I am doing up to 4x5 photo and printing , I want to strat to do 8x10. Most Enlarger for 8x10 is like monster, I want to do color and Black and white. I want to print upto 16x20 or 20x24 . Price for enlarger seems more than 6000.00 . I think I can spend up to 3000.Is there any way or sourse ,advice for How I can get Enlarger that is under $3000.Table top one and can be print in color upto 20 x24 ? Thank you very much in advance

-- Kazuhiro Tsuji (semua@earthlink.net), July 08, 2000

Answers

Kazuhiro, sorry pal, ain't gonna happen with what you want to do. The table top spec is the one which will be a problem although I understand that there is some sort of 8x10 conversion for the Beseler 4x5 enlargers, but you will never even come close to getting a 20x24 print unless you can find a wide angle enlarging lens which will cover the 8x10 neg. and still go to 20x24 on the tabletop, and I don't know of any (especially reasonably priced). 8x10 enlargers are commercial machines and I have used the Durst, DeVere, Carlsson, Elwood, and some I can't remember and they are monsters. I happen to know where there is a large column DeVere with color head, lenses, timer, and power supply for sale at what would be a good price, but getting it (wherever you happen to be) could be a problem. This enlarger is in Huntsville, Alabama. Also, if anyone is interested, this same person (lab) has a Durst 2501 horizontal enlarger for sale. I'm sure the price would be good (all things are relative), and I printed on this unit from the time we bought it until I moved on to the government beuracracy which launches persons into space. Come to think of it, this lab also has one of the DeVere (ZBE) autofocus enlarger which could be a hell of a deal. In the 30 years I have printed I consider this to be the finest enlarger I have ever worked on, and I very highly recommend it for work up to 4x5. If anyone is interested in any of this stuff e-mail me and I will put you in touch with the owner. Digital, for better or worse, is drastically changing the way all labs do display work. (whew, didn't mean to make this so long!)

Fred

-- fred (fdeaton@hiwaay.net), July 08, 2000.

You can convert a Beseler to 8x10, I've seen the kits go for about 1400 and a solid Beseler can be picked up for a few hundred if you shop around. Color (at least if you want a color head as opposed to cp filters) will stretch your budget a bit, I think. You will have to project horizontally to get the enlargement size you want.

-- Wayne (wsteffen@mr.net), July 08, 2000.

How big is your table? It takes a big enlarger to do 8x10 easily. The beseler conversion will have light falloff problems with 240mm lenses & longer lenses with the conversion won't give enlargements on the baseboard as you want. Start looking at used camera stores, such as Quality Camera in Atlanta, Georgia, and learn what is available on the used market. It will be a lot less than $6000 or $3000, depending on what you purchase. A horizontal enlarger will work well if you have the space to set it up and it doesn't need extra ceiling height either.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), July 09, 2000.

You're kidding, right? You can't get 16x20 or 20x24 prints from 4x5 negatives?

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), July 09, 2000.

Beyond the advice already given, I would add that using a table top enlarger such as the Beseler with a wall mount will allow the enlargements you want if you construct a print stage. In other words, ability to position your print easel lower than standard countertop height with several slide-in rail pairs for various baseboard to enlarger heights. Alignment can be problematic however, but it is possible.

-- Michael Scarbrough (michael@scarbrough-gallery.com), July 11, 2000.

The two reasonably priced 8x10 tabletop enlargers available new that I know of are primarily designed for smaller formats but have 8x10 adapter heads available. The problem for you is that both adapter heads are cold lights designed for black and white work. The enlargers are the Beseler 45 and the Zone VI marketed by Calumet. Your set of requirements, 8x10/20x24/tabletop/color/cost, is pretty hard to satisfy. You may have to give up on one or two of the requirements. Perhaps a used 5x7 Durst?

-- Michael Briggs (MichaelBriggs@earthlink.net), July 12, 2000.