I mainly do B/W and want to get best out of my Leica M lens. Would you recommend I get a Leica V35 enlarger ( probably from ebay ) or a Beseler 23CIII condenser or VC.

Which one will give better image?

-- Phy (lam_6@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002

Answers

Phy:

I have both a Beseler 23CII and a Focomat 1 enlarger. I have queried this board in the past for the same opinion. The Beseler as a condenser enlarger will give you higher contrast than the Focomat using the same negatives and lens. However, the Focomat will not show the blemishes in the negative as much as the Beseler. The Focomat is a cross between a diffusion and a condenser enlarger. If you are only doing 35, I would opt for the Leica enlarger as it is more compact and lighter.

Good luck with your decision.

-- Mark A. Johnson (logical1@catholic.org), March 04, 2002.

Well, to me it like saying do you prefer a Mercedes or a Ford. I think that overlooks the other choices in the gradient that should be considered, like Durst, LPL/Saunders, and Kaiser. I think the LPL/ Saunders with an APO Schneider or APO Rodenstock lens easily challengesd the Leica at every level.

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), March 04, 2002.

I used a V35 for a few darkroom sessions. The V is far better than the 23C. Besides the build quality, The V excels making big enlargements on the base board. I was printing one zone more highlight detail (without burning in) with my negatives vs a B-22 with opal glass.

-- Richard Jepsen (rjepsen@mmcable.com), March 04, 2002.

I always find this type of question a bit curious. For years I used a $60 department store enlarger with a Nikkor lens. The results were fine, after I did a bit of shimming to get everything into parallel.

An enlarger is a platform for a lens, a negative, and a light. Thats ALL it is. Different lighting systems give different results, and darkroom processes need to be tailored to the light source. If you don't do that, your Focomat will give you crap. If you do it, your Prinz 66 will deliver the goods. Throughout the decades a variety of tests of various lighting systems seem to have determined that they're all the same if you treat them differently, and all different if you treat them the same.

Both the enlargers you've named are fine machines. Once you adjust your procedures to either the results will be fine. The main difference will be in placement of controls, versatility, and other mechanical things that affect your interactions with the machine.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002.

Our college has both and a Durst. Everyone wants to use the Leica. The Beseler is second choice every time. The Leica has a Focotar 40mm and the Beseler a Rodagon. The Durst has a Companon. Take your pick but the general comment is that the Leica is sharp right into the corners.

-- Tony Brookes (gdz00@lineone.net), March 05, 2002.

Yes, and the lens issue is probably more important than the can it's mounted on. That's where I'd put my money.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), March 05, 2002.

As has already been said it is the lens and the light source that matter the most.

Assuming both are rigid enlarger chassis to begin with and they both are. I've used both.

You can put a Leica enlarging lens on either chassis. The Leica light source is good but not as good as a Cold Light IMO.

I have Nikkor and Schneider lens' and if you want killer sharp large prints get a 50mm 2.8 Nikkor lens. I often use an 80mm lens for extra coverage (larger image circle) when printing 35mm negs but I'll add that I see no corner problems comcerning sharpness with the 50mm. Or buy the Leica 40mm lens.

Also get rid of the condensor head on the Besseler. Get an Aristo Cold Light (Calumet Photographic under $200?) head . Very smooth tonal range, minimizes grain and hard contrasty images. Dust rarely shows with Cold Lights and negs don't buckle due to heat from light source. Also most commercial and pro labs develope film too long for condensor enlarger (they don't use them) use. Condensor negs need to be flatter, Cold Light negs a little more contrasty.

I've used the Cold Lights for 20+ years. Only recently have I dug out the color head that came with my used Besseler. And the only reason is that I've been getting freelance printing work from a local pro B&W lab. Despite the "PRO" level of work their negs are all over the place regarding contrast. I am now always using split contrast filtering to get good prints. I have more control over my own work and was always happy and satisfied with simple Ilford filters, just one at a time.

Color heads are diffusion and print very much like a Cold Light and you can dial in contrast control as needed.

So I vote for Besseler, Lens of your choice (no skimping), and a Cold Light/Color head.

Also buy the very best image/grain (I prefer grain) magnifier. Again don't skimp here or all of the above is pointless.

The nice thing about darkroom equipment is it lasts forever, isn't upgrade every year at PMA to the point where you feel you need to upgrade.

Wish we could say the same about computers huh?

-- Neil Swanson (neilsphoto@yahoo.com), March 05, 2002.

One point I would like to say is that it is of course a truism to say that an enlarger is simply a light box - just as a camera is, but the fact remains that some enlargers are just nicer made, easier to use and more elegantly designed than others. These differences can change a darkroom session from being a chore into being a pleasure. If you want to print only 35mm I would pick the V35 - in all ways a pleasure. If you need larger format too then you will need the Beseler, which is a very competent enlarger, but certainly not a thing of elegant engineering in the same way as the V35. It goes without saying you need the very best lens(es) you can afford.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), March 05, 2002.

The V-35 hands down, unless you have medium format to print. I've used extensively Beseler, Omega D5's, Saunders medium and 4X5 and Durst Laborator. For my own darkroom I've settled easily on the Leica. I must take issue with those who say the enlarger is only a platform for the lens. Leica does not sell the 40mm Focotar seperately (though has often been asked to do so) because it has been specifically engineered to work with the lightpath and bulb in the enlarger. It is a whole. For example the Leica takes a Philips bulb, though a standard EFN (at 1/3 the price) fits. However the relfector shape of the EFN is such that you get falloff and loss of contrast when used. I highly doubt that the aforementioned Prinz 66 manufacturer went to these lengths when they designed thier heads. If it was truly the case that all that matters is the lens, you'd see a lot more Leica/Nikon/Canon with adaptors on Fed 5c bodies. Or Hassey glass on Kievs.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), March 05, 2002.

Thank you very much for such professional advices. Bob and Neil I totally agree with you, if a Prinz 66 or whatever, Beseler, Omega ... should out of business 20 years ago.

I remembered I have used an old Leica 35 mm enlarger ( can't recall which model ) 25 years ago. It is really really good.

I understand enlarger is just the light source and the lens. But the way they provide the light source could be different.

-- Phy (lam_6@hotmail.com), March 05, 2002.