Enlargers

In traditional photography, the enlarger plays a very important role because without it processing of negative to positive is just impossible. There are many different enlargers available but they all follow the same sort of structure.

The main components of the Enlarger are the Head, Baseboard and support. The head supplies the light and has a photographic bulb that can withstand the stresses of being turned on and off much better than a standard household bulb. There is no printed information on the bulbs surface as it would interfere with the light pattern which is evenly distributed by the use of a diffuser. 

The enlarger also has a condenser lens to gather light and focus it evenly onto the negative. The lens focuses the picture sharply onto the print surface this process also highlights any dust spots and marks on the negative which is why it is vital to ensure the negative is as clean as possible.

The baseboard provides a secure base for the unit and must be secure and stable to eliminate any possibility of shake . The column supports the head so that it is directly above the baseboard.

As with your camera, the lens is a crucial feature. However, it works in the opposite manner as the the lens-to-image distance is much greater than the lens-to-subject distance. The lens will determine the quality of the final image more than any other part of the enlarger.

Nowadays there is vast range of enlargers that can be found in the market so to choose the best one you really need an experienced hand as you could end up spending much more than you need to.

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