Colour enlergers - for b&w?

auntiemaryscanary

auntiemaryscanary

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I'm after a new (to me) enlarger that goes up to a minimum of 6x9 but would go up to LF. I've only used dedicated b&w enlargers (35mm, 6x6 and 4x5) and have I no interest in making colour wet prints. I've a couple of sets of Ilford filters in 1/2 grades that I use for b&w wet prints currently in my 35mm and 6x6 enlarger. The 4x5 enlarger I used had a multigrade head.

Looking round I've noticed a number of colour dichroic enlargers. I think these can be used for b&w. Is that the case? If so is it relatively easy to learn how to use one for b&w? Or would I be better sticking to b&w only enlargers?

I've seen a reasonably priced LF dichroic enlarger (it's unsurprisingly large in both height, width & depth) that would suit me down to the ground so I'm wanting to check if I can use a dichroic head for b&w before I make serious purchasing enquiries.
 
ChrisR said:
Surely the only possible response from TPFC would be"go on, spend the money"?!
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Yup, with the proviso that it will fit in the space available for it!

IMO&E it's better to underuse over specified kit than find yourself needing a feature not found in under specced kit.
 
@ChrisR @Nod I will have space from mid-December to use it. Prior to that it's components can be stored in the garage.

Seller and I are discussing practicalities currently...
 
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One solution I've seen employed if the enlarger column would otherwise be too tall for the room is to cut a hole in the ceiling. Seriously.

Remember enlargers are hard to come by now. Size doesn't really matter unless you want to go above 10x8 negatives. Or put a 10x8 on a bench...
 
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I now own a Durst 138 with a Pavelle 402 colour head! Full set of neg holders too. I have enlarging lenses for 6x6 and below but will need to buy suitable lenses for 6x9 and 4x5.

Just the small matter of going to a ULEZ part of London to fetch it... I do have a large enough vehicle (Doblo) to swallow all the components though. A couple of weekends away though for a mutually arranged collection.
 
I'm now home after a long day. Whilst I was in London I took the opportunity to meet up with a young chap who is on an old car forum we both frequent.

His car is an Invacar! He does have a disability himself and finds this more comfortable than a "normal" car. I shot a roll of 120 of his Invalid Carriage on the C3 so I'll post some of these in the future.

The seller of the enlarger was v helpful in taking time to show me both disassembly and how it re-assembles. I took a million phone pics of this process but not one of it complete so here are couple of screenshots of the for sale pics:

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Congrats on surviving LungDung traffic!

TBH, I thought Invacars had been banned about 20 years ago - haven't seen one for many years. A mate had one and a Kawasaki Z1300 engine with plans to merge the pair...
 
As it will go up to 5x7, when are you getting a medium format camera to exploit it? :)
 
Nod said:
Congrats on surviving LungDung traffic!

TBH, I thought Invacars had been banned about 20 years ago - haven't seen one for many years. A mate had one and a Kawasaki Z1300 engine with plans to merge the pair...
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Not banned, the vast majority were owned by the Ministry of Health who recalled them all by 2003. A few survived being scrapped and have legally been returned to the road with the Ministry giving up any title to them. The one I saw today was originally bought privately and remains privately owned to this day. The car forum I'm on there are at least 4 people who own an AC Invacar Model 70 (the one everyone 40+ remembers) plus 2 or 3 having older models.

The chap who owns this one bought it in 2019 (when he was 19!) and over the next 4 years, with a fair bit of assistance from willing helpers, got it back on the road a year ago. Especially impressive as he lives in a third floor inner London council flat and has relatively high level of physical disability. He's a determined chap.

He followed me through the Rotherhithe tunnel. I kept looking in my rearview mirrors and smiling.
 
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StephenM said:
As it will go up to 5x7, when are you getting a medium format camera to exploit it? :)
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I already own a full 4x5 set up (Intrepid), purchased from the much missed @Asha*. Unfortunately it is severely underused. Must be time to get it out again.

I really was looking for an enlarger that covered 120 up to 6x9, ideally a De Vere 23 or similar. However when something along these lines did come up for sale I thought they were too expensive and/or missing neg carriers or condensers. This Durst 138 came up, at what I thought, was too good a price to miss.

* I note with incredible sadness that @Asha hasn't posted on, or visited, the forum for over 2 years. I know he is an incredibly private person and that I'll probably never know what has happened with him. Doesn't mean I can't lament what now seems to be his long term absence from F&C.
 
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auntiemaryscanary said:
I'm now home after a long day. Whilst I was in London I took the opportunity to meet up with a young chap who is on an old car forum we both frequent.

His car is an Invacar! He does have a disability himself and finds this more comfortable than a "normal" car. I shot a roll of 120 of his Invalid Carriage on the C3 so I'll post some of these in the future.

The seller of the enlarger was v helpful in taking time to show me both disassembly and how it re-assembles. I took a million phone pics of this process but not one of it complete so here are couple of screenshots of the for sale pics:

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looks great!
 
auntiemaryscanary said:
I'm now home after a long day. Whilst I was in London I took the opportunity to meet up with a young chap who is on an old car forum we both frequent.

His car is an Invacar! He does have a disability himself and finds this more comfortable than a "normal" car. I shot a roll of 120 of his Invalid Carriage on the C3 so I'll post some of these in the future.

The seller of the enlarger was v helpful in taking time to show me both disassembly and how it re-assembles. I took a million phone pics of this process but not one of it complete so here are couple of screenshots of the for sale pics:

View attachment 467525
Click to expand...
All we need to know now is....what was the other one, it looks de-vere ish...:)
 
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