dpj (11/07/82)
It's nice to see some traffic in the photo newsgroup. While things are jumping, I think I'll throw in a request for some general info. I'm in the market for an enlarger. I don't yet do any color work, but I think I probably will some day. Should I opt for the dichroic head right off the bat, or get an enlarger which presents the option for future conversion? And how about working with filters rather a dichroic head? Is this a real pain? Finally, does anyone have any recommendations for a good enlarger which won't put me in hock? Dean Jagels mhtsa!dpj
wm (11/07/82)
I have an older Omega enlarger with a dichroic head. I highly recommend the color head if you can afford it. Using filters with color printing is a major pain, and the color head comes in handy for polycontrast papers used in black & white (dial a contrast!). I've always been pleased with Omega enlargers, though some people like the besslers with their dual rails for stability. If you get an Omega, get the extra long rail. It is stronger and lets you really blow those negatives up. Wm Leler - UNC Chapel Hill
thomas (11/09/82)
Don't get one which you have to use gelatin filters with. They're a royal pain (not to mention that they fade after a while). =Spencer
ark (11/10/82)
If you can still find one, buy a Durst A-300. They have been discontinued several years but someone may still have one around. It is a 35-mm only autofocus enlarger with Nikon optics and built like a rock. Its only disadvantages, as far as I can see, are no large format and you're limited to 11x14 on the baseboard. On the other hand, the autofocus works better than I can focus by hand, it's very fast, incredibly solid, and the prints are grain-sharp corner to corner. Colorhead works well too.
tw (11/10/82)
#R:mhtsa:-24300:hp-pcd:7800008:000:604
hp-pcd!tw Nov 10 11:09:00 1982
Wm sums it up nicely; Omega's are nice except that they
are sometimes a bit unstable. Also (unless they've fixed this
in the last couple of years) their negative carriers aren't very
good. Probably the best bet for a solid, inexpensive (relatively)
enlarger is the Beseler 23C. It is pretty rugged, very solid,
and has a rail extender if you get off to big prints. There are
also a couple of nice color heads for it. I have an ancient 23C
with a cold light head which I like pretty well.
Tw Cook [yes, everyone from Rice has a wierd name, except maybe steveg;
right wm?]