Zone VI Enlarger

I am thinking about buying a ZoneVI enlarger and I need a few answers

from the people who have them. The enlarger I am going to purchase

was purchased fron ZoneVI studios back in 1995. The owner says it

covers 5x7 but he has never used this enlarger to print 5x7 just 4x5.

I've heard about a type 1 and a type 2 enlarger and the owner says he

knows nothing of these two types. I'm worried maybe he was told it

could print 5x7 or maybe the instructions say that but it is in fact

the type that can't(type 1 I think). Now maybe back in 1995 there was

no type 1 or type 2 and they could all print 5x7? Also are there any

markings on the enlarger that could help us out. The owner says he

used with a compensating timer which he does not have anymore. Do I

need this timer? The head is for graded paper and has a photo cell.

I have never used a coldlight head and I've just heard so much stuff

my head is kind of spinnnnnnning. Any Info would be a big help. I

also have a 210 lens on the way but do I need a special lens board?

I'm clueless.

It's easy to tell the difference between a Type 1 and Type 2 Zone VI enlarger. (I have the former.) The Type 1 has one column that holds the lens stage. The Type 2 has two columns that hold the lens stage.

 

PRO'S: Type 1 instead of Type 2

 

>> I've heard that the Type 1 has a brighter light source and does a better job on roll film or 35mm. While I've never compared mine to a Type 2, I have no problem enlarging from medium format. But, I've never tried 35mm film.

 

>> I had no problem fitting a Type 2 8x10 head to my Type 1 enlarger. It was easy.

 

>> Calumet currently sells motorized focusing motors that can be used only on the Type 1. They don't make a motorized focusing device for the Type 2.

 

PROS: Type 2 instead of Type 1.

 

>> The original Type 1 does not print 5x7 negatives. It was designed as an oversized 4x5 enlarger, which it does well. Calumet upgraded the Type 1 head to something that could be used for 5x7, but it still exhibited some falloff towards the edges. One still needed to edge burn to take this into account. In contrast, the Type 2 has abundant coverage for 5x7.

 

>> Much easier to obtain accessories for Type 2. There's only a couple of negative carriers that one can purchase new for the Type 1. Used negative carriers rarely appear on EBay, if at all. For example, there's a 4x5 negative carrier that holds the film flatter. This was never made for the Type 1.

 

>> The negative stage for the Type 2 is larger, enabling one to have a larger selection of usable 8x10 enlarging lenses for the Type 2.

 

>> The Type 2 has a feedback to maintain a stable light output. One must use a compensating timer with the Type 1 to obtain a stable light output.

 

>> The Type 2 would have a better resale value than the Type 1.

 

>> The alignment system is better designed on the Type 2, versus the Type 1.

 

>> Because the Type 2 has two columns supporting the lens stage, it's more stable. But, both are OK.

 

With all this, I like my Type 1 a lot. I had a chance to upgrade very inexpensively, and decided to stick with what I had.

I have an older (1992) Zone VI catalog and they listed the Bessler 4X5 enlarger with the Zone VI cold light head installed as their enlarger offering at that time. I would imagine that you would have the Type I enlarger and as I recall this was supposedly a advertised as a 5X7 enlarger but was only shown as capable of enlarging 4x5. As I recall, the 5X7 designation was an advertising claim supporting the ruggedness and stability of the enlarger. During this time Zone VI did not offer an 8X10 enlarger and they never produced a 5X7 camera, so I doubt that they ever offered an enlarger that was equipped with negative carriers etc for that format.

 

With the type two enlarger came both the 4X5 and 8X10 enlargers (still no 5X7 camera). I have not used either the type one or type two enlargers although the type two carries a more favorable reputation.

 

If you plan to print with graded papers the enlarger that you are considering will work fine. If you decide to print VC papers you will probably need to add appr. 40 yellow in addition to your VC filters.

