Friday, September 19, 2014

Durst 1200 Enlarger With Condenser Head, Love It!!

I am working on my first show photo using my new Jack donated Durst 1200 enlarger with condenser head. This thing is a fricking joy to use, I think its claims of a sharper image (because of the condensers) and more contrast are true. I made a fibre print with the diffusion Saunders and now with the Durst condenser and there is a notable difference in sharpness. The square filters are a bit unwieldy to take in and out (no simple dials) but the negative is definitely sharper and more contrasty. I also changed my lens from my old El-Nikkor 50mm to Jacks El-Nikkor 50mm so that might be a contributing to the added sharpness factor. I can put up with changing square plastic filters manually if the final print is of better quality which I think it will be.

Another big difference is that my old Saunders is not as stable and the focus can shift sometimes after only a few minutes. With the Durst I set the focus and the neg is still sharp days later. I can feel confident that the negative is sharp and do not need to readjust focus each and every time I make a new print as I do with the Saunders LPL. This is a rigid and extremely well made machine. Durst makes the best enlargers I have ever used, whether it is my 8x10, 5x7 or 4x5 versions.

I am going to try to make beautiful prints that SING with this new machine. I hope to print everyday from now until the show. With dad's health and my 12 hour night shifts it will be hard to keep up that pace but I am going to give it a good try. I need to work hard on this, I do not get exhibitions often this will only be my 5th, I need to bare down and create special work. The goal is to at least do a little printing each and every day. Some days I might print for 15 hours other days for 1 or 2 hours. I need to be moving my printing in the positive daily direction. I need to tell the stories I want to tell with some beautiful powerful prints. This new enlarger will probably be my main tool for printing the February 2015 show.

Using the Tri-x negs with grain and the added sharpness from this enlarger should yield some world class prints. I just need to work hard and keep at it until I get it done. I should also be able to produce larger size photos from 35mm negs with this machine, large 20x24 prints should prove no problem now.

The proper tools make all jobs so much easier. If I ever do platinum printing I want to get a high end machine to do the printing with, none of these home made rinky dinky half assed things. Some of my photo acquaintances claim that the home made stuff is of equal quality, I do not by that, you get what you pay for. Quality is quality, home made is home made. You got to love the Durst, Leica, Linhof, Hasselblad, high end equipment makes everything go so much easier. Not only is it much more durable and reliable but it also simply functions better and  is easier to use.

Thanks Jack for giving me a world class enlarger.