I am attempting to spec out the enlarger head to purchase for B&W. What is the disadvantage to using a color head relative to all the problems associated with using VC filters and a cold head? Granted a VC head could solve the problem but that may not be affordable with Omega models I am considring. I am understanding that with a cold light you use split filtration. Clarification on that point would be appreciated.

-- Basil Black (Basilblack@home.com), January 21, 2000

Answers

The only disadvantage I've noticed is the price of the bulbs. The filtration of a colour head (I use mainly an Omega D) allows for a longer scale those times you might need it.

For example, I screwed up a roll of Technical Pan once in developing; it went way too contrasty. When I went to do the contact sheet, I simply dialed in a ton of soft filtration, and I got a good contact with all the info there.

A few minutes later, I was teaching a class, which I had forgotten all about and so the only negatives I had to show-don't-tell were my Tech Pan negs. I teach this using bw heads with Ilford filters since that's how most people do it. I had my students standing around the enlarger, and I tried to explain to them after my speech that the contact I was about to print to demonstrate was very contrasty and I would probably have to use maybe a #1 filter. I started with that and the results were horrible. To keep it short, I ended up with the 00 filter, the lowest of the Ilford pack, and it didn't even come close: the sheet it produced was basically black and white with nothing in between...to my students' amusement or anger, who knows for sure...

-- shawn gibson (SeeInsideForever@yahoo.com), January 21, 2000.

1. If you get a cold-light head, look for the new Aristo tubes. They have a better balance between blue and green for better performance with VC papers. Cold light heads are inexpensive, but their light output varies based on the temperature of the light tube. So you need a compensating timer (expensive). Figure the head is around $200.00 new, the timer is around $350.00 new.

2. A color dichroic head is fine for B & W. For VC you may have to use additional filters to get to the highest contrast.

I've worked with photography long enough that I've seen several generations of VC papers, each with different filters. I suggest a dicroic head because it will probably work well with the next generation papers (there is always a next generation).

3. Condenser heads are not cheap, but sometimes a little less expensive than color heads. Though you can get good results, its much easier to get good results with a diffuse light head, like color dichroic or cold light heads.

Good luck.

-- Charlie (charlie_strack@sti.com), January 21, 2000.