 

Regarding the coldlight...coldlights have a tendency to suppress dust in printing...they will produce excellent prints, but they do have the inherent tendency to vary in brightness as they are used. This is why Zone VI developed the cold light stabilizer which you say is not a part of this enlarger. I have one of those units that I was going to use with another cold light head, but ultimately ended up buying a newer enlarger. If you decide to purchase the enlarger and want the stabilizer, then I might consider selling it. The stabilizers are no longer made.

 

If you want to print 4X5 negatives, the lens that you have coming is too long...more adequately should be a 135 or preferably a 150. I hope that I have given you some information which is useful to your decision. Good luck.

 

Regards,

 

Donald Miller

As Neil has pretty much covered the enlarger issue, let me add info on the Compensating Timer. Since you would be getting the cold-light head with a photo cell installed (any head can be upgraded, an easy thing to do) then here is what the timer does:

 

- the photo cell monitors the output of the cold-light head at all times, this type of light is not very stable and its output varies all the time

 

- stabilizers were to do just that, make the output as uniform as possible so after you established your exposure time you could rely on the stabilizer to get the same for the final print

 

- Compensating timer adjusts its timing based on the signal it receives from the photo-cell, this is done internally and it basically either lengthens or shortens each time click, this means that the actual time elapsed between each click is most of the time NOT what the click timing was set to, usually one second but user adjustable. It works very well, I can personally attest to that (no stabilizer here needed, although I've read of people who would put it in anyway, not exactly believing in the compensating idea)

 

- This timer also gives you the Dry Down adjustment. It deals with the print darkening as it dries up. Since you would usually view your test prints wet, you set this knob to zero. Once you find the exposure time, you would then dial in, earlier established through testing, dry down. This also works quite well.

 

- It also has brightness control so you can adjust exposure time by changing lamp output rather than aperture on the lens.

 

All in all, this timer works very well and I would always choose it over any stabilzer. Also remember, should you decide to change the light source later on, that it can be fitted to ANY head, not just a cold-light. While the price has always been quite steep (still $399 at Calumet) you can try eBay. You won't see it there too often, but it does happen.

Thanks for all the input guys. From what you have said and little other research I have decide that this enlarger is probably type 1 and I think I will pass on it. The reason being the coverage on 5x7 is not that great, the missing compensating timer and having a hard time simmply finding a type one carrier. From what you have told me we should be able to tell what type it is by how many supports go down to hold the lens board part. Let me know if I'm wrong. I just looked at one on the calumet site and the two rods going down to support the lensboard meaning that it is a type II correct?

Zone VI came out with an adaptor to marry a Beseler color head to the Type 1 enlarger. Calumet offered these for awhile, and I purchased the last one. As I understand it, they continue to offer such an adaptor for the Type 2.

 

While this adaptor was intended for Beseler products, it's easy to adapt an Omega D2V condenser head to the Zone VI chassis using this adaptor. (I've done this.) Some people prefer condenser heads for small negatives.

 

A few years ago, Midwest Photo Exchange had a Type 1 8x10 enlarger for sale. So, they exist. But, I've not seen one for sale since that time.

John: I have a Zone VI type one bought in '93 to complement my wife's Deardorff gift (5x7-4x5). It came with a 4x5 and 5x7 carrier. It has the 2 grid configuration - green for low contrast and blue for high contrast . Adjusting the rheostats changes the the intensity of the blue and green lights and permits an infinite variety of contrast grades with VC papers. I never had to use a #40 yellow filter as mentioned before. For the compensating timer, I bought a Metrolux II with dual purpose i.e. as a timer and as a shutter tester.I never had any problems with fall off illumination on my 5x7 prints since I use a 210 f5.6 Componon S. For the aligment, I have a Zig-Align tool. Any large enlarger has to be align periodicaly. Next year or so, I bought a 35 carrier as well a 6x6 and 6x9. Make sure you buy one with the XL column (63'') or the wall mount configuration versus the normal (47'')column. For 35mm, the 50mm Nikkor, 6x6 and 6x9 the 105 Nikkor and, for the 4x5 a 150mm Componon S. The Zone VI are capable of wonderful prints specially if you use the double printing method with the green and blue lights and to me, better than my Nikor color head enlarger. For 8x10 I use contact printing. Regard, Tito.