Re: [Leica] LUG Darkroom User Survey

["JeffS" <segawa@netone.com>]

Count me in here, too.  I really don't care for working in the darkroom very
much, but my last experience in having my black and white work processed
commercially suggested that I could hardly do worse myself.

Most of my gear was purchased at swap meets for a fraction of the original
price, often, it's a current model, which has seen some neglect, and I'm
good at refurbishing these.

Enlarger: Omega C760XL w/colorhead
Lenses: Schneider Componon-S, 80/5.6, 50/2.8
Safelight: Hewlett-Packard (automobile LED 3rd brakelight, salvaged 12VDC
power supply)
Densitometer: Kodak Color Model 1
Voltage stabilizer: Sola 250w CVT (great for hifi and computers too)
Misc: Micromega grain focuser (paid $80, but what a great tool!!)

I paid around $600 for the lot, over a period of about 2 years. I want to
replace the C760 with a 4x5 enlarger with handier adjustment screws, and
replace a mechanical GraLab timer with a digital model. Film processing is
all done in a Jobo CPE-2+, which alone, cost nearly as much as all else
(I've found CPAs and CPPs for great prices, but where to put the big thing).
I really have no room for trays, and find 11x14's incredibly awkward. I plan
to try out a Nova slot processor.

I imagine that I might be able to see the diffs between some fancy
apochromatic enlarging lens and my $100 Schneiders, but I was more concerned
with improving my own printing technique and figured that'd make a much
bigger difference in my case.

To date, I've somehow never managed to spend $2,000 (not US dollars, anyhow)
on any single piece of photographic equipment; guess I'm just a slacker :-)

Jeff

- -----Original Message-----
From: D Khong <dkhong@pacific.net.sg>
>At the latest count on Sat, 6th Feb in my time zone, there were 34 of us
>who are into darkroom printing.  Assuming that the actual number of
>darkroom enthusiasts is correct this would work out to about 5 percent of
>the LUG.
>
>The Focotar-2 is highly regarded amongst those who have used and tested it,
>and many would put its performance on par with the best that Nikon,
>Schneider and Rodenstock has to offer.
>
>I am sure many of use would love to see Solms bring out a top notch
>enlarging lens at least for the 35mm format.   If people are willing to
>spend $2000 or more on a camera lens alone, a $x99.99 APO-Focomat-3 is a
>very reasonable investment to bring out the best in the best.  Solms should
>explore this corner of the market seriously.