Which Beseler Enlarger?
Gordon Wissinger
I have the opportunity to purchase a one of two enlargers made by Beseler,
but I don't really know the difference between them. Hopefully someone can
help. What are the differences between the Beseler 23CII and the 23CIII XL?
I intend to use it initally for 35 mm negs, but might move up to 4x5 or 6x9
at some point in the future. Any info would be appreciated!
gordo
Alec Jones
4x5 in your plans, you'll have to keep looking for the larger size enlarger if
you want to have that option now.
Alec
Gordon Wissinger
looking for differences between the two enlargers, though. I'm thinking
that either one of these will serve me for the next few years.
Alec Jones wrote in message <37FFAE30...@bellsouth.net>...
hack...@my-deja.com
come) in two lengths (22 and 33 inches, if I recall), with the xl being
taller, and hence capable of larger enlargements on the baseboard.
Both could enlarge on the wall for larger sizes.
I never had, or looked into, a 23CIII, so I cannot address that part of
the question, but a 23CII would have been the short model, Query the
seller(s) about the length, since the model may have been misstated in
an advertisement.
In article <rvv3gi...@corp.supernews.com>,
"Gordon Wissinger" <li...@inmind.com> wrote:
> Howdy!
>
> I have the opportunity to purchase a one of two enlargers made by
Beseler,
> but I don't really know the difference between them. Hopefully
someone can
> help. What are the differences between the Beseler 23CII and the
23CIII XL?
> I intend to use it initally for 35 mm negs, but might move up to 4x5
or 6x9
> at some point in the future. Any info would be appreciated!
>
> gordo
>
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
jupton
If you are planning to use it with anything larger, which includes 6cm x
9cm., perhaps you should be looking for an enlarger capable of doing larger
formats.
Just my 2¢
David Hale
Welcome to the ranks of the undecided!
I recently lost two enlargers to a darkroom fire...a D-2 and a 23CII with a Dual
Dichro Colorhead. I've used these two machines for years and have been happy
with them both, but...
Now I'm faced with replacing them. I've looked hard at the Beseler 23C-III but
it frankly, looks a little tinny to me compared with the older 23C-II. I've been
lurking on a few newsgroups and find there seem to be strong feelings for both
the Beseler and Omega products. Boy, I don't want to start a war about this but
I feel comfortable expressing opinions in this ng because it's frequented by
some of the most objective professionals I've met on the net!
I am familiar with the Beseler 23C-II and would still be using it except for the
fire. But I'm really curious about the Omega 4x5 machines. I do a lot of 6x6 and
35 mm. but only ocaissional 4x5 (I'm getting the itch to do more LF, hence the
interest in the Omega 4x5's.) So, I have several questions before I make my
purchase, namely;
1. I've used the 23C-II as a dichroic condenser enlarger. Does the Omega work
the same way or is it essentially a diffusion enlarger with dichroic filtering?
2. Must I change diffusion chambers with an Omega as I go from 35 to 6x6 to
4x5? The literature seems confusing to me here.
3. Will the big 4x5 Omega allow 35 mm. work or is doing 35 with this 4x5
enlarger sort of like the proverbial flea crawling up the elephant's leg? Will a
flat lensboard with a 50 mm. lens be usable? Can I really focus it or will it be
a practical impossibility to move the focus knob such small amounts?
4. There are several Omega models I believe I could use but I believe certain
of them are awkward and subject to early failure or, at least, lots of trouble.
Which are the good ones and which should I avoid?
5. I've seen references to dichroic heads that adjust the color via some
electronic method (voltage?), certain heads that use strobes and (Ihope) a plain
old filtering method like the 23C-II. Which is which?
I prefer the simple, mechanical method of adjusting color addition, that is,
moving a continuously-graduated colored glass in front of a light source. Seems
to me that "simplest is best." But I'm uncertain as to which machine does this.
If you select the 23C-II, I'm sure you'll find it great. There are arguments
about aligning the negative stage with the baseboard and about the even-ness of
the illumination across the negative with the Beseler. Perhaps the Omega 4x5 is
superior in all these respects but I haven't read anything conclusive, yet.
There is little doubt, however, that the mass of the Omega is much greater than
the Beseler and that makes for a very solid machine (important!)
I don't know that I've helped but you may get an idea or two from my sharing my
decision-making with you. Let me know how you're thinking.
I'm sure the wise heads in this ng can help more than I. Keep asking!
Regards,
DaveinFLL
Sean Poston
<fo...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
** The 4x5 Omega offers the ability to use a large variety of light
sources including
condenser, cold light, and dichroic. The dichroic head is a diffusion head
with dichroic filters.
> 2. Must I change diffusion chambers with an Omega as I go from
35 to 6x6 to
> 4x5? The literature seems confusing to me here.
