the Beseler but I'm wondering whether I'm going to land myself with some more issues with the Durst. The most obvious one is that Durst accessories are a lot rarer than Beseler ones. I've only got one lensboard and I don't have a 6x7 or 6x9 mask for the carrier. The lensboards and mask do look relatively simple to make, but probably require more tools than I possess. It also looks like I could modify the lensboard panel to use the Beseler boards.

Is the 4x5 glass carrier suitable for 35 and 120 negs? It only has plain glass, but AN glass doesn't look too expensive. It is the slightly smaller version, not the Femoneg AM.

Are there any other potential traps with the L1200 chassis?

[RickV]

Paul, what are the "few small issues" with the Beseler? (if you don't mind my asking)...

[Paul Ewins]

The Beseler can be difficult to focus at larger magnifications when you are bending over the baseboard squinting into a focus finder while holding you arm over your head trying to operate the focus knob. The other issue relates to the Ilford head. I don't have the right mixing boxes for 35mm and 6x7 so the lamps sit in different positions to when I use the 4x5 box. I have to remove a spacer from each lamp which is quite fiddly. The L1200 head has all of the correct boxes so that isn't a problem.

[Filmnut]

Paul
I've used the Durst L1200's a lot when the world as all film, and they are great enlargers, but the do have an achilles heal or two. The biggest problem you can have with these is the column spring. It is a wide flat spring that goes up of the back side of the column, and retracts into a small housing at the top. Over time and considerable use, these will crack and eventually fail, and then it won't hold the head up, as the locks are not designed to do the job without the counterbalance. They are easy to check though. Have the head low on the column, and feel (careful, a crack can be sharp!) along the back of the column, where the spring is, cracks will appear on the edges, also, make sure that the head moves smoothly up and down the column. The springs can be replaced, but it is a bit of a tricky job, and the parts were expensive, but I don't know what can be found on the internet.
The only other real problem these have, are that the focus and column locks loose their strength over time.
If one doesn't have any of these issues, it will likely last longer than you. These were designed to be used 18 hours a day for years, and under this kind of use, those column springs would last 5-10 years.
Hope this helps.
Keith

[Brian Ellis]

The Beseler can be difficult to focus at larger magnifications when you are bending over the baseboard squinting into a focus finder while holding you arm over your head trying to operate the focus knob. The other issue relates to the Ilford head. I don't have the right mixing boxes for 35mm and 6x7 so the lamps sit in different positions to when I use the 4x5 box. I have to remove a spacer from each lamp which is quite fiddly. The L1200 head has all of the correct boxes so that isn't a problem.

IIRC Beseler makes (or made) an accessory that allowed you to make larger magnifications without having to hold your arm way up in the air. I didn't own one, I didn't find it that difficult to hold my arm up in the air for a short time but I've seen pictures of them, they were some kind of rod-looking thing that attached somehow to the focus wheel I think. This is from a long time ago so I could be wrong but it might be worth checking out with Beseler. I believe they're still in business. Fortunately for them they made things other than enlargers.

[Pat Kearns]

I have one of the focus extensions that Brian mentioned. You remove one of the focus knobs, it attaches and secured via a screw to the focus rod. I got mine from B&H Photo. Keep an eye out for them on ebay because they appear there from time to time.

[Nathan Potter]

Quite a few workers attach a rod to the focus knob of enlargers. I grab the knob using an adjustable lab clamp then add a bit of extension to that, so the extension rod comes down closer to the easel but does not obstruct the projected image of course. It makes fine focusing easier and is easier on the arm and neck.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Allen in Montreal]

Paul,

The Beseler is a great rig, and so is the Durst.

Set up the Durst and use it for a few months to see which you prefer.
I have packed my 45 up since I got a Durst 5x7 but I have no plans to sell it at this point, it would fetch next to nothing and you never know when you may want to have it up and running again later.

[paulr]

The only significant issue I've had with a Beseler is the limited alignability of the lens stage. This can be worked around by buying or making an adjustable lens board. Only real drawback is that each lens then has to be adjusted separately.

After going through this routine, the 45M holds its alignment through a lot of use.

[Paul Ewins]

Thanks for the advice folks.

I checked the spring on the L1200 and that appears to be fine. B&H still sells the Beseler focus extension kit and I did find one on eBay (also new) and both cost more than the L1200 cost me. It did look like I should be able to make my own with bits from the local hardware place at a much cheaper price.

One thing that is weighing on my mind is that if I stick with the Beseler and take the MG head off the L1200 then it becomes junk, wheras if I move to the L1200 I can put the original condensor head back on the Beseler and find it a new home.

I think I will follow Allen's advice and try the L1200 for a few months and see how it goes.