I'm planning to replace my old Omega with a new enlarger with a vc cold light head. The brochure on the Zone VI sounds good. I would like to hear from anyone printing with one.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 1997

Answers

I see that you asked a question about the Zone VI enlarger some time ago. Did you buy one? I am thinking about getting one now and would be interested in what you think of it if you have been using one.

Billie

-- Anonymous, March 11, 1998

I have been printing with the Zone VI (type I, they are now on to Type II) for three years now. I have the 5x7 setup with the VC head. I have been very happy with the enlarger, mostly because of the controls on the VC head. The dual controls allow split printng of difficult negatives (you can lay down high- or low-contrast selectively on different parts of a print. I usually find a decent middle gray and then zap the blacks up). I came to the ZVI from Bessler 23C and Omega D2 experience. I find the illumination more even, the various stages easier to allign and the "design feel" smoother than either of the enlargers that I used to use. A typical printing session for me involves negatives of different formats (from 35mm to 5x7 . . . these days mostly 35mm, 6x6 and 4x5). If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to try to answer them. In the most subjective sense, I feel like the cost was totally justified and would make the same decision again in a second. (I am actually considering upgrading to the Type II head because the light controls are solid state and have a much smaller foot-print than the Type I).

-- Anonymous, September 20, 1998