MorseBlog

I continue to have a dry-spell on my photography work. It is strange how I went from overflowing with projects and enthusiasm to to my current dry-spell. It seems to have been brought on my the COVID lockdown. I have thought perhaps I may not return but remind myself that I have spent months before and always returned with renewed energy. It will come back. In the mean time I am enjoying hanging out in my shop and reuniting with another older passion of woodworking . After I finished the shelves ( see prior post ) I had some leftover plywood and had been contemplating a problem I had with my 4x5 enlarger ‘The Beast’. The Beast is a Durst Laborator 54 enlarger. I picked this up for free and have always enjoyed it. When I picked it up it had a number of accessories. Among these are a set of 5 large condenser lenses which I had laying about the place conscious they were pretty vulnerable. The lenses are used in pairs according to the objective lens in use and size of the negative....

Two years ago I picked up 'The Beast' a Durst Laborator 54 Universal Camera 4x5 enlarger at the very satisfying price of free. I have installed it up in the top floor and have gotten some good use out of it but not often. I don't shoot a lot of 4x5 and print it less frequently. Recently however I have printed my 4x5 Gladiolas negative on it. I have also had my Fuji GSW 690 camera whose 6x9 negative does not fit my original Meopta enlarger as it can only handle up to 6x6 negatives and an old MPP 6x9 rollfilm holder for my Intrepid 4x5 MkIII. This experience has reminded me that I am missing some key components from the enlarger. Namely I need a 4x5 and a 6x9 mask. I have a 6x8, 35mm masks that came with it. Previously I found I could suspend a 4x5 negative in the negative holder but it is rather tenuous and difficult to place it in the right position. I also learned in my last round of printing that light leaks around the negative and can produce noticeable glare on t...