Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
My mentor is getting rid of his old Vivitar 356 enlarger. It's been well kept in the original box and he's even throwing in the lens, all for about 200 Euros.
I know that if he says it's a good piece, then it's a good piece, but I'm curious to hear opinions from anyone here that has ever used one.
Thanks
I know that if he says it's a good piece, then it's a good piece, but I'm curious to hear opinions from anyone here that has ever used one.
Thanks
Dwig
Well-known
It sounds more than just a bit expensive, but the lens bundled with it has a lot to do with its value. Even with a top drawer lens, it seems pricey.
Personally, I've always though that this was a rather odd duck. It has dichroic filters for color printing and uses a quartz halogen lamp, just like most color heads, but at the same time it is a condenser enlarger. Most colors heads use diffusion illumination rather than condenser.
With the exception of the VHE series, any Vivitar brand enlarging lens is not worth using, its just a waste of paper and chemistry to even try. The Vivitar VHE line, on the other hand, are superb. They are actually Schneider Componon-S lenses made for Vivitar. The differ from the Schneider branded versions only in the details of their outer barrel construction (I prefer the VHE over the Schneider here) and in having only single layer coatings instead of multi-coating.
BTW, you can download a manual here: http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/manuals.html
and a brief review here: http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/manuals.html
Personally, I've always though that this was a rather odd duck. It has dichroic filters for color printing and uses a quartz halogen lamp, just like most color heads, but at the same time it is a condenser enlarger. Most colors heads use diffusion illumination rather than condenser.
With the exception of the VHE series, any Vivitar brand enlarging lens is not worth using, its just a waste of paper and chemistry to even try. The Vivitar VHE line, on the other hand, are superb. They are actually Schneider Componon-S lenses made for Vivitar. The differ from the Schneider branded versions only in the details of their outer barrel construction (I prefer the VHE over the Schneider here) and in having only single layer coatings instead of multi-coating.
BTW, you can download a manual here: http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/manuals.html
and a brief review here: http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/manuals.html
Last edited:
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
I don't have the 356 but I do own it's older brother the Vivitar VI with the Dioptic Light Source...I am the original owner of this enlarger (early 80's)
The VI is a great enlarger once it's been aligned properly...I have never had any problems with this enlarger other than having to replace the quartz lamp every 5 years...
The Beleser 23C can also be set up with a colorhead & condensor...I don't see that as a bad thing...
The price is a bit high...but it all factors on what's included and it's condition...
The VI is a great enlarger once it's been aligned properly...I have never had any problems with this enlarger other than having to replace the quartz lamp every 5 years...
The Beleser 23C can also be set up with a colorhead & condensor...I don't see that as a bad thing...
The price is a bit high...but it all factors on what's included and it's condition...
Dwig
Well-known
Condenser illumination reveals surface flaws in the film, scratches and dust primarily, much more than diffusion illumination. There can be a tonal differnce between condenser and diffusion when printing conventional silver based B"&W, but when printing chromagenic film (color neg, color slide, & color process B&W) their is no difference. With chromagenic films the only possibe advantage to condenser illumination is brightness, they can be brighter. Otherwise, condensers are a big negative with printing chromagenic films.
Since the primary use for a color head is for printing color, I feel the combination of color head and condenser is somewhat of an odd combination. The only real advantage to the combination was to use the dichroic filters to simular variable contrast filters when printing conventional B&W and wanting the "condenser look" to the images.
The Beseler 23C series did take a color head that could be used with the condensers, but generally the results were less than optimal. Evenness of color across the image and evenness of illumination were better with the diffusion can when using the color head.
Since the primary use for a color head is for printing color, I feel the combination of color head and condenser is somewhat of an odd combination. The only real advantage to the combination was to use the dichroic filters to simular variable contrast filters when printing conventional B&W and wanting the "condenser look" to the images.
The Beseler 23C series did take a color head that could be used with the condensers, but generally the results were less than optimal. Evenness of color across the image and evenness of illumination were better with the diffusion can when using the color head.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
You mean this guy?
It's a good enlarger. It's my main one until I get the Fujimoto, Durst, and Solar up and running
As mentioned above, the lens is quite average. I replaced the Vivitar lens with Komura and saw a big difference in print sharpness. I also replaced the lamp once because I forgot to turn it off for a couple of days.
It's a good enlarger. It's my main one until I get the Fujimoto, Durst, and Solar up and running
As mentioned above, the lens is quite average. I replaced the Vivitar lens with Komura and saw a big difference in print sharpness. I also replaced the lamp once because I forgot to turn it off for a couple of days.
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
I have the diffuser but haven't used it...I might give it a try and compare...
So far I've liked the results from both enlargers...
Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
Thanks for the info. The lens is not a Vivitar lens, I don't remember what it is, I want to say it's a Schneider but I'll have to look again.
dap
Established
In the US that would be priced a bit high, but I don't know how robust the second hand market in Germany is. That being said, I don't really have an issue with somebody overpaying to get a good machine that is in great condition. Another thing to keep in mind - spare parts availability. Most enlargers that you can buy on the second hand market are 20+ years old - plastic parts can start showing fatigue, bulbs get discontinued, negative carriers get lost, etc. I would pick a common enlarger - that way you will be able to find 2nd hand units to scavenge parts off of if it comes to that.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Agreed and agreed.
With this particular enlarger, you can get the bulbs easily, it's modern enough to use a common projector bulb.
I just remember, I have a link to Vivitar enlargers in which the original manual for 365 model has been made available:
http://www.jollinger.com/photo/enlargers/vivitar.html
MartinP
Veteran
I'd say it was priced very high, regardless of the lens - unless you have an Apo-Rodagon there, which would be unlikely. You can easily find a much higher quality enlarger for that price. For example, a higher quality machine will be more robust, easier to align, have a better negative carrier and is more likely to last decades without needing parts or service etc. etc. You can look for a high-end Durst, a De Vere or a Leitz machine in that price area.
EDIT: regarding format, it seems the 356 will do up to 6x6, I was thinking of a different Vivitar machine, oops.
I got lucky with my De Vere, but it was still cheaper and included a complete Jobo setup too ! In order to make your final choice a bit 'future proof' look for something doing at least medium format, as that will remove the biggest hurdle to printing bigger formats in the future. A physically larger enlarger will also make it possible to make larger prints more easily, or to use a smaller section from the negative to make your print with. A colour-head will be necessary if you ever want to try colour-printing of course, but can also be used with multi-contrast paper almost as conveniently as filters.
The secondary benefit of a colour-head would likely be a brighter light-source with a bulb that is easier to find, as most condenser-heads use a special opal bulb of relatively low power which is less well stocked these days. Note that there is still a difference in precision of manufacture and light quality between the photo-quartz bulbs (used in most colour-heads) and household ones of nominally the same fitting.
EDIT: regarding format, it seems the 356 will do up to 6x6, I was thinking of a different Vivitar machine, oops.
I got lucky with my De Vere, but it was still cheaper and included a complete Jobo setup too ! In order to make your final choice a bit 'future proof' look for something doing at least medium format, as that will remove the biggest hurdle to printing bigger formats in the future. A physically larger enlarger will also make it possible to make larger prints more easily, or to use a smaller section from the negative to make your print with. A colour-head will be necessary if you ever want to try colour-printing of course, but can also be used with multi-contrast paper almost as conveniently as filters.
The secondary benefit of a colour-head would likely be a brighter light-source with a bulb that is easier to find, as most condenser-heads use a special opal bulb of relatively low power which is less well stocked these days. Note that there is still a difference in precision of manufacture and light quality between the photo-quartz bulbs (used in most colour-heads) and household ones of nominally the same fitting.
Last edited:
Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
What kind of enlargers do you use for the smaller end of Large Format stuff, like 3x4 and 4x5?
dap
Established
For 4x5 you are realistically going to have to step up to a 4x5 enlarger. The good news is that with the right carriers/lenses/boards it will work with almost any format you can throw at it (as long as it doesn't exceed 4x5). The bad news is - they are BIG. In the US Omega and Beseler are the most common. In Europe I would think that a Durst or De Vere would be more common (pure speculation on my part).
Finder
Veteran
This is a snap of my darkroom under construction, but will give you an idea about the size difference in enlargers. On the left is a Beseler medium-format color enlarger. On the right is an Omega 4x5 color enlarger. Note the black wall mount bracket on the Omega is below the work surface. The enlarger head will almost reach the ceiling in this position. 4x5 enlargers are great, but they are big. There are smaller 4x5s like the Saunders LPL.
Attachments
Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
That's awesome, thanks. Hopefully my next home will give me a room just for photo processing alone so I can make a set-up like that.