B&W using colour enlarger

I have very little enlarger experience but have been using an LPL

Colour C7700 Pro enlarger with an el nikkor lens.

1) is this enlarger regarded as being good?

2) is it possible to print B&W using colour negatives and a colour

head or will i need to get a b&w head for the enlarger?

3)is it possible to buy a separate b&w head for the LPL 7700 and how

much are they.

cheers

Use the colour head and dial in the <a href="http://www.artzone.gr/paperzone/ilfcont.htm">appropriate Y and M values</a> if you're using multigrade paper. Contrast isn't as high as a condenser enlarger so you will need to go up a paper grade. On the other hand, dust marks won't be as obvious.

1) It's a very good enlarger. I've used nearly every make of enlarger going, and I find the combination of features on my own C7700 ideal.<p>2) Yes it's possible, and no, you don't need a separate B&W head. But you'll never get really satisfactory B&W prints from colour negatives unless you use special panalure paper.<p>3) Yes, and <i>too</i> much.<p>See Jobo's website for further details of the LPL range. Jobo seem to be doing a terrible job of distributing the LPL range, BTW. Parts and accessories were much more readily available before Jobo took over.

Just going back to panchromatic paper, I tried some of this once and it wasn't a happy experience. Contrast is low and it's awful to handle (like colour paper, complete darkness is the rule). Unless you have a processing drum, forget it.