Re: [Leica] V35 enlarger prices/dealers

[Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>]

At 02:17 PM 11/8/01 EST, Teresa299@aol.com wrote:
>I mainly do 35mm (some6x7) and do black and white.  From checking out the
LUG 
>digest, it looks like the V35 is a great enlarger if one is willing to just 
>do 35mm enlargements.
>
>QUESTION:  can folks reccommend dealers for enlargers?  offer reasonable 
>ballpark figures for V35s? (by that meaning enlarger, VC head, 40mm 2.8
lens, 
>board, instructions).  Prices seem to range from crazy ($1,700) to crazy 
>($600) and whilst I'm fully capable of checking out the online auction site 
>that shall remain nameless, I don't always think their prices (or sellers) 
>are necessarily representative of reality.  Hence, the post to Leica users.

V35's commanded really high prices until a decade back, when the pollution
... er, infusion of digital stuff caused many to close down their
darkrooms.  V35's had been the staple enlarger in many smaller newspapers,
for instance, and their digitalization has put a lot of these fine machines
on the market.  $1,700 would have been a decent price in 1991;  today, $600
is a tad high, though not "crazy":  they tend to go for between $600 and
$800 on e-Bay.

One suggestion, though:  the VC head is quite nice but a bit rare and more
expensive.  The color head is more common and expands your capabilities to
include RA-4/EP-2 and Ilfochrome as well.

There are no "dealers" specializing in Leitz and Leica enlargers, to my
knowledge, though the "usual suspects"  (Brooklyn Camera, PacRim, Mid-West,
Ritz-in-Phoenix, &c) have them from time to time.

Marc

msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bąs fir gun ghrąs fir!

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