Buying guides
Read one of these before you buy. They cover checking a used enlarger from the listing photos to the first print, choosing your first one, condenser, diffusion and color heads, the carriers, condensers and lenses each format needs, and moving a big enlarger home. New to darkroom gear? Start with how to check one.
How to check a used enlarger
What to check on a used enlarger, from the carriers and condensers for your format to the lamp, bellows, alignment, lens board, power and freight.
Read the guide →Choosing your first enlarger
How to pick a first used enlarger by the biggest negative you shoot, the light source you want, the parts still around and the room you have.
Read the guide →Condenser, diffusion and color heads
How condenser, diffusion, dichroic color, VC and cold light enlarger heads differ in contrast, dust and lamps, and what that means for a used buy.
Read the guide →Carriers, condensers and lenses for used enlargers
Which negative carriers, condensers, mixing boxes, lens boards and lens focal lengths a used enlarger needs to print 35mm through 4x5 negatives.
Read the guide →Moving a big enlarger
How heavy big enlargers are, how the makers packed them, and how to take one apart, move it and set it up square again. Pickup or freight.
Read the guide →