Bessler 23cII Black and Blue?

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Im looking at a Bessler 23cII for my first enlarger, Ive notice that theres a Black model and a Blue Model?, Whats the Diffrence? Is this a decent enlarger to start with? Im wanting to use 35mm and 6x7 negs, what would be the best lense size for these two? and can I use the same lense for both? Im going to do some 35mm but my main use will be with the 6x7 negs. Thanks and any other advice you can give will allways be appriciated.

-- Mark (Mark4583@aol.com), January 10, 2001

Answers

You are talking about a used enlarger, as the 23C is currently at rev III.

In the II series, the oldest one I've seen was grey, then moving towards today, green, blue, then black. They went from blue to black for cosmetics only and this is the only change they made at the time. Later, however, they changed the lensboard. The older units have filters that slide behind the lens. While this is a better place for the filter, nobody makes filters for the enlareger that fit the slot. You could mount your own, but it seems like a hassle to me. Or you could make a filter holder for below the lens, which is easy.

The blue and black ones are fine enlargers, the other colors are quite old now, and may be showing their age. The 23C is a fine enlarger. Beseler is still in business, so you can get spare parts if needed. You can go up to 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 (6x9 cm) with this enlarger, thus the model number. Don't worry about color: pick the unit that's in better mechanical condition.

Use a 50 mm lens for 35mm work, and an 90 to 105 mm lens for 6x7. I recommend a 6-element lens from one of the big 3 enlarger lens manufacturers: Schneider, Nikon, or Rodenstock. You can't really go wrong with these lenses. If you're on a tight budget, you might compromise with a 4-element lens, but your best payback in image quality will be with the best lens.

You could use the longer lens for 35mm, but you'll be limited in your enlargement size, and the quality might suffer a litte.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), January 10, 2001.


>The older units have filters that slide behind the lens. While this >is a better place for the filter, nobody makes filters for the >enlareger that fit the slot.

Au contraire. There are loads of Polycontrast filters, as well as Ilford filters, and others out there which are easily used in that slot. Also, they have a black filter holder into which you can insert your own gelatine filter.

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), January 11, 2001.


Mark:

The old Polycontrast filters do not match filters for current paper (the colors are different density). I wasn't aware that the other options were available.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), January 11, 2001.


If you find one with a Dicro S color head it has color corection filters. You can combine the yellow and magenta to replicate the polycontrast filters. It takes some practice to figure it out but it works.

Rob

-- Rob Kunz (rlkunz@quadrant.net), January 11, 2001.


In regards to wanting to print 6x7 on your 23C, I'd recommend an 80mm lens minimum. That's the shortest length that will allow you to print 6x7. I have a Nikon 80mm EL and a 23C, and the results have been tremendous. Easy to use and the lens is sharp and contrasty.

Jon Osing

-- Jon Osing (josing@bcr.com), January 16, 2001.



I use a blue 23cII with two wooden clothespins zip-tied together in an "L" shape to hold my polymax filters, great enlarger...

-- Jason Tuck (jtuck80@csi.com), January 28, 2001.

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