Definitive LED / Incandescent enlarger light bulb replacement thread

[LukeMunnell]

I went back and searched through topics from the past several years and couldn't find this one discussed so I'm hoping we can come together here and gather some good insight, testimonials and experience.

Proper replacement enlarger bulbs (mainly for B&W condenser types) are getting harder to source in 2019. CFLs and LEDs have taken over the market, at a time when darkroom bulbs are already just not in big demand.

I recently ordered some specified A19-style replacement bulbs (for my Omega D-Type variable condenser) in a variety of wattages from Ushiro and Osram from B&H and was disappointed at the quality. Ushiro's opaque coating was inconsistent and contained runs, and Osram's was simply too thin to evenly diffuse the filament.

There appear to be a number of good, 3000-3500K LED bulbs on the market w/thick opaque coatings, but none higher than 100w-equivalent output.

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:

What are you using, or what do you recommend, for this and any other condenser type head? Curious about incandescent and LED options, 3000-3500K temp range, even opaque coatings, 60-250w output (or equivalent). Brand name and retailer info hugely appreciated.

Thank you!

[ic-racer]

Ushiro's opaque coating was inconsistent and contained runs, and Osram's was simply too thin to evenly diffuse the filament.

194259

[Tin Can]

Ushio Enlarger Bulb PH212 150W

https://www.freestylephoto.biz/1001268-Ushio-Enlarger-Bulb-PH212-150W

With Variac on Beseler CB7 Condenser I reduce voltage for longevity.

I don't see a shortage of those bulbs yet.

500 and 250 watt long neck enlarger bulbs for Elwood 8X10/5X7 enlargers are getting rare, but I have enough.

I have tried LED bulbs in almost any darkroom/studio application I can think of.

LED is getting better every 6 months.

But if using traditional enlarging filters YMMV.

Beseler 8X10 Aristo 1212 V54 are still used but out of production.

NOS Beseler 23 III never looked at the bulb. Works like new.

Leitz Focomat V35 OE Color Module works fine as is.

Pere will have more data and suggestions.

[LukeMunnell]

194259

!!!

Thank you. Never knew these existed.

[LukeMunnell]

Nice list. I've read mostly accurate results with 3000-3500K (even 4000K) LED bulbs with even opal housings, in the past year or so, for B&W printing w/VC filters. Any experience with LEDs in color printing, yet?

[Tin Can]

I don't shoot color film.

DSLR and iPhone are better, cheaper and easier.

I was born watching B&W TV and prefer B&W flicks on my giant screen...

My hobby before this was buying, fixing and riding 100's of motorcycles for 52 years.

Got one left!

I also Dyno tested auto engines 30 years to earn Social Security benefits.

[Luis-F-S]

I buy NOS incandescent bulbs as they become available at auction. The older bulbs have much better coatings. L

[John Layton]

If we're talking definitive...then, by all means - Heiland VC LED.

[Tin Can]

Agree and I anticipate a purchase. https://heilandelectronic.de/led_devere_504_mk2


If we're talking definitive...then, by all means - Heiland VC LED.

[Pere Casals]

3000-3500K LED bulbs

For WB printing the good recomendation is using an RGB LED source, in that way you obtain an amazing Variable Contrast head that's also perfect for Split Grade. No filters anymore.

https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?153382-An-inexpensive-LED-enlarger-head-alternative&p=1510110&viewfull=1#post1510110


you can take say a 100W RGB LED that it would be equivalent to 400W - 800W (depending on replaced bulb efficiency), then you may DIY a half dome to emulate the bulb shape if you want, as the half dome is open refrigeration is easy. You can saw a regular plastic LED bulb in two halves.


194279

> Thermal (CPU) paste between the LED and the plate.
> Each darkroom timer triggers a relay which switches the R or G cables separately, often this is the easiest way.

Depending head design, some mirrors/box may be required to provide a good color mix, some RGB LEDs have a band for each color, nothing difficult.


For Split Grade printing no calibration is required, a calibration procedure may be required to balance G-B power/time exposure to nail the ilford grades.

When throwing G we see yellow-orange, as red is always On, when throwing B we see purple for the same reason, as with the ilford filters that always allow to pass red to see it better while burning/dodging.

[LukeMunnell]

If we're talking definitive...then, by all means - Heiland VC LED.