** You use the 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 mixing chamber for 35mm and medium format and then
switch to the 4x5 mixing chamber for 4x5.
> 3. Will the big 4x5 Omega allow 35 mm. work or is doing 35 with
this 4x5
> enlarger sort of like the proverbial flea crawling up the elephant's
leg? Will a
> flat lensboard with a 50 mm. lens be usable? Can I really focus it or
will it be
> a practical impossibility to move the focus knob such small amounts?
**All 4x5 enlargers work great for 35mm and I prefer them to a smaller
format enlarger
because of their rigidity and less vibration problems. With smaller prints
(4x5 to 5x7)
you may need to use a 80mm lens to give yourself more working distance for
burning and
dodging.
A flat lens board will work although a recessed board may work better
to give your bellows some
draw.
Focusing works great, especially if you add the dual fine focus
attachment to the Omega and use
a quality grain focuser like the Micro Omega.
> 4. There are several Omega models I believe I could use but I
believe certain
> of them are awkward and subject to early failure or, at least, lots of
trouble.
> Which are the good ones and which should I avoid?
** The D-5's and D-6's are my personal favorites, but a D-2 in good
condition is not a bad machine.
The newer Omega D5500 is also a great enlarger. If you want to print large
go for the XL column.
> 5. I've seen references to dichroic heads that adjust the color
via some
> electronic method (voltage?), certain heads that use strobes and (Ihope)
a plain
> old filtering method like the 23C-II. Which is which?
** The straight dichroic head is designated Omega Dichroic II and of
course you need a voltage stabilized
power supply.
>
> I prefer the simple, mechanical method of adjusting color addition, that is,
> moving a continuously-graduated colored glass in front of a light
source. Seems
> to me that "simplest is best." But I'm uncertain as to which machine
does this.
>
> If you select the 23C-II, I'm sure you'll find it great. There are arguments
> about aligning the negative stage with the baseboard and about the
even-ness of
> the illumination across the negative with the Beseler. Perhaps the Omega
4x5 is
> superior in all these respects but I haven't read anything conclusive, yet.
>
> There is little doubt, however, that the mass of the Omega is much
greater than
> the Beseler and that makes for a very solid machine (important!)
>
> I don't know that I've helped but you may get an idea or two from my
sharing my
> decision-making with you. Let me know how you're thinking.
>
> I'm sure the wise heads in this ng can help more than I. Keep asking!
>
> Regards,
>
> DaveinFLL
--
Sean Poston
pos...@uoneuro.uoregon.edu
Tony Oresteen
"Gordon Wissinger" <li...@inmind.com> wrote:
What are the differences between the Beseler 23CII and the
23CIII XL?
Gordo,
I use an old 23C and have never missed the extra height. I make 11x14
and 10x15 prints from 35mm, 6x6, and 2.25 x 3.25 negs.
The main improvement in the 23CIII (IMHO) is that it is MUCH easier to
align all stages. My old 23 was tough to get it bac into alignment.
The 23C III also has a VC head avaialble (I think it COULD be adapted to
the old 23C) which is what I want for Christmas!
I'd go for the 23CIII.
Tony
michael....@gmail.com
I’m a curious if the 23c ii with the dual Dichro head mounted could print horizontally? It looks like it would be a tight fit to get the color head through the struts of the chassis.
Scott Schuckert
I feel like an idiot for not knowing for sure (I used a 23c for
decades). But, my answer is "I think so, but..." IIRC, the head will
fit through the struts, but the weight and balance made me feel it was
inadvisable. Plus, the mounting of the dichro head isn't ALL that
secure, and I think it would flex out of alignment.
What I did was remove the baseboard and bolt my enlarger directly to
the table. Then I made a cut-out in the table to project onto the floor
below. I could print on any size paper that would fit in my darkroom.
In article <6cef42c0-f6aa-4c8c...@googlegroups.com>,
<michael....@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi David,
>
> I雋 a curious if the 23c ii with the dual Dichro head mounted could print
theyanke...@aol.com
> Howdy!
>
> I have the opportunity to purchase a one of two enlargers made by Beseler,
> but I don't really know the difference between them. Hopefully someone can
> at some point in the future. Any info would be appreciated!
>
> gordo
for 4x5 you must buy one of the 45 series enlargers.
Regards
Bob McCarthy
Phil Boutros
> On Saturday, October 9, 1999 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-4, Gordon Wissinger wrote:
<snip>
> column on the XL is a bit taller. They both will enlarge 6X9 but not
> 4X5 film.
replying. I really hope the OP hasn't been waiting for an answer for
almost 19 years!
Phil
--
AH#61 Wolf#14 BS#89 bus#1 CCB#1 SENS KOTC#4
ph...@philb.ca http://philb.ca