Saunders LPL 6700

[mwooten]

Has anyone an opinion on the Saunders LPL 6700 Color enlarger? Can I use it for B/W printing? Thanks in advance.

Michael

[40oz]

I don't think it matters for B&W. The consideration would be I think you would want a color head for color enlarging, but with a color head for B&W, you don't need filters to use multi-grade paper.

Here is the only info I could find quickly re: that model:
http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=006zIG&tag=

[mwooten]

Thanks 40oz.
I just bought one. One day I'll get around to setting up a home darkroom.

Michael

[Pablito]

Saunders enlargers are excellent. Very durable. Generally better made and designed than Beseler or Omega, IMO.

[FrankS]

Printing B+W on an enlarger with a colour head lets you dial in the conrast grade you desire with the yellow and magenta knobs, and you don't have to use those drop in coloured contrast filters.

[mwooten]

I picked it up this morning. It looks great and only slightly used. It's amazing what $40 will buy these days.

Michael

[sepiareverb]

Only drawback to a colorhead over a VC Saunders is the lack of speed matched grades- if you change the contrast you'll need to change time also. You may get a feel for it and guess pretty close after a while. I have the 4500- aand after working with many enlargers over the years, and owning four before this one I find the Saunders the best built. Better than the Zone Vi, better than Beseler, better than Omega. Well, that Durst 10x10 was pretty darn nice- but best built that anyone can afford- hows that?

[FrankS]

Only drawback to a colorhead over a VC Saunders is the lack of speed matched grades- if you change the contrast you'll need to change time also. You may get a feel for it and guess pretty close after a while. I have the 4500- aand after working with many enlargers over the years, and owning four before this one I find the Saunders the best built. Better than the Zone Vi, better than Beseler, better than Omega. Well, that Durst 10x10 was pretty darn nice- but best built that anyone can afford- hows that?

Not so! The conrast is only affected by the magenta dial. The corresponding adjustment to the yellow dial compensates for light transmission and keeps it constant. Search the internet for settings (M,Y) for Sauders enlargers, for each contrast grade.

[wpb]

The exposure change for different contrast grades was included with the info supplied with Ilford paper. Use the "Kodak" column of the table. A small calculator or a pad a paper will need to be handy. I can send you the adjustments if needed, it is taped to my baseboard. Excellent enlarger in every respect and I have used (just about) them all. Do yourself a favor and start off with a fresh bulb, although it will seem relatively expensive.

I seem to recall the yellow filtration is for grades 0-2. There isn't enough yellow in the head to dial in 00, you would need a separate filter for that. No filtration gets you grade 2 1/2 and the times will be faster, good for proof sheets and test strips.

[sepiareverb]

Frank- I've seen these charts around, but have had poor success with them using the three Beseler colorheads at the college- had a student who was into figuring things out run some tests and he couldn't get it to work- I would not be at all surprised if Saunders had done this better too! These Beseler heads are old- so perhaps we are looking at aged filter factors also.

[Bryce]

I used to print B+W on a colorhead enlarger and found it very useful. No filters to fiddle with, and I never had problems with exposure from one contrast setting to another. Maybe that varies with the enlarger brand and condition?
I switched to a condenser type enlarger for a little more micro contrast and because I acquired a camera with larger negs than my old enlarger would handle.