Yes, but this is definitive light bulb replacement thread. The Heiland is king, but more of a retrofit than a replacement.

[garry8]

I'll throw this out for anyone interested and I have no business agreement with the specific company. I've been looking for alternative bulbs for my condenser head, mainly LED types. And it was becoming very difficult to find anything that filled all the check points that the bulb should have.

I was searching for replacement PH212, PH211 bulbs and I happen to stumble across this company that has 75W and 150W LED bulbs that are fully glass bulbs without the usual LED plastic neck on the bulb. Most interesting is the company claims they are halogen bulb matched at 3000K which are what the PH212 bulbs Kelvin temps are. The bulbs are listed as " LED bulb in milky white -Color 3000K ".

The LED 15W is equivalent to 150 W normal bulb. So I ordered two and can confirm that they are a total glass envelope and are opal milky white in appearance and seem to be a PH212 bulb with an LED inside. More important is that near the base is some labeling that can be rubbed off with a little effort leaving a totally white glass bulb like the PH212 bulb. I haven't tried these yet with a step wedge but I can confirm they are instant on so they appear not to have any start up time lag AFAICT.

The company is LampsPlus.com and part number was 76H29. Based on three hours per day, estimated life is 22 years for the LED bulb.

[Eric Woodbury]

Use heat absorbing glass (if you are using tungsten lamps) followed by a good diffusion material. Opal glass is a good diffuser, but also quite opaque. It absorbs a lot of the light (more than a stop). This is true of white plexiglass, too. There are new diffusion materials available that are over 90% transparent. Depending on your diffusion requirements, you may need a double diffuser. Best to do this with one close to the source and then one as the top cover for the negative holder. This also eliminates all Newton rings without special anti Newton glass.

Double diffusion is a very powerful tool.

[Neal Chaves]

https://ecat.com/ecat-skled

This light and associated technology could mean big changes in the industry if it works as claimed. Public demonstration on Nov. 25th. It may go open source.

[Willie]

I don't shoot color film.

DSLR and iPhone are better, cheaper and easier.

I was born watching B&W TV and prefer B&W flicks on my giant screen...

My hobby before this was buying, fixing and riding 100's of motorcycles for 52 years.

Got one left!

I also Dyno tested auto engines 30 years to earn Social Security benefits.

Would a Vincent Black Shadow or Norton Commando be in the mix?

[Pieter]

Until I was able to obtain a Modern Enlarger Lamp LED head for my D5, I used this 150W halogen bulb: Q150FR. It gives a sharper image (smaller light source, starting to approximate a point source) but it also generates a bit of heat, so you need a heat-absorbing glass or a glass negative carrier. These are no longer available in California, but I had stocked up on them--PM me if you are interested in acquiring a couple.
217238

[Tin Can]

No Vincent's but I knew the boys in the local club, too expensive and often stolen

3 Commandos (https://www.ebay.com/itm/253124884347?_trkparms=aid%3D1110018%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.COMPLISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D232984%26meid%3D06f6117eaf3446ffba7ea2f0a3552367%26pid%3D101196%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D194154892016%26itm%3D253124884347%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DItemStripV101HighAdFeeWithCompV3Ranker&_trksid=p2047675.c101196.m2219&amdata=cksum%3A25312488434706f6117eaf3446ffba7ea2f0a3552367%7Cenc%3AAQAGAAACABbL6KgevhgvyDI8GtSi3NGyUcJ47gTZj9R54qoey6DT9NlKWMcTg%252F2iCbmQyc0r6f2lDhhkRAQEMW8g6rKqoIM2s3PPJVvqnU40KZ%252B%252B18%252BpAf7HItmq6p8UfDtsP3pDgUt9tC1iwRPtvffdU9qDxuAU6z42QMUQYEnnlMbljx%252BP2hOfZutFPXMPLess2FtqxG9uCq1hrl8xkiFvnhabE4sSZuq0%252FiOueUelGOQ8xgwDAPnhXbV86TLyDiyIQc8Nt1u6g8dB5FYyi3r4vi%252BMPlsKgEO3RQxOfkpUX%252F5c8%252Blex%252FUfi%252F7CKBG%252FCfTFKjTR6EgWW8k0ArrtJtEtXu%252F8ImTMi6HAINbNOXpt9%252ByB2FxufXGsESaLwUIOqEpyOQbhS%252B4l7i9sI8wMRgUuMoX2PfDWPgnQV8i9fmCAGwV%252BCq6jV4Aa8smYKXbcE0x9SZLg466uAhm4Zu0RkErcqDheNXwkidgFVsD8AaavMdJM6PdKjVW2MfD5q1OqA6eQaFCRtUXC7rBhXHFIZgMLoxGGHVTvNGZPZUSnT%252BvNhqERo9n8rPmz6dp3yCadmeI%252F8652hwtxZn29%252BrXMGmwolkDii9fIFhgFi2H5XEzKkrUnK8GMs5FJ0GkPZ%252FeUzip4DAaMfJ22qXCU0pBwQGYwjBPeHDjxqx0w74Rid0Wn5pMKFXMb%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2047675), 2 Norton Electra (https://ridermagazine.com/2009/07/14/retrospective-norton-electra-400-1963-1965/), 1 Matchless G15 CSR (https://www.motorbikecatalog.com/moto/1967/141665/matchless_g15_csr.html), my favorite as it was my first restoration, sold it to a guy who totaled it...


