Light source

Used diffusion enlargers

The light bounces around a mixing box or through a diffuser before it reaches the negative. That softens contrast by about a paper grade compared with a condenser, Omega's manual says, with no loss of sharpness, and it hides dust, scratches and retouching. Beseler's colorhead manual says the same about dusty negatives. This group includes variable-contrast heads like LPL's VCCE, where you dial a paper grade and the exposure stays the same. VCCE and color-type heads run low-voltage halogen lamps from a power supply, so make sure the supply and the right-sized mixing box come with it.

5 models we cover.