Krokus 35 Color SL

hey everyone,

 

i have the chance to buy a Krokus 35 Color SL with a Schneider-Kreuznach Componar 50mm f3.5 M39 lens on it.

 

the price would be around 50 dollars. i have never done any darkroom work, accept film developing, i do not have access to a darkroom, i am just moving into a new apartment where i can set up a darkroom.

 

would it be a valid enlarger? for this price?

 

other than the chemicals, trays and tongs, and lights, what would i have to buy ?

 

thank you very much.

Edited October 17, 2017 by William Michael

shopping list:

• easel
  
• Multigrade filters (if your model has a filter drawer and not an entire color head)
  
• spare bulb (maybe challenging to get)
  

I used a Krokus 3 in the past but am not familiar with your model. With mine centering the light bulb was a bit of a challenge. Built quality was on the solid end and cranking the head up and down comparably physically demanding. Krokus is surely no "legendary" brand in the west like Beseler or ... But if you get it going it should be an usable enlarger.

The included lens is probably "less spectacular" too.

Still, if you are using average glass and fast film for captures, you should be able to get decent 8x10"s out of that rig. If you are using ultra slow fine grain film from a tripod, you might fancy looking for something else.

The price looks not like "a steal" but still fair to me, but I haven't shopped for darkroom stuff for a while.

I haven't shopped for darkroom stuff for a while.

Looked a bit today online. Some of the prices were astonishingly high -- I was amazed. The better / more capable enlargers were not too bad, unless you needed them shipped -- pick up only was almost the rule.

Viv1, do you expect to do color developing and printing or just black and white?

 

It makes a huge difference in what you will need to buy and what you will need to learn.

The main let down will be that 4 element Componar lens. Look around for a decent 6 element Componon-S or Rodagon.

 

Krokus were cheaply made but serviceable enlargers. Check that everything is parallel - negative carrier to lensboard, and neg carrier to baseboard - and that's about all you need from an enlarger.

hey guys thank you very much. i tried to drop the price down a little, but he didn't move a bit, so i did not get it. i am looking at a different enlarger, i will go see it in person, but the person selling it does not know much about it. i would get it for 30 dollars !!! i have some pictures... any ideas ?

So the red filter below the lens is missing... - there are bigger deal breakers and makeshift solutions should work well enough. - Lens looks worse than the Componar you just skipped. - Clarifying: it is likely to work well enough to get you started. I wasn't disappointed by my PZO Amar and Matar lenses. I can't read what is in the picture you linked. I am also not familiar with every odd enlarger ever made. - Is it a Meopta? Or does the way the lensboard is mounted hint towards Durst? - Make sure it comes with the negative carriers you'll need and the hopefully right condensor + has some filter drawer.

Best of luck & lots of fun with it!

here is another image, i am really struggling to find anything around here. i am in italy. i would really rather find a 'bundle'

Looks like a Meopta with crummy Belar lens and missing baseboard.

 

Sure, it's cheap enough, but you're pretty much getting what you pay for.

 

Are there no bricks & mortar auction houses in Italy? Here in the UK there are specialist photo auctions and camera "fairs" where darkroom gear is regularly sold. I would have thought Italy would be awash with decent old Durst enlargers.

hey Joe, it is a lot harder than i thought to find one of these things !! i'll keep you guys updated !! thanks a lot

There are more people getting out of darkroom work than getting in, so often they go for a low price or free.

 

I never used the red filter, so wouldn't miss that.

 

Watch out for enlargers without a negative holder, though.

 

Otherwise, check for all the parts. Check inside for missing condenser lenses.

 

Check for loose parts or missing screws.

 

USD 30.00 isn't a bad price.

 

You still need things like trays, chemicals, bottles, a thermometer, enlarging timer.

All those aren't all that expensive, but can often be overpriced.