Great To Have Options

I was not getting the contrast I wanted with the Durst 8x10 diffusion 184 enlarger, so I changed off to to another enlarger option for 5x7,  my sweet Durst 138S condenser. I have never made a serious print with the Durst 138S (just got it last year free from Jack) but I think it will become a very important tool in my future, especially for all my 5x7 work. The coming "Forgotten Laughter" project should yield dozens of important 5x7 negs, I can print them with the 138S. I have grown to really love the condenser enlarger look, there is a sharpness and contrast to the grain I enjoy. The condensers give me the look I want.

My Durst 138S 5x7 condenser enlarger with 210mm lens and my 2nd 20x24 Saunders 4 blade paper easel.

The first test strips of the dad negative I have run through the Durst 138S are giving me much more contrast. I am using filter number 5 with this rather flat negative and I am finally getting the kick I wanted out of the prints. Having lots of options in your darkroom is certainly the way to go. I have 7 enlargers in my space, most do different things well. Because I have the Durst condenser 5x7 138S (thanks Jack) I can make a print the way I want to make it.

Options, options, options baby, always a good thingy. I hope all these beautiful tools will help me along the long long road to becoming a world class, master printer.

Update* I think this print has more life to it than the scanned photoshop version from the "Haunted" blog entry of yesterday. The latest version of the photograph contains 2 dodges and 7 burns.
Scanned Photoshop Version

Here is the latest attempt, the red dot is a safelight reflected in the water.

Detail of latest Durst 183S enlarger print (3rd attempt), photograph is in my darkroom tray print washer.