Gast
I’m looking for a 13x18 enlarger and happened to come across the Kienzle website. Among other things, they offer the C 138 model, which looks very interesting as it’s very compact. I’ve never heard of this manufacturer before – can anyone with first-hand experience tell me anything about this company’s equipment?
cfb_de
Hi Karin,
Mr Kienzle runs a mechanical engineering firm that’s been around for decades, producing the very finest in Swabian engineering. Absolutely brilliant machines. But they also come with a hefty price tag (unfortunately? I can’t afford them).
Just consider the fact that Kienzle still produces brand-new spare parts for machines that are sixty years old... A friend of mine has one of these in his darkroom; compared to that, an expensive Durst is nothing but a tin can.
In the photo lab where I help out now and then (when the black-and-white lab technician can’t make it due to her age), there’s a Kienzle unit from the late 80s. Solid metal, incredibly precise. Simply brilliant.
If I had the cash for a decent new machine like that... I’d buy a Kienzle in a heartbeat.
On the other hand, for 13x18 prints, I’d also consider one of those cheap ‘Teufel’ wall-mounted units on eBay. It’s 1950s engineering and, with the right filters, does everything you could ask for. Although: anyone who can afford a new S-Class isn’t going to be looking for a second-hand Audi 200.
Best regards,
Franz [jealous, because I’ve ‘only’ got a Durst and a Meopta at home]
PhilippReichmuth
Hello Karin,
We have a very old Kienzle enlarger for 6x9 in our university darkroom, next to a Durst and a Kaiser for 6x6, which look absolutely tiny in comparison. The head of the photography department found it in the bulky waste (!!!). It could be an earlier model of the A69S; it certainly looks very similar.
The unit is superbly built and a pleasure to use. The lens system with autofocus and revolver is extremely practical. However, this fine piece of kit does have a few quirks that enlargers of this design often have (no filter drawer); though this doesn’t apply to your model.
All in all, a very nice piece of kit; if they’re all like this, I can recommend it without hesitation.
Philipp
Gast
Hi Karin,
I used to work with Kienzle machines myself (in a large laboratory) and can tell you:
If you can afford it, buy one! There are certainly other good machines in the 13 x 18 format, but Kienzle is among the best available: robust, reliable, durable, and they offer excellent service too – including spare parts for ancient machines (should you ever need them).
In short, you really can’t go wrong with this purchase.
Best regards,
Lothar
