Hi, I am looking for any information on the Beseler 8X10 conversion kit for their 4X5 Enlargers. Has anyone used it?, does it work well?, which lens to use with it, etc.Or should I be looking at another syster for 8X10. Any help would be much appreciated. Richard Green

-- richard green (richphoto@aol.com), October 12, 2000

Answers

Try Calumet photographic 1-800-calumet I have read about it in one of their cataloges. Sometimes the can give some info and are usually more helpfull than the other mail order places. Also check out www.beseler-photo.com John

-- john (dogspleen@juno.com), October 12, 2000.

As I recall it was designed to be used with a 240mm

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), October 12, 2000.

I have used the head on the Beseler enlarger it is designed for and it works OK. Not the best solution though as the light falloff with teh 240 recommended by Beseler was a bit more than one full stop from center to corners. You really had to work at it to get a decent print as a result. I didn't try it with a 300, but maybe someone else has. I just think the light source isn't quite big enough to give really good coverage. Or, maybe they have redesigned it in the past 5 years.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), October 13, 2000.

I have a Beseler 45VXL with the 8x10 cold light head. It does use the 240mm Beseler lens made for them by Rodenstock which works fine.It is a very sturdy system with plenty of adjustments. Getting it in perfect vertical alignment, as it probably the case with most enlargers, will go a long way towards realizing its optimal results. Unfortunately, I have not use it in about a year and a half as I have been contact printing much of my stuff. Buy used if possible. You will get a much beter deal.

Michael Kadillak

-- Michael Kadillak (m.kadillak@home.com), October 13, 2000.