So, How Big Is Your Enlarger?

[wgerrard]

Contemplating this homebrew darkroom thing. It's gonna be a tight fit, at best. Anyone got a ruler? Knowing how big an enlarger base is would be useful info. Thanks.

 

[sevo]

Durst Laborator 1200 - about 0.9x1.2m base board. Big enough...

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

It's more about how you use it!😀

 

[f16sunshine]

Bessler 23c
I put a larger board on mine it is 24"x24''. Simple because the inside of the cabinet it lives in is the same and it was a nice neat fit.

 

[shadowfox]

Vivitar 356 (smaller version of the VI series): 18x22 1/4 inches baseboard size. More info here:

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/enlargers/vivitar.html

If you spot one of this enlarger on craiglist or ebay, get it. It's not that big, but capable of doing up to 6x7 negatives. It has a color head (built in filter system), commonly available projector bulb, and standard screwmount lensboard.

See my thread about darkroom printing for a picture of this enlarger and how it fits on top of a typical half-bathroom sink.

 

[wgerrard]

Vivitar 356 (smaller version of the VI series): 18x22 1/4 inches baseboard size. More info here:

I just checked. If an enlarger is going to sit on one of my bathroom counters, the base needs to be no more than 16x21 inches. I could go an inch or so longer than 21 inches if I let the base extend that much beyond the edge of the counter, but the 16-inch width is absolute.

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Ironic - isn't it, standing at the end of the bench in my workshop is a mint Durst M607, with colour head, timer and all the bells and whistles, been idle for about three years now. Nobody wants to buy it - nobody wants to take it away!, when offered to a dealer friend, to either buy, or sell - for me, he smiled and said he had two or three in his store room - that would not move!.
I'm actually thinking about using it again....occasionally! 🙂
Dave.

 

[sepiareverb]

The 23C, 67 Beselers are 16" wide, there is a smaller one- the CAdet and the Printmaker, but they are pretty iffy, but tiny.

The tiny Omega is pretty iffy as well, but better than the Beselers. The LPL's are out for size- 18" wide baseboard.

I suppose one could cut down the baseboard width without too much trouble.

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

I just checked. If an enlarger is going to sit on one of my bathroom counters, the base needs to be no more than 16x21 inches. I could go an inch or so longer than 21 inches if I let the base extend that much beyond the edge of the counter, but the 16-inch width is absolute.

There is nothing to stop you cutting or having someone else cut a baseboard to any size you like....the column just bolts to it, not rocket science!
Dave.

 

[dap]

What size film do you want to enlarge? If you are strictly 35mm then there are plenty of compact enlargers out there (durst used to make a decent compact/travel model...I think it was the "f30" or something similar). If you want to shoot medium format then you might have to do some searching (the omega b22 is pretty compact as are some of the dursts).

 

[raindog61]

My general rule of thumb is always use an enlarger the next format up of your maximum negative format.

i.e. if you intend to print 35mm film use a medium format enlarger. Medium format negs., use a 4x5 enlarger.

The reason, less light falloff at the negative carrier stage. Keeping this in mind, I also use a enlarger lens greater than the normal focal length for the format of film.
i.e. 35mm negs. 50mm lens -> Use a 75mm lens
6x6 negs. 80mm lens -> Use a 105mm lens.

Don't worry too much about column height. Most enlargers can make a decent 11x17 inch print. The higher the head, the more vibration.

 

[wgerrard]

There is nothing to stop you cutting or having someone else cut a baseboard to any size you like....the column just bolts to it...
Dave.

Thanks. Not having seen one in the flesh, I didn't know that.

 

[wjlapier]

Glad someone started this thread!

I already develop my own B+W film and now I want to do my own printing. I've looked at ebay to see what the prices are like. Freestyle's latest catalog has a LPL enlarger for $199 with 35mm neg carrier and lensboard, but no lens. If someone wants to take the time to give a list of all that will be need I'd appreciate it, but if you know of a site online that gives you a basic rundown of all that will be neccessary to do analog printing, I'd like to hear about it. Also, I saw on BHPhoto's website a Beselar Cadet II for $209 with lens, filter tray, neg carrier, and baseboard.

Any opinions on the two enlargers I mentioned above would be appreciated.

Bill

 

[Roger Hicks]

My general rule of thumb is always use an enlarger the next format up of your maximum negative format.

But I've never even heard of an enlarger bigger than 11x14 inch, and that's too small for my largest format, which is 12x15... My biggest enlarger is only for 5x7 inch/13x18cm, and my 6x9cm Magnifaxes are at least as good for 6x9 as the M.P.P. My advice to anyone starting out with 35mm is to start with a 35mm enlarger unless something big and good comes up cheap (and you have room for it).

Seriously, a lot depends on how big you want to make your prints. I have an Ilford/MPP enlarger in its own little lacquered pine suitcase, maybe 14x18 inches/35x45cm at the outside (I can't check right now) -- but I don't think it'll do more than whole-plate or so (6.5x8.5 inches) and it's 35mm only.

Remember too that you can often hang the front edge of the baseboard over the end of the work surface: use a couple of slats of wood to raise it above its feet on the baseboard if needed. It won't tip up unless the baseboard is hanging out a VERY long way.

Alternatively, you can mount the enlarger 'sideways' on the bench. Look at the 9th picture, the colour one of the enlarger end of the darkroom) on the site here: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/darkroom.html. From left to right it's the MPP 5x7 inch with a De Vere colour head, something we had on test, and two Meopta Magnifaxes. The worktop is standard kitchen width. What's that: 24 inches, 60 cm? This should give you a good idea of the size of enlaegers, as may some of the other pics in the same module.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Ronald M]

How big is a house.

A Valoy or old focomat baseboard is very small.

Later Focomats and the V35 are larger so you can make bigger prints or move an easle off center for cropping.

Some are taller than others. The V35 is short considering it makes 16x20 +. My 4x5
chromega is 5 foot tall. I had to build a short table for it.

 

[Al Kaplan]

I still regret selling my dad's 5x7 Elwood and if I got as good deal locally on an Omega D-2V-XL I'd jump on it! I keep hoping that somebody will just give one to me. My current "big" one is a Kodak Precision from about 1950 which takes negatives up to about 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

 

[wgerrard]

Alternatively, you can mount the enlarger 'sideways' on the bench. Look at the 9th picture

Roger

Thanks, Roger. Trouble is, though, I've really no counter space, just a little space in a bathroom.

Now, there's another alternative that I've considered. That bathroom opens onto a reasonably large room via a short -- 5 feet -- hallway. Plenty of space in that room to set up an enlarger, etc., and easy access back to the bath for water. Downsides: The only ventilation comes from a feeble fan in the bathroom. Two doors would need to be blacked out. And, there's a large 7x7 window in the room. I'd need to rig some usable way to temporarily block the window

Meanwhile, someone in my local Craigslist is selling a darkroom kit with an Omega B-22, Nikkor and Minolta lenses, easels, etc., for $150. I may call.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Bill,

For ideas on blocking the window, even though it's much bigger, see:

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps how loo.html

I'd seriously consider three plywood panels, each about 30" wide, with steps to overlap _____--_____-- etc, painted matte black, plus blackout fabric.

Wedge the blackout fabric in place with stout battens, as in the reference, then hang the panels horizontally inside that; a couple of hooks in the window should allow you to suspend battens to hold them in place.

Cheers,

R.

 

[shadowfox]

Downsides: The only ventilation comes from a feeble fan in the bathroom.

Two electric fans, one push the air, the other pulls, each on the other ends of the hallway. It works for cooking odor 🙂