Since replacement bulbs for my Durst Laborator 138s are no longer available I decided to do a LED Light conversion.
Durst Laborator 138S (Enlarger on the left)
After having red this article on Apug :
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum43/116717-led-light-conversion-durst-laborator-138-a.html
I decided to buy this LED light:
http://dx.com/p/12w-1600lm-6500-7000k-90-smd-2835-led-white-light-ceiling-down-lamp-85-265v-158693
18W 1600LM 6500~7000K 90-SMD 2835 LED White Light Ceiling Down Lamp (85~265V) SKU: 158693
The parcel as it arrived from China. As you can see the Light is large compared to the Kodak cartridge.
This light is larger then the one used in the mentioned article, it fits exactly in the Durst lamp head. Because of the large diameter it has an even light output and is very bright. Start up time is also not problem with this lamp.
It is also a very economical solution (Light was 25,00 Euro inclusive shipping from China to Europe).
18W 1600LM 6500~7000K 90-SMD 2835 LED White Light Ceiling Down Lamp (85~265V) SKU: 158693
Pictures show the Led light installed, removed original Light bulb & socket and even light output.
Hello,
but the color light to 6500/7000°k isn’t very high ?
3000°K do is better ?
Hallo,6500/7000K is like daylight . It is very bright.
Are you still using the round ceiling light inside your 138S? How has it worked out? I ask because I was thinking of trying it myself.
I’ve tried a number of things as a light source, but keep coming back to a standard opal enlarger bulb, normal size, which if placed very far forward seems to cover 5×4 OK. There is a “bright spot” in the centre with the lens fully open, but I suspect this is produced by the lens and not by the light source.
Do you also get a bright spot in the centre with the big, flat ceiling light?
Best regards, Paul
Yes I stil use this light. It has no hot spot.
Regards
Tom
Thanks. I’ll give it a try then!
Regards, Paul
Well, I bought a light identical to yours and tried it as you did. There were two problems: I had to cut away some of the edge of the lamp to make it fit high enough to cover the area for 5×4 inch negatives. But this is not really a problem.
What is a problem is that it does not produce enough light. I measured with a Gossen Lunasix meter, and it is about 2.5 stops weaker than a conventional 150 watt opal bulb which I have been using up till now.
I measured with the incident light dome on the meter, and measured both at a distance of 10 centimetres from the bulb and the LED lamp, and again on the base-board of the enlarger, focused but without a negative.
It could be (I have not tried yet) that the colder light of the LEDs is more effective on printing paper than the warmer light of the conventional bulb, but I doubt this would make up the difference of 2.5 stops.
Dag Tom,
Zit ik me daar een bult opaal lampen te hamsteren!
Werkt dit een beetje prettig?
Groeten uit Doesburg,
Rob.
De grote opaal lampen zijn het beste maar niet meer verkrijgbaar. LED werkt maar geeft minder licht. mvg Tom
Dag Tom,
Vorig jaar kon ik een stel globes kopen in Elst. 100w en 125mm doorsnede. Die heb ik overigens nog niet gebruikt.
Jouw led methode spreekt me zeer aan maar je zegt dat ze minder licht geven… Oneindige belichtingstijden of valt dat wel weer mee?
Met vriendelijke groet,
Rob
If you have a bright spot, it might be due to wrong condensor lens
HI! Last my order from China was unsuccesful! Till now I’m afraid to buy there!
I need your advice! Have you ever heard about Norton lights? I heard and read a lot of good about it, but i’m not sure that it is appropriate, look at this please hardware.nl/norton is it possible to use these lights in such equipment?
I don’t know if you can use this light. The light must be even on the whole surface
Thanks, I will try that too
Hello from France,
I did the conversion with a square led panel made in China but I removed the mirror and put it the panel there. It works great.
Hello, I hope that someone is interested in retaking the topic. I also tried with an 18 W LED, similar to the one shown in the photo but in a Magnitarus Meopta, an old enlarger that covers 4×5 ” in terms of power and light distribution it works fine, but I do not like the performance of contraste with Multigrade filters The LED I use is warm but the color spectrum discontinuous Some recommendations on the type of LED to use?
Hello, I do not use Multigrade paper. I think there are new daylight LED lamps with another spectrum but I have no experience with these.