dl8ram
Hello experts,
What options are there for adjusting a condenser light to produce a soft light?
Looking forward to your replies
Alois
Wolf_XL
...so if you're lucky, the colour-mixing head that fits your enlarger will provide the light you need... Or you could build your own light source based on the integrating sphere principle...
Hobbyknipser
Hello,
Is there actually any point in placing a kind of ground glass screen in the filter drawer (if there is one)?
And if so, what should you use? Frosted glass, etched glass, or does it not matter?
Does it make a difference whether the frosted glass is positioned above, below or between the condenser?
Otherwise, in my opinion, the true U-ball principle isn’t really
suitable for an enlarger. A proper U-ball does provide completely diffuse, non-directional light, but
it suffers from an extreme loss of brightness compared to a direct light source.
You’d simply have to use a very powerful light source.
Best regards – Henryk
dl8ram
Hi Wolf,
I didn’t actually want it to be quite that elaborate :)
So, here are some possible candidates for a conversion:
Liesegang 35mm from the Wilhelminian era
Durst F60
Opemus 4
You can buy mixing chambers separately for (I’m not sure which) Meopa enlargers.
Couldn’t we make something out of that?
Best regards,
Alois
cfb_de
Hi Henryk,
Yes, that does make a difference. That’s what I do with my Opemus-5. It has a colour head with an integrating sphere and a condenser on it, and even that is a bit too harsh for me now and then.
I can’t confirm the loss of brightness. The thing is *much* too bright for 6x6 and still *too* bright for 35mm. The condenser underneath also ensures even illumination and, as you say, harder lighting. I can’t explain it, I just work with it. The differences compared to the Durst M605 with its mixing chamber system are visible.
Alois,
only the really old grey colour heads without dichroic filters fit the Opemus-4. They’re no fun to use these days because the filters have faded or lost their colour.
Mixing boxes are only available for the new colour heads for the Opemus-6. Pick one up on eBay; they go for well under 100, including the colour head. It’s actually a scandal for such good equipment.
Best regards,
Franz
piu58
My old Opemus 4 came with a diffuser plate that you could place over the condenser. It was meant to soften the harsh light a bit. It’s not a proper light mixer, though.
Old colour-mixing filters are still usable, though, and much better than the condenser. You’ll just have to keep using the drawer filters.
dl8ram
Hi Uwe,
So, have a look for a colour filter for the 4 and just carry on as usual.
I don’t really care much about multigrade printing. I mostly use up old Orwo, AGFA or Ilford paper
with a fixed gradient.
As I’m not really an ‘artist’, I’m currently focusing more on the basics and the ‘technical’
side of things.
I hope that once I’ve mastered the craft, those lucky shots will actually turn into proper photos :)
Best regards,
Alois
Wolfgg
Hello Alois,
‘Softest light’ means that the light shines over the film ‘in all directions’ (i.e. across the entire solid angle above it). The easiest way to achieve this is with a ground glass screen a few millimetres above the film, positioned just far enough from the lens focus so that the vignetting no longer appears in the enlargement. Tip: Remove the condenser and insert the ground glass screen, and line the lamp housing with aluminium foil. For testing purposes, the ground glass screen can also be simulated using thin paper (carbon paper, greaseproof paper).
Regards, Wolfgang
dl8ram
Hi Wolfgang,
With three enlargers, one of them should be able to be adjusted so that it softens the image a bit :)
I’m hoping this will allow for some adjustment of the gradation.
I’ll have a look at the enlargers to see which one is easiest to adjust.
What I’m actually most worried about is uneven exposure.
The Durst isn’t exactly top-notch in that respect anyway.
Best regards,
Alois
Wolfgg
Hi Alois,
If the light conditions allow, you could place two ground glass screens on top of each other, say 5 cm apart, to improve the illumination.
Best regards, Wolfgang
dl8ram
Hi Wolfgang,
I think it’s more of a space issue than a light issue.
Best regards,
Alois
