Darkroom Photo Enlargers: Fine Printing Your Photographs

Although enlargers can cover a range of sizes, if you want to use both 35mm and 4×5 you may well be advised to buy two separate machines. I use one enlarger to cover 35mm-6×7 and a second for 6×9 to 4×5. My 4×5 enlarger can produce good 35mm prints, but it is nothing like as convenient to use. Of course for some kinds of work – particularly multiple printing and solarisation – it is a great convenience to have more than one enlarger to work with – Jerry Uelsmann I think has six in his darkroom.

LPL 670 VCCE Enlarger

Features two independent filtration channels. One is calibrated for Kodak Polycontrast III RC, the other for Ilford Multigrade III and compatible papers.

• Column to Lens Center: 9 1/2 (24cm)
• Baseboard: 18 x 23 x 1 (46cm x 58cm x 2.5cm)
• Girder: 42 (107cm) Max.
• Height: 48 (122cm) Max.
• Bellows Ext.: 5 1/2 (14cm)
• Net Weight: 36 lbs. (7.26kg)
• 120V AC, 50/60Hz
• Negative carrier and lens not included

If you are buying an enlarger I’d suggest sticking to the well-known makes. Beseler and Omega are the best-known American manufacturers, and spares, service and accessories are readily available across the USA. Saunders/LPL are neat and easy to use, although possibly harder to set up correctly, and many American photographers use them. The more expensive Durst models are fine pieces of hardware.

Buying second-hand is a good idea if you can find what you want, although it would be a good idea to have the equipment checked for you by an expert unless you buy from a reputable supplier. You can pick up some great bargains from garage sales and also auction houses. With the increasing trend to digital, a great deal of high-quality commercial equipment is being sold by studios at the moment.

Beseler Printmaker 67 VC Variable Contrast Black & White Photo Enlarger with Black Head & 50mm Lens Kit, 120V

The Printmaker 67VC is a full-featured American made enlarger that can produce excellent enlargements from any size negative 35mm through 6 x 7cm. This enlarger is supplied with a state-of-the-art interchangeable 67VC-W lightsource with continuously variable dial-in contrast grades -0 to +5 and bright, white light focusing. The lightsource utilizes blue and green dichroic filters in an additive filtration system for better exposure of variable contrast papers. Its computer designed exposure control device automatically maintains a constant printing speed throughout the entire contrast range, eliminating the need to recalculate the exposure when changing the contrast.

Various arguments have raged over the years about the different methods of supporting the enlarger head, from single tubular columns through various beam sections to multiple columns and impressive frames. Some have angled supports and /or longer columns to make it possible to produce large larger prints – check the maximum print size if you are buying – I’d suggest at you should at least be able to print to 20×16″. My cheap enlarger was quickly converted to wall-mounting, using specially made heavy iron brackets, providing a low-cost, highly rigid support, as well as extending the range of print sizes it could produce.

• Photo Enlarger supplier