I've been using a friend's Omega D5 for enlargements of 4x5s, and I find the machine absolutely enormous (56 inches high!) compared with the 35mms that I'm used to. It is so large that I couldn't possibly have space for such a thing in my apartment. Is this true of all 4x5 enlargers? Are there any out there, which are more reasonably sized? I live in a city, and it is very hard to have a large darkroom space.

Kevin

-- Kevin Donahue (kevindonahue@hotmail.com), February 04, 2002

Answers

Try and find a De Vere 504. It is as compact as a 5x4 can get yet totally precision made and fully tunable. Having had a D2 in the past I think the De Vere is the cat's miouw. There are a few in the US. Otherwise look at their web site. odyssey.sales- a good search engine will find them.

-- Brian Colin (fzmreels@hotmail.com), February 04, 2002.

The LPL/Saunders are a good buy too, especially used! I've wall mounted an LPL 7451 (Colour Head) and I'm really pleased !! BTW my darkroom is just under 6feet x 4 feet.

-- paul owen (paulowen_2000@yahoo.com), February 04, 2002.

Wait until you see an 8x10 enlarger!

-- David Grandy (dgrandy@accesscable.net), February 04, 2002.

I wrote above extolling the virtues of the De Vere. There is a 504 with dichro head and all the bits you may need on e-bay at present. It looks very good and is currently standing at $850.00. It is in the darkroom section. Go there and enter de vere in the search box and it should pop up. A nice feature is that the head elevation/lower control along with the focus control are on the front of the baseboard. The whole machine can be re-set with allan keys and once set correctly should stay set. All spares are available from the makers including any head option from a condenser to closed-loop. They also have a large stock of reconditioned parts. A couple of years ago I bought a s/h Durst 138s unseen. What I didnt know was that the price also included a De Vere 11"x11" aero enlarger. Now that was the biggest enlarger I have ever seen. I paid the equivalent of $270 and 8 Rodagons from 50mm through 350mm were included!!! De Vere bought the big machine from me and it is now refurbished and is now somewhere in California. I have no financial interest in any of the parties mentioned.

-- Brian Colin (fzmreels@hotmail.com), February 05, 2002.

Kevin, I've recently changed out my Beseler 23cIILX for a Beseler 45MXT. The 23c raised taller but the 45MXT's baseboard is larger. That's really the only physical difference. Of course, the format difference is what I was after. And, yes, I've seen a few old 8x10 enlargers. Looks more like an oil rig. Makes Godzilla look short!

-- Steve Feldman (steve@toprinting.com), February 06, 2002.