Enlarger lamp

Making your print in the darkroom
Photomark
Posts: 38
Joined: 16 Jun 2013, 17:43
Location: Central Coast NSW

Enlarger lamp

Postby Photomark » 17 Jun 2013, 10:20

Hello all , new to the forum here with a question or two

Anyway I am just getting set up in 4x5 printing , I have a Omega D2 condenser enlarger.

Looking for a good replacement lamp for it , I have always used the Photocressenta lamps but I am unable to find any 150 watt and the 75watt are just to dim for me.

Vanbar do not have anything .

I was thinking of rigging up a 50 watt LED , any one ever done this ?

Any other lamps that are suitable ?

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Enlarger lamp

Postby Walter Glover » 17 Jun 2013, 10:38

I suspect that an LED may not work with the optical system of a condensor enlarger.

Trty Ben Boardman on 03 5786 5060. If anyone knows he will.

Cheers,
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

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Maris
Posts: 882
Joined: 27 Jul 2012, 16:02
Location: Noosa

Re: Enlarger lamp

Postby Maris » 17 Jun 2013, 11:10

I run an Omega D2V enlarger with a 75 watt Photocresenta bulb and the brightness is ample to enlarge a 4x5 neg up to 16x20. But a dense negative does mean exposures more than a minute so I try to avoid those overexposed/overdeveloped mistakes. Importantly the Omaga D condenser head is rated for a 75watt bulb at maximum and a 150watt bulb will overcook the lamphouse usually by burning out the lampholder or the bulb base. When I really need extra brightness I use a 150w Photocresenta bulb in an old Gilkon 4x5 enlarger that I got for free. If it fries it fries but I still worry about shortened bulb life with rare and $$$ Photocresenta lamps.

Photomark
Posts: 38
Joined: 16 Jun 2013, 17:43
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: Enlarger lamp

Postby Photomark » 17 Jun 2013, 11:49

Yes I know the enlarger is only rated at 75 watt however I have tested it with a 150 watt left on for over 1 hour and there was no real heat build up to worry me at all , certainly not enough to worry all that aluminum in the lamp house with exposures under 60 seconds with a 25% duty cycle or less.

I like using a 150 watt as it keeps my exposure shorter and I print a lot at 50 x 60.

I was wandering about lamp alternatives as I know the time will come when I will not have any more photocressenta bulbs left.

I still have a spare 150 and a dozen 75 watt bulbs but when these run out what can be used in there place.

I guess some experimentation will be my best bet

smbooth
Posts: 405
Joined: 29 Jul 2012, 00:20

Re: Enlarger lamp

Postby smbooth » 18 Jun 2013, 11:31

Tony Egan has done a conversion using a single 30 w LED here. You may wish to read through the thread.
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum43/1167 ... 138-a.html

Photomark
Posts: 38
Joined: 16 Jun 2013, 17:43
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: Enlarger lamp

Postby Photomark » 19 Jun 2013, 08:48

Thank you Shane .

All I have at the moment are a few 100watt LEDs and I think they are way to bright .

I can get 50 watt but I think a 30 watt would be more than enough.


I did do some experiments a few years back with my 6x6 condenser enlarger and simply sat a cheap LED torch on top of the condenser and did a print from that , the only think wrong with it was that I could see the individual LED light sources from the torch , it did however print ok , I just never got around to doing a proper job of it and high power LEDs where not as available as they are now.

Incandescent bulbs are on there way out , I dont even know where I can get a 150 watt photocressenta bulbs any more and the only 75 watt bulbs I can find are on eBay , I am wondering if they are even made at all anymore.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Enlarger lamp

Postby Walter Glover » 19 Jun 2013, 09:37

Why do I get the sense that we are headed back to light through a ducted skylight as they used over 100 years ago?
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

Photomark
Posts: 38
Joined: 16 Jun 2013, 17:43
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: Enlarger lamp

Postby Photomark » 19 Jun 2013, 22:33

Walter Glover wrote:Why do I get the sense that we are headed back to light through a ducted skylight as they used over 100 years ago?


Cyanotype printing as well I guess

Film Photography = technology in regression :(


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