Ok, Ive switched to graded papers using a standard condensor light and so far so good but now I am very curious about cold light, in particular the Aristo VCL5500 head. Im sure the standard Aristo works fine with graded papers but is it really worth the extra $$ for the VCL5500? With a metrolux timer you have a closed loop system for good consistancy, using VC papers you may have more "tricks" available, theres no box of filters to fumble with and maybe its overall an easier time of it. However, I presume that with some effort the standard head can do it all too. If you've used either one of these what finally made you decide either way?

-- bill zelinski (willy226@yahoo.com), December 22, 1999

Answers

With the VC head you have the option of going either way. Graded or VC. With the standard head (even with fussing with filters) you can not acheive the same versatal results. There is much thought today that graded papers are no better than VC papers. In fact a large majority of fine printers today use the VC papers as their standard material. Its not about the "tricks"either, (although they do offer a larger set of creative control) , its about the quality.

-- jim megargee (mvjim@interport.net), December 23, 1999.

I have no experience with a VC head, but we use VC paper and filters for nearly everything with our condenser enlarger. But we do keep a few boxes of graded paper around, particularly 1 and 5, for those times when even a 0 or 5 filter just can't produce the right contrast. The graded paper is still "punchier" at its rated contrast level than the equivalent filters, and sometimes you just need that added snap to get a good print...

-- Michael Goldfarb (mgoldfar@mobius-inc.com), December 27, 1999.

Aristo has a new cold light tube with blue and green phosphors. (This isn't the VC head.) Check into it, since it's purpose in life is to work well with VC papers, but of course it would work with graded as well.

The VC cold heads (any of them)are expensive. If you don't mind filtering below the lens, the new Aristo tube might be the way to go.

Good luck.

-- Charlie (charlie_strack@sti.com), January 21, 2000.