BigSteveG
Well-known
Is a cold light head better than a condensor head for B&W printing?
Is a Variable Contrast head equipped enlarger difficult to use?
Are cold light heads available in VC?
Are parts/lamps for the Zone VI cold head difficult to find?
Any experience w/ Zone VI v other heads, cold or condensor?
I'm considering the purchase of a used Besler 45 Series equipped w/ the Zone VI but not sure if I should just purchase a new Besler equipped w/ the VC head.
All thoughts or caveats greatly appreciated!!!!!
Is a Variable Contrast head equipped enlarger difficult to use?
Are cold light heads available in VC?
Are parts/lamps for the Zone VI cold head difficult to find?
Any experience w/ Zone VI v other heads, cold or condensor?
I'm considering the purchase of a used Besler 45 Series equipped w/ the Zone VI but not sure if I should just purchase a new Besler equipped w/ the VC head.
All thoughts or caveats greatly appreciated!!!!!
MartinP
Veteran
1) Better for what ? Which format ? What paper ? (sorry, but it IS a vague question). Also remember that the head will be switched on all the time you are working - but as I last used one 2 1/2 decades ago they might have got an improved tube design by now.
2) No, for VC paper it's easier to change grades than using a condenser-head and the separate filters.
3) Never tried, but I think the light spectrum doesn't contain the right colours for VC. The manufacturers site should have that info ?
4) I don't have one, so never looked, sorry. (EDIT: Availability will depend on your location too)
5) The condenser-head 'should' give a slightly harder grade of print, but on VC paper you can adjust that by 1/2-grade filters which will probably be fine. For the VC-heads I have seen, you can get a continously variable paper-grade and they are based on a diffuser design. Colour heads can give a continuous grade too and are diffuser-based, but then you will need to adjust magenta and yellow yourself to balance out the speed change halfway through the grades (usually documented by the paper manufacturer).
There is also a question of whether all VC, or some colour enlargers, can reach all the available grades on any particular paper - I recall that the hardest grades are sometimes a bit 4-ish instead of 5-ish, if that makes sense. This might have been an effect of 'tired' magenta filtration too.
2) No, for VC paper it's easier to change grades than using a condenser-head and the separate filters.
3) Never tried, but I think the light spectrum doesn't contain the right colours for VC. The manufacturers site should have that info ?
4) I don't have one, so never looked, sorry. (EDIT: Availability will depend on your location too)
5) The condenser-head 'should' give a slightly harder grade of print, but on VC paper you can adjust that by 1/2-grade filters which will probably be fine. For the VC-heads I have seen, you can get a continously variable paper-grade and they are based on a diffuser design. Colour heads can give a continuous grade too and are diffuser-based, but then you will need to adjust magenta and yellow yourself to balance out the speed change halfway through the grades (usually documented by the paper manufacturer).
There is also a question of whether all VC, or some colour enlargers, can reach all the available grades on any particular paper - I recall that the hardest grades are sometimes a bit 4-ish instead of 5-ish, if that makes sense. This might have been an effect of 'tired' magenta filtration too.
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Is a cold light head better than a condensor head for B&W printing?
No. I have used both -- arguably a cold light head has a longer "bulb" life and less color-temperature drift over time. I personally never liked messing with contrast filters, but they work fine.
Is a Variable Contrast head equipped enlarger difficult to use?
No. On the Zone VI you have two rheostats that vary the relative intensity of a green tube and a blue tube. You just dial in the combination that you want or (as I do) expose first for high contrast (pick your black) and then for the other (pick your medium gray). On color heads, you dial in the amount of filtration that you need to get the same effect (but it's subtractive . . .ok that's confusing). You alter the amount of blue light and green light hitting the paper by filtering with magenta and other colors (yellow?). In practice you learn that a #3 filter setting is so many units of magenta, etc.
Are cold light heads available in VC?
Yes. Check out Aristo (I think they are still in business) and Calumet for Zone VI.
Are parts/lamps for the Zone VI cold head difficult to find?
