Help Selecting An Enlarger

[Scott Killian]

Thanks in part to comments on this board, I recently purchased an Ebony 45S, my first large format camera. Although I have limited experience with other field cameras, I'm very happy with this choice and appreciate the detailed feedback from other Ebony owners which aided me in my purchase. Now I'm struggling to select an enlarger. I primarily shoot B&W landscapes and process my negatives in a Jobo CPP-2 drum and would like to process my own prints. I have a reasonable amount of darkroom experience, but it has all been 35mm and 120 and always with someone else's equipment. I now want to purchase my own enlarger. Like my choice of camera and lenses, I would prefer to make an investment in something that will last and produce optimal results. Can anyone recommend a specific brand or model enlarger? Anything to avoid? Anyone have an opinion on the Omega D5500? Thanks!

[Henry Ambrose]

I recently got a Saunders LPL 4550 and I really, really like it. Its a great enl arger. Wonderful light quality, the VCCE module works as promised. The whole thi ng works great. My only considerations were the cooling fan noise which I though t would bother me but it really does not and I did put a little tape over some l ight leaks. Before this I had various used and borrowed enlargers. Fooling with old enlargers and old cold light heads gave me a pain. I thought I was saving m oney but I was really wasting time and getting aggravated. The smaller or standa rd version Saunders is quite compact for a 4X5 enlarger and is suitable for smal l darkrooms and the price is very reasonable when compared to other new enlarger s.

[Jeff Scott]

I have been using Omega D series enlargers with Ilford Multigrade 500 heads on them for years. The enlarger is okay as long as it is wall mounted or at least braced at the top; the MG500 head is really a timesaver and produces excellent results. At this time they are only available used but is worth considering.

[Jeff Scott]

I have been using Omega enlargers with Ilford Multigrade 500 heads on them for years. The enlarger is okay as long as it is wall mounted or at least braced at the top; the MG500 head is really a timesaver and produces excellent results. At this time they are only available used but is worth considering.

[Kevin M Bourque]

I can also recommend a DeVere. There're mechanical marvels. Calling them "solid" is an understatement. I used to use a Beseler 45M and there is no comaprison.

The down side is that they're expensive, and not especially common. You can't find loads of accessories on eBay like you can for Beseler or Omega.

If you think you might be at this for a while (like the rest of your life), don't skimp on the enlarger. It's the second most important piece of hardware in your darkroom (after your trashcan).

[Bill Marsh]

Scott,

I'm still using the Omega D2v that I bought used in the 1980's. It is built lik e a tank, and can be found used quite easily. Don't know about the others mentioned here, but I'm sure they mus t be good or they would have been rejected long ago by the pros here in this forum. (Do know that Caponigro uses a Durst 5x7).

The nice thing about the D2v is that its cost would be significantly less, witho ut scarificing quality.

Hope this helps.

Bill

[Trevor Crone]

If you can, go with the DeVere. It took me over 20 years before I was in the pos ition to purchase one. The wait was well worth it. They are built for more then one life time. Pity I wont be here to use it the second time around. Regards,

[Steve Feldman]

Scott,

I had been using a Beseler 23CIILX condenser head for 10-12 years. Then went into 4x5 and bought a 45MXT Zone VI w/ cold light. After a short learning curve on the machine my prints (from any format - 35mm thru 4x5) are dramatically improved.

IMHO - cold light and 4x5 B & W is the way to go. But I've never used other brands of current offerings, so it's just my opinion and my experience. Some of friends are attached to their dicro heads. Some prefer condenser. Go figure.

Good hunting.

-S.

[Bjorn Nilsson]

I second the opinion about the Durst 138. They can be found rather cheap these days and they are indeed built like tanks. (But much easier to drive. :-) They are big, but the 7 feet plus height does pay off in the fact that you can easily change from a 8X10" print to a 24X30" in less than a minute. I have seen ads in Sweden where these machines are for sale at about $500. (I bought mine some 15 years ago for $1600, including a rare original Durst coldlight head, but it has certainly payed off the investment.) You can find some good info about the Durst 138 series at Durst Pro USA.

[Bob bFrancis]

If you are looking for an enlarger that will fit on a bench without needing holes cut in the ceiling.... have a look at the Durst Laborator 1200 (http://www.durst.it/uk/produkte.asp?pid=16&hid=3). Mine (bought used 580 GBP this year) has the CLS450 dichroic head.

Projects to 24x20 onto the baseboard with the head fully extended (5x4 inch neg & 150mm lens). For larger prints, head swivels 90deg for wall projection or whole column can be rotated 180deg (4 bolts to unscrew so a bit fiddly) to project on to floor with weighted baseboard. One day, I may make a height adjustable baseboard bench for it...

Cheers, and good hunting....