Second thoughts on the Focomat v35 and the Dunco enlarger

In common with many colour enlargers my new acquisition was disposed of at a modest price (if collected!) which situation has been brought about by the decline in RA4 processing. These machines can be used for black and white film printing on the Yellow and Magenta filters and, thus far, the outline of this Blog will be all too well known to Darkroom workers.

The enlarger I have bought to add to the collection is a Dunco 66-11
which covers up to 6x6 film but is fitted with a filter head for Ilford Multigrade B&W work. This is provided on the same basis as the variety of well known but little seen heads for the Focomat v35. However, on close examination the heads bear a similarity to those for the Leica v35, they employ the same family of filter values, out of the three possible standards, and best of all on this machine the lamp holder simply lifts out for replacement of the bulb. A similar, or possibly the same, appears in the Paterson 67 Pro enlarger- a short lived branding in the UK with both Colour and Mono filters in the same head.

In my acquisition the lamp installation slides upwards, complete, in the manner of older Leica projectors giving easy access to the 12volt 75watt reflector bulb. This bulb is, in this instance still a Philips 6604, housed in a huge finned heat sink which I think must be a part of the Dunco 100 watt range, this is a guess but the v35 has a heat sink of similar size. No use is made of any locating features on the bulb rim.  I have in mind other heads using the same bulb with no cooling other than by convection but these heat sinks seem to be required owing to the compact arrangement of both enlargers mentioned.

The latest hot issue in Multigrade enlarging is the arrival of Ilford-Harman MG in its latest version, No. 5, I've not tested or seen any yet but given the wide range of settings possible on the Dunco head I guess it may be accommodated which brings me to the three controls available on the head.

Unlike the often seen modern colour enlarger with three colour filters we have a rather different three options.

An illustration is provided below, but to explain, the controls are firstly a scale of Multigrade settings scaled from 0 to 5, this is on the right. On the left are two settings. The upper knob introduces what looks like a plain solid 'filter' that acts as a neutral density control scaled 0 to 60. The lower control is marked 'filter on /off' and acts as an instant white light control - only it doesn't - as the unit leaves a pale yellow filter in place at all times and I can only guess that this has been found necessary to help get the soft grades and match the filters used to Multigrade requirements. (More on this subject in the excellent Ilford Data sheet 'Technical Information Contrast Control') Moreover, Ilford detail the use of a Y filter with Aristo Cold Cathode heads and compare results with Tungsten light sources BUT the Dunco we are looking at today uses a Quartz lamp in a reflector which may be the real reason for the yellow base setting. In my own use of an Aristo head the need for a basic yellow came up and was solved by purchase of the last type of head with the Aristo v54 phosphors.

Any user without the film carrier of choice may wish to know that a Philips carrier would fit with a little adjustment and is very similar to the original.

Another thought regarding the Yellow filter is that combined with the latest MG paper large adjustment of exposure for grade changes may be avoided- a small bonus.


What advantage does this machine have over the Focomat? Well, very little difference in practice but the choice of a 6x6 negative from time to time, and, for me at least the better placed range of filters as my Focomat v35 only has the Colour settings and a B&W set just never seems to come on the market. Costwise there is no comparison with the Dunco costing 10% of the Leica machine. Despite this the Dunco has a Heiland split grade head available and so joins a select few! Further reports of the Dunco in use may follow!

If anyone has a copy of the Manufacturers booklet then I should be pleased to copy and return this.I am in some doubt as to the reflector angle specified.