Will the Saunders 4550 VCCE 4X5 light mixing chamber work for medium format (6X7, 6X6) or do I have to buy the MF mixer? Whats the downside to simply using the 4X5 chamber? If its only shorter times I suspect I don't need one. Is there any difference in quality using one or the other? Is there more to this that I'm overlooking? I'll probably do about an equal amount of work in 4X5 and MF. I'm asking because I am considering the purchase of one of these enlargers and another $400-500 for the additional mixer is not in my plans. Thank you.

-- Henry Ambrose (henry@henryambrose.com), February 23, 2002

Answers

The 4x5 mixing chamber will provide *better* results than the 6x7 chamber with 6x6 and 6x7 negatives. Illumination will be more even across the medium format field. Saunders' only claimed advantage for the 6x7 mixing chamber is that printing will be "up to 1/2 stop" faster. All that said, do note that the price of a new 6x7 mixing chamber is in the neighborhood of $90, not $400-500.

-- Sal Santamaura (santamaura@earthlink.net), February 24, 2002.

Sal, I must have misread the pricing. Thanks for the information.

-- Henry Ambrose (henry@henryambrose.com), February 25, 2002.

I've got a 4550 Dichroic II. I haven't tried it with MF, but anticipate no problems, since it's plenty bright with 4x5. I understand the VCCE is dimmer than the Dichroic, so that might be an issue. You might, however, feel differently about 35mm, it wastes so much of a 4x5 light source.

The difference in printing speed doesn't seem like it's worth it to fuss around with the MF mixing chamber, as it takes a bit of dis- assembly to get to this. It's not too bad, but not as easy as on some other enlargers I've seen.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), February 25, 2002.

I have Saunders 4550XLG. I print 35mm and 6x7 with 4x5 mixing chamber. Works fine.

-- Boris Krivoruk (boris.krivoruk@kp.org), February 27, 2002.