Would a Vincent Black Shadow or Norton Commando be in the mix?

Lot's of dirt bikes both EU and Japan, loved the Superhawk that was stolen

Factory Trained Suzuki wrench for the new 4 strokes

Now one Sporty (https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50791557326_451997b24b_c.jpg1997 XL 883 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr), with 3 colors of tins as parts are cheap, it gets antique plates in 6 months, Here a ULF Macro Print of the engine (https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50791660652_97bbc0ce6f_c.jpgweb 883 Macro 11X14 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr), it never leaks!

Bonnie, the G15, went from black to white 1971 (https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51045402988_af81f40cd8_c.jpgBonnie 1967 Matchless G15 CSR by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr)

It blew out head gaskets like crazy, I got real fast at changing them, 1 hour

[Drew Wiley]

Per color printing specifically, since that was one of the questions : It's a dead-end alley. CFL's are worse than worthless. And even high-quality architectural screw-in LED bulbs in the 40 dollar apiece category don't provide you with a true full spectrum, but only a simulation of it. Don't believe a word on the label of ad of a four dollar bulb; at that price point, it's going to be unverified mass-marketing BS. Serious products will have available full spectrograms and actual measured data, not just unrealistic "too good to be true" CRI claims. You get what you pay for.

Serious LED screw-in bulbs are getting good enough for gallery wall purposes, but otherwise are mainly fooling the eye rather than acting like a true continuous blackbody source. They are quite a few technical issues too. How on earth are you going to differentially filter a screw-in bulb in correct relation to filter spacing, necessary to both VC and color printing? It's vasty simpler just to replace the top with a real halogen colorhead. Banks of multiple tiny RGB in fashion of a flat platform analogous to a cold light do exist, but again, are either a lot of work to make, or relatively expensive to buy, like the Heiland, and still don't have a proven track record with respect to color printing.

I do use a big high output 12X12 Aristo V54 blue-green grid lamp on one of my 8x10 enlargers for VC papers, though certainly not for color printing. I believe these can still be ordered directly from them.. No need to try to go through Beseler or any other secondary source.

But if you are thinking about doing color too, my own opinion is that a traditional halogen colorhead is far more realistic, unless your enlarger chassis just can't support the weight. All thing considered, if that were the case, I'd simply replace the whole nine yards with a better enlarger. And halogen bulbs for most colorheads are still readily available in high quality, though cost-wise, you'd do better going to a dedicated bulb supplier rather than any photo products dealer. But never buy cheap Chinese bulbs of any variety. I stick strictly with actual US, EU, or Japanese manufacturers. Some lighting brands carry both low and high end options, so you have to be careful.

[ic-racer]

Halogen lamps and dichroic filters may outlast the (Chinese) electronics in a LED enlarger head. We will see.

[Duolab123]

I use halogen color heads, for color and some vc black and white. I also was lucky to find late model Zone VI 5x7 and also an 8x10 enlarger, dual tube VC cold lights, use a Metrolux II timer to control. The Zone VI enlargers are nearly perfect for large format printing.

I've never been tempted with LED but may live long enough to need one. My Beseler 4x5 enlargers are my color units. I love my darkroom.