The one with the angled bellows is the earlier model. They both do 4x5.
OK thanks
What does it say on the motor drive on the lower right?
Does anyone know what is needed to use the cold light head as far required accessories? I have a guy interested in buying it for his daughter that is just getting into developing and I want to make sure they will be able to use it right away without having to search for the items needed. I want to sell it but don't want to take advantage of them.
The tapered lower bellows is the older style. The straight lower bellows allows for a new rotating lensboard that can hold up to three lenses for faster operation.
The cold light has two wires. One is a preheater. Plug it in and nothing happens -- it just warms up the bulb. The other one tuns on the lamp. It is typically used with a voltage regulator and a timer, but those are something the new owner can select -- you don't have to have either.
I you do some SEARCHES on this forum for "COLD LIGHT", you will probably find lots of pertinent discussions about options.
Depending on the version of bulb used, your cold light head may not work properly with variable contrast paper. Search around this site and you'll find how you identify the bulb and how to address the issue.
Personally, for someone just starting out, I think they may be better served by the condenser unit. Just my 2 cents.
Perhaps. But the OP is not selling this beginner a cold light head with a zone vi stabilizer or compensating timer. He's selling her a cold light head. She's "just getting into developing", so I think it's unlikely that she will find and purchase the stabilizer or compensating timer. They're available and not terribly expensive, but it's an added hurdle for a beginner. And the OP said "I want to make sure they will be able to use it right away without having to search for the items needed".
Further, we don't know if this head has the older bulb (which requires a CC40Y (?) gel to work properly with VC paper), has the newer bulb which does, or even has the older bulb with the gel already there. I can just imagine a beginner wondering why she can't get grade 3 contrast from her VC paper.
A beginner needs equipment that is reliable, gives consistent, good quality results, and allows her to focus on technique (not equipment).
Cold light heads can be used successfully with variable contrast papers/filters...understanding that the linearity of contrast response will be compromised to some degree, depending on the lamp specifications. Not exactly a great scenario for "staring out!" Aristo did produce a cold light...the V-54...which was designed with a spectral output which ensured a good degree of linearity contrast response - making the use of contrast filters much more practical, flexible, and convenient.
I happen to own one of each of the above versions of Beseler 4x5 enlargers...and while I've sacrificed the older one to help cobble together an 8x10 horizontal enlarger (very cool with motorized transport and rheostat-wheel fine focus!), I still use the newer (square bellows) version to do some printing...and with this will either use a Zone-6 stabilized cold light or condenser setup, depending on what I need for given negatives/prints.
I will chime in, based on many years of teaching experience... to support HMG's response that, in terms of "starting out," (especially assuming the use of variable contrast papers) a condenser head light source, in combination with a set of contrast filters (I highly recommend the 6x6 inch set which fits in a filter drawer above the lens), will provide the relative beginner with an excellent (linear, predictable, relatable) setup with which to both learn and go beyond the basics.
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