Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Like Mark, I love the Aristo VC head. Like Mark, I don't believe the common statement that diffusion heads give better tonality, I figure that a condensor head increases contrast by about 1/2 a grade, but if you take this into account I can't tell the difference between condensor and diffusion enalrgements. However, diffusion heads are more forgiving of physical imperfections in the negative: in my experience condensors accentuate longitudnal scratches in the film while diffusers hide them. Jonathan Lee - -----Original Message----- From: Mark Rabiner [mailto:mrabiner@concentric.net] Sent: Monday, October 04, 1999 2:44 PM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: Re: [Leica] Aristo enlarger light sources Jegerken@aol.com wrote: > > I am considering going from a tungsten condenser to a cold light source in my 23C. Does anyone have experience with Aristo products? > Thanks, > Jim Gerken I have been a big pusher of the Aristo newer VC cold light head on the lug over a year and a half. I've had the VC head with its two individually controlled lights for 3 years before that I used their regular cold light heads since before that in the mid '80s. In the late softies I bought, still own a 5x7 Beseler enlarger with built in cold light that I don't believe I've mentioned here on the list that I used for the years before that but needs to be converted to quickstart (Have a heater put in). I'd guess Allen Johnson at Aristo was the source behind that enlarger for Beseler. He still often answers the Phone at Aristo. I have a long conversation with him about once per decade. Three so far. If your questions get too specific I'll answer them off list as to not bore everybody as they've heard much on this from me already. Needless to say I'd strongly recommend them. But not because I believe they reduce spotting or produce a better tonality. I've done direct comparison testing and found both those issues to be false. The big issue for me is first neg popping and second with the new VC the ease of split printing, you just flip a switch: and that's a whole different ballgame! But there is a varible switch on it too. Mark Rabiner