Yes. Although lamps have an insanely long life of 10,000 hours or something like that. I have been using mine since 1994 with the same bulbs. If I was going to set up a darkroom now, I'd look for a used Omega D. There were a ton of them made, they work with everything from 110 through 4x5, you can find parts and they are build to last. Also, lensboard and accessories are available from many sources. Zone VI, I've enjoyed, but its a pain to find a lens board.
Any experience w/ Zone VI v other heads, cold or condensor?
Yes: Bessler 23 CII, Omega B, Omega D. I currently use a Zone VI and am very happy with it. Find something that you can align the four stages on (light source, negative carrier, lens, baseboard).
I'm considering the purchase of a used Besler 45 Series equipped w/ the Zone VI but not sure if I should just purchase a new Besler equipped w/ the VC head.
There are a lot of good deals out there on used darkroom equipment. If it was me, I'd look at an Omega D. But, then again, I've always wanted one of those suckers and just don't have darkroom space for another enlarger.
All thoughts or caveats greatly appreciated!!!!!
I would look 5 years into your crystal ball and ask yourself where you are going to get bulbs/replacement parts for whatever you choose.
Good Luck!
No. I have used both -- arguably a cold light head has a longer "bulb" life and less color-temperature drift over time. I personally never liked messing with contrast filters, but they work fine.
Is a Variable Contrast head equipped enlarger difficult to use?
No. On the Zone VI you have two rheostats that vary the relative intensity of a green tube and a blue tube. You just dial in the combination that you want or (as I do) expose first for high contrast (pick your black) and then for the other (pick your medium gray). On color heads, you dial in the amount of filtration that you need to get the same effect (but it's subtractive . . .ok that's confusing). You alter the amount of blue light and green light hitting the paper by filtering with magenta and other colors (yellow?). In practice you learn that a #3 filter setting is so many units of magenta, etc.
Are cold light heads available in VC?
Yes. Check out Aristo (I think they are still in business) and Calumet for Zone VI.
Are parts/lamps for the Zone VI cold head difficult to find?
Yes. Although lamps have an insanely long life of 10,000 hours or something like that. I have been using mine since 1994 with the same bulbs. If I was going to set up a darkroom now, I'd look for a used Omega D. There were a ton of them made, they work with everything from 110 through 4x5, you can find parts and they are build to last. Also, lensboard and accessories are available from many sources. Zone VI, I've enjoyed, but its a pain to find a lens board.
Any experience w/ Zone VI v other heads, cold or condensor?
Yes: Bessler 23 CII, Omega B, Omega D. I currently use a Zone VI and am very happy with it. Find something that you can align the four stages on (light source, negative carrier, lens, baseboard).
I'm considering the purchase of a used Besler 45 Series equipped w/ the Zone VI but not sure if I should just purchase a new Besler equipped w/ the VC head.
There are a lot of good deals out there on used darkroom equipment. If it was me, I'd look at an Omega D. But, then again, I've always wanted one of those suckers and just don't have darkroom space for another enlarger.
All thoughts or caveats greatly appreciated!!!!!
I would look 5 years into your crystal ball and ask yourself where you are going to get bulbs/replacement parts for whatever you choose.
Good Luck!
BigSteveG
Well-known
Thanks Martin. Your comments on the condensor head agree with what I've read. In terms of paper brand. I don't yet know....it'll be Ilfors in the beginning or maye Arista for practice. Then I'll try the others. Formats will be at least 35 and 6x6. Possibly 4x5 in the future.
Nikon Web: Can the Focomat accomodate a 6x6 (or 6x7), neg? They seem a little expensive for being so old.
Nikon Web: Can the Focomat accomodate a 6x6 (or 6x7), neg? They seem a little expensive for being so old.
gns
Well-known
Here is the site for Aristo which I have used forever (not vc, though)...
http://www.aristogrid.com/prod02.htm
Might have some helpful info there.
Good luck,
Gary
http://www.aristogrid.com/prod02.htm
Might have some helpful info there.
