Agfa C66 Enlarger
 

Hi All,

I have recently got my hands on an Agfa C66 enlarger and wondered if anyone here had ant experience with it?

It was working fine when I picked it up, the guy I got it off powered it up and showed me round it. after getting it home and plugging it in for the first time the lamp isn't coming on.

there is definitely power going to the unit, the indicator light is on and i can feel/hear the transformer humming.

I know this was really intended for home darkroom use so wondered if there was a step I'm missing?

I've ordered a new bulb in case that's the issue..

I'm sure this is user error, as I said I saw it working not 3 hours previously...

thanks,

Jamie

Hi Jamie. Moving enlargers quite often causes something to come loose. Check any connectors and try reseating the lamp if you have not tried that already - the lamp socket connections often become corroded over time and cause intermittent faults. It's always worth having a couple of spare lamps knocking around.

Cheers, Bob.

I have only ever seen one of these and was impressed how well it was built. The problem you may have could be due to the bulb expiring after it was switched on. I have had it happen with my LPL a couple of times. I have been working away, went downstairs for a cuppa and then when I went back upstairs the bulb had gone.

The back of the bulb will have two pins and these are often neglected but can corrode as can the two holes in the bulb holder the pin goes into, The former can be cured with a new bulb but if the latter it is often easier to replace the holder. You could try coating the pins with a mild metal polish like Solvol Autosol and working the bulina nad out a fe times this usually cleans the pins and socket

failing that you should still be able to find that a holder from a Kaiser should fit (still available as spares) or with a bit of searching an LPL from the likes of Second Hand Darkroom

Failing that get back to me I have an LPL head that I am cannibalising for spares, I think I still have the bulb holder.

If you are using it for B&W printing, the filters in the head are as I recollect set for Kodak units and not Durst.

The Agfa C66 was a Durst modified for Agfa to incorporate the timer and analyser for colour printing.

John may be right that the head may not use Drurst calibration, it's more likely it uses Agfa filtration calibration which differs from Kodaks.

My Durst M605 manual states:

Agfa 50 = Durst 25
kodak 50 = Durst 30

Ian

thanks guys, I have got a new bulb coming tomorrow so hopefully that will sort the issue....

Fingers-Crossed!

Filter Values
 

I have just checked a new leaflet from a box of Ilford MG5 and no Agfa enlarger mentioned, so I would go along with Durst values for MG Filtration.

You can always vary them yourself if something isn't hard or soft enough.

If it does turn out that it is the bulb holder is corroded, RK Photography have spares to fit the bulb @but obviously not from Agfa'. I think they are Meopta, but the fitting is the same for your bulb. It has two 'pigtail' wires connected and they will need soldering in.

See what maximum numbers the filters adjust to. If it's the Agfa colour head numