Which Enlarger

Barney

Barney

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Wayne
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My darkroom has options of four enlargers, these two are the biggest. Which one should I learn how to use?


Meopta opemus 6

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Jobo C7700

Darkroom.jpg
 
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I suggest you take them in the sequence you didn't list them in. :)
 
The first goes up to 6x6 the second 6x7 if it matters to you. Otherwise most enlargers are sufficiently similar to be interchangeable in terms of knowing how to use them. Do you need to be able to enlarge 5x4, or even 6x9 which many folding roll film cameras use? Unless you're contemplating having multiple enlargers (which you probably are!) the first thing to decide is what negative sizes you will have.
 
StephenM said:
The first goes up to 6x6 the second 6x7 if it matters to you. Otherwise most enlargers are sufficiently similar to be interchangeable in terms of knowing how to use them. Do you need to be able to enlarge 5x4, or even 6x9 which many folding roll film cameras use? Unless you're contemplating having multiple enlargers (which you probably are!) the first thing to decide is what negative sizes you will have.
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I have 35, 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7 sadly there is no enlarger for 5x4 yet
 
My first enlarger covered 6x9, a size I was then using in my Coronet box camera. My second enlarger (and third, for that matter) were 35mm only, although the third could cover 6x7 if the condensers could be found. I had no need when I bought it (new) and the parts seemed unavailable when I moved to roll film again. My fourth enlarger handles up to 6x7, and my fifth 5x4. I still have the 4th and 5th.

Based on my experience, make sure you can handle all the negative sizes you're likely to use at the outset, although I will add the rider that I kept the Durst 6x7 enlarger because
a. It was silent - no transformer
b. It was condensers not diffusion for black and white.

The LPL 5x4 is a diffuser enlarger with a colour head.

On the other hand, the more enlargers the merrier....
 
Whats the difference between a diffuser and a condenser head, Is one better than the other?
 
Diffuser shows dust and scratches less, lower contrast. Condensers the reverse.

Development times used to be given for both types, as the D type needed longer to build up contrast.

As far as J know almost all colour heads are D type.
 
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