Good luck,
Gary
BigSteveG
Well-known
Benjamin......
I looked into my crystal ball.....all I see is a traffic jam on the interstate 10 tonight!!! Thanks for your advice.
I looked into my crystal ball.....all I see is a traffic jam on the interstate 10 tonight!!! Thanks for your advice.
drewbarb
picnic like it's 1999
I'll jump in and add one (probably controversial) comment, and that is that Yes, cold light heads (or other diffusion sources) are catagorically better than condenser heads. Condenser heads are much harder to keep clean, more difficult to control delicate contrast with, magnify any dust anywhere in the light path, and generally suck. (Yes, this is totally my personal opinion and not entirely objective. But my remarks are based upon 20+ years of printing experience, 10 as a professional lab technician.)
Most modern cold light tubes are fine to use with variable contrast papers. This was not true 20 years ago. Even if you get a second hand head with one of the old blue tubes, you can replace it with a modern green one which is appropriate for VC papers, with filters.
VC heads with dial-in contrast filters are great. I really love the Ilford 500 system, which is a diffusion head- not a cold light. It's powered by halogen bulbs reflected though glass filters (which give contrast control) and a white mixing chamber, before being further diffused through a piece of white plastic just above the negative carrier. This system is really nice, and delivers a consistent amount and quality of light every time. It offers contrast control and time control from a single seperate keypad, which is great since you don't have to touch the head once the negative is in place. This makes split contrast printing a breeze. Too bad they stopped making the 500 system years ago. Variable contrast cold light heads work in a similar way- just make sure you get a stabilizer for consistent results. VC heads are a pleasure to use, and are quite simple to operate.
I agree with Benjamin that an Omega D is better than a Beseler. The Omegas are very solid and easy to align, and unlike the Beselers, they seem to go out of alignment very seldom. Second hand enlargers are going for a pitance these days. Check Pnet, craigslist, eBay, and your local photo stores, and be patient. The right one will show up. I have three Omega D5's, none of which I paid more than $200 for second hand. I bought one off of eBay last year, with a dichroic head for $100. Even with shipping it was under $175. Expect to get a chassis and put the head you want on it. I don't think I have ever bought an enlarger with the head I want to use. Second hand ones always seem to come with (useless) condenser heads, which I dump. I sometimes use the dichro head for B&W printing, but as soon as I can find another Ilford 500 set up or a good VC cold-light head for it, I'll switch it out. (Any one want a D5 dichroic head cheap? It has a power supply and a timer...)
Anyway, both Aristo and Zone IV make good cold light heads. (Is Zone IV still in business?) If you can find/afford a VC unit, do it; otherwise you can use seperate filters, as long as you have the right bulb. Cold light bulbs are fairly cheap and last a ridiculously long time.
Whatever you do, good luck and have fun (and stay away from condenser heads!
)
Most modern cold light tubes are fine to use with variable contrast papers. This was not true 20 years ago. Even if you get a second hand head with one of the old blue tubes, you can replace it with a modern green one which is appropriate for VC papers, with filters.
VC heads with dial-in contrast filters are great. I really love the Ilford 500 system, which is a diffusion head- not a cold light. It's powered by halogen bulbs reflected though glass filters (which give contrast control) and a white mixing chamber, before being further diffused through a piece of white plastic just above the negative carrier. This system is really nice, and delivers a consistent amount and quality of light every time. It offers contrast control and time control from a single seperate keypad, which is great since you don't have to touch the head once the negative is in place. This makes split contrast printing a breeze. Too bad they stopped making the 500 system years ago. Variable contrast cold light heads work in a similar way- just make sure you get a stabilizer for consistent results. VC heads are a pleasure to use, and are quite simple to operate.
I agree with Benjamin that an Omega D is better than a Beseler. The Omegas are very solid and easy to align, and unlike the Beselers, they seem to go out of alignment very seldom. Second hand enlargers are going for a pitance these days. Check Pnet, craigslist, eBay, and your local photo stores, and be patient. The right one will show up. I have three Omega D5's, none of which I paid more than $200 for second hand. I bought one off of eBay last year, with a dichroic head for $100. Even with shipping it was under $175. Expect to get a chassis and put the head you want on it. I don't think I have ever bought an enlarger with the head I want to use. Second hand ones always seem to come with (useless) condenser heads, which I dump. I sometimes use the dichro head for B&W printing, but as soon as I can find another Ilford 500 set up or a good VC cold-light head for it, I'll switch it out. (Any one want a D5 dichroic head cheap? It has a power supply and a timer...)
Anyway, both Aristo and Zone IV make good cold light heads. (Is Zone IV still in business?) If you can find/afford a VC unit, do it; otherwise you can use seperate filters, as long as you have the right bulb. Cold light bulbs are fairly cheap and last a ridiculously long time.
Whatever you do, good luck and have fun (and stay away from condenser heads!
)Finder
Veteran
BigSteveG said:
Cold lights are lower contrast and they don't heat the neg when printing - this limits the film from "popping" during the exposure. Cold lights don't show film imperfections as well as condensors.
No.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I have used Omega and Saunders LPL condensors. I have use Beseler and Omega dichroic color heads. All of them have worked very well. I have collimated all my Omegas and Beselers. It is not a difficult task.
I may suggest going to a color head rather than a VC. You can get contrast control with the color head and it allows you to play with color in the future, whether that is making color prints or 4x5 slide dupes.
Right now I run a color darkroom with an Chromega 4x5 enlarger and a Beseler 23c III medium-format enlarger. If you have the space, go with a 4x5 as you can print so many formats - 35mm, 35mm pano, medium format from 6x4.5 to 6x12, 4x5 including 4x5 Polaroid negs.
BigSteveG
Well-known
What format does the Focomat print up to? Are M/F carriers easy to find?
Finder
Veteran
BigSteveG said:
The Focomat is a 35mm enlarger. I have a feeling its reputaion is more mythical than actual.
Finder
Veteran
Sorry, the Focomat 2A and 2C are medium format enlargers.
Finder
Veteran
EmilGil
Well-known
The Focotar lenses supplied with the Focomats are some of the best enlarger lenses ever made. Some people claim the autofocus version makes the print sharper than would be possible manually even with a grain focusing device.
I recently found one in the camera club basement storage, I got to take it back to the darkroom and try it someday...
(A month ago I saw a Leitz V35 for sale here in Norway, the asking price was $1000...)
I recently found one in the camera club basement storage, I got to take it back to the darkroom and try it someday...
(A month ago I saw a Leitz V35 for sale here in Norway, the asking price was $1000...)
MartinP
Veteran
I don't know where the O.P. is in the world, but outside North America Omega enlargers and spares are not so common. For a European location you could look at De Vere or the larger Dursts. And someone mentioned looking for a 4"x5"enlarger - this is a good plan if you have the space. You are then (almost) not limited by film formats in the future - provided you can source or make the neg-carriers etc.
Pablito
coco frío
The Saunders LPL varaible contrast enlargers are superb. This is a difussion enlarger and can use Omega neg. carrirers. I also use an Omega D w/ the Ilford 500 head, also an incandescent VC system - my very favorite. I just hope it never breaks as parts are very had to get.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
The Focotar is an excellent enlarging lens, but then an excellent enlarging lens is nothing special. Nowadays the enlarger lens isn't a problem anymore. $50 will get you an enlarger lens that will produce outstanding results for anything 99.99% of us will ever print. Whether a Focotar is "better" than an EL-Nikkor, a Rodagon or a Componon-S is a completely academic exercise and probably debatable.EmilGil said:
Ask them (a) what they use to calibrate the autofocus in the first place, and (b) how a printed photo is supposed to get any sharper than if the film grain is sharp.EmilGil said:
The Focomats are decent enlargers, but they are surrounded by a lot of hype. In photography, skill matters more than the device, and in the darkroom this is even more so. Any skilled darkroom technician will get more out of a $1 Russian suitcase enlarger than an amateur with too much money on his hand will get out of a Focomat. It's much more important to spend time learning to print well than to spend extra money on a hyped enlarger. If you use a Leica enlarger you don't see the difference in the final print, it's not like enlargers or enlarging lenses have a "signature", a "special look" or something. The marginal utility isn't worth the extra money for most of us.
Autofocus is practical, but I find you can do without it, and it becomes a pain in the ass when you don't print all of your prints on the same easel. Then you either have to put standoff pads on the back of all your easels so that they are at the same height, or fiddle around with the autofocus a lot which kind of defeats the pount.
Philipp
Ronald M
Veteran
The whole secret is to taylor the neg to the light source, diffusion requiring a somewhat more contrasty neg.
If you make two separate perfect negs of the same subject that print on the same grade paper, the condenser will have more contrast in the shadows and the diffusion will have better separation in the highlights. But they are so close, the prints need to be examined side by side.
If you don`t use the original Focotar but one of the later ones, it is the finest 35mm enlarger ever made. It does not have a decent filter handling system. I custom made 8 holders and filters to go in the slot. Easier than messing with individual ones.
When it is all said and done, top profesional prints can be made on anything if you have a well alligned machine, glass neg carrier, and a top quality lens. Everything else is convenience.
Cold light is no different than diffusion if you have a bulb like the Aristo V54 or green/blue bulb system.
Satisfy all that, and you will be the limiting factor
If you make two separate perfect negs of the same subject that print on the same grade paper, the condenser will have more contrast in the shadows and the diffusion will have better separation in the highlights. But they are so close, the prints need to be examined side by side.
If you don`t use the original Focotar but one of the later ones, it is the finest 35mm enlarger ever made. It does not have a decent filter handling system. I custom made 8 holders and filters to go in the slot. Easier than messing with individual ones.
When it is all said and done, top profesional prints can be made on anything if you have a well alligned machine, glass neg carrier, and a top quality lens. Everything else is convenience.
Cold light is no different than diffusion if you have a bulb like the Aristo V54 or green/blue bulb system.
Satisfy all that, and you will be the limiting factor
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Pablito said:
Exactly my opinion too. I've used many enlargers over the years- I printed for a living for three years in a lot of different darkrooms- and the LPL is by far my favorite. Solid, always aligned and less expensive than the Dursts, which would be my second choice.
My Zone VI VC cold-light gave me about two grades of contrast control- from about 1.25 to about 3.25- that was it. I was a staunch cold-light printer before I was seduced by these newer VC papers, and nothing beats the contrast range of this LPL I use now.
Finder
Veteran
And fortunately, optics and photochemistry produce real results. Can you actually show the superiority of the Focomat and Leitz optics over say a Durst with Rodenstock optics? Perhaps using an APO-Rodagon, although a Rodagon lens would be fine as well.
Solinar
Analog Preferred
I'm going stay put with my Durst M601 and Componon-S lenses, which I purchased when everyone did the great migration from the darkroom to digital.
The Durst M601 does two formats and I now have a color head that works well with polycontrast paper.
Leitz wasn't the only company to make a rock solid, precision enlarger. Before the Durst I had an Omega D2 - a monstrosity, but it was a fine enlarger never the less.
Unfortunately, due to my limited space and ceiling height in the walk-closet of my new apartment, I've replaced the Omega with a Durst 609, which packs well when not in use.
The last time I priced a Leitz 2a it was exorbitant and the seller would not ship.
The Durst M601 does two formats and I now have a color head that works well with polycontrast paper.
Leitz wasn't the only company to make a rock solid, precision enlarger. Before the Durst I had an Omega D2 - a monstrosity, but it was a fine enlarger never the less.
Unfortunately, due to my limited space and ceiling height in the walk-closet of my new apartment, I've replaced the Omega with a Durst 609, which packs well when not in use.
The last time I priced a Leitz 2a it was exorbitant and the seller would not ship.