Best enlarger for the Ilford 500 variable contrast head

[Ian David]

Somewhere I think I read that the DeVere 504 can rotate the negative. Is that right? And does it work also with strips of, say 4 negatives? It would be very convenient as I mostly do 4,5x6 and I always have to bend my neck in an uncomfortable position to see if the horizon is level when doing landscapes on this format.
Hans

Hans
On my 504, I have a glass 4x5 sandwich (as well as the standard metal holders for the various formats) so I can clamp my negatives in the carrier whichever way I wish, with the only barrier being the back edge of the carrier.
Ian

[Andrew4x5]

The Ilford Multigrade 500 system fits many enlargers - however, each enlarger needs a dedicated adapter (and, for some enlargers, such as Beseler, dedicated mixing boxes).

In practice, the best solution is to buy a working system (enlarger + multigrade head)

[DAP]

I would second the recommendation of buying an enlarger with the 500 system already installed. One warning though - make sure you get the mixing boxes and the plates that the boxes rest on with the enlarger/ilford head (it is not uncommon to see ilford 500 equipped enlargers sold w/ the mixing boxes missing - they tend to get lost in the shuffle when these systems change hands...and tracking them down can be a royal PITA). In the States, Omega D/ilford 500 setups seem to be the most popular ilford 500 variants by far (something to keep in mind if you need to track down mounts, boxes, etc.) I would imagine that in your location Dursts and DeVeres would be the most common variants. In any case, you made a good choice...the Ilford 500 system is a joy to use (and enough of them were sold to ensure that 2nd hand parts/donors will be available for quite awhile)

[youngrichard]

The diffuser box is a "soft box", but still the light gets condensed by the Leitz condensers. I've seen solutions where someone built a diffuser which should replace the condenser of the Focomat. (If I recall correctly it consisted of probably 3 layers of opal glass.) While the results were acceptable they had totally lost what I personally interpret as the "Focomat signature". I.e. (still in my mind) they were softer in both sharpness and contrast.

//Björn

My Focomat 11c has the 500H mounted directly over the negative stage. I think Ilford must have sold 2 adaptor kits for the 11c as I have seen pictures of 11cs with the 500h mounted above the condensers. But mine is not a bodge job, it is a genuine Ilford adaptor kit. It saves height as I have limited ceiling space.
Richard

[edtbjon]

My Focomat 11c has the 500H mounted directly over the negative stage. I think Ilford must have sold 2 adaptor kits for the 11c as I have seen pictures of 11cs with the 500h mounted above the condensers. But mine is not a bodge job, it is a genuine Ilford adaptor kit. It saves height as I have limited ceiling space.
Richard

I've seen those too and they are good but (in my eyes) a tiny tad softer than the condenser version. But again, that is my opinion.

About the OP's question: The advice of finding a complete enlarger with an already fitted 500H is very good advice. As the OP lives in Holland, I recon that Durst, Leitz, Agfa and possbily DeVere are more common than the american enlargers (Beseler, Omega ...).

//Björn