Beseler 45MX conversion to 8x10 enlarger?

[James Conrad]

Hi All,

I beleive there is a kit available for this conversion, but was curious if anyon e has had experience with it, or doing an 8x10 conversion on their Beseler 45.

Thanks! JC

[mark lindsey]

I know someone who has one, he says its a real pain to change, and real expensive.

[R. McDonald]

I have an "Old" one on an "Old" 45 Base it works very well. And No, it is not for the person wanting to do 35mm and then switch to 8x10 while the 35mm print is in the developer and then back again, but it can very easly be done. If your money is a little tight it's a heck of a bargin on the used market and you can get the Old style base for less than $500.00 most of the time for a Near New unit. So for a few hundred, just add a second enlarger unless the space it as tight as the buget. The one I have has been used and abused, looks like hell, but still preforms as intended. I will be UP Grading soon and was going to replace it with a new Beseler unit, but was in Calumet SFO and spent time looking at the Zone, and I think that may be where I'm headed. I should add that I do not do 50 foot X 50 foot prints but most of the time just 11x14 and they are no problem. I'm not a glass man but I think that you will want to make sure you have a lens that will cover. Many of the used ones billed as covering are just to darn close to do the job (yes I DO KNOW what I'm talking about, because I took that class, and that days lesson cost me $649.00+ shipping) Great question I will be looking to see what others have to add.

[Brian Ellis]

I've been looking for a used Beseler 8x10 conversion unit for quite a while. The new ones sell for about $2,500 last time I looked, even assuming Beseler is still making them. There was an article in one of the photo magazines about this conversion unit and the modifications that the author made to it. I think (but am by no means sure) that the author of the article was Alan Ross, I think (but am by no means sure) that it appeared within the last four or five years, and I think (that it appeared in Photo Techniques magazine, if not there then in View Camera magazine (since they're the only two equipment review type magazines to which I subscribe). If you're seriously interested in pursuing this unit it might be worth your while to check out the back issue indeces of those magazines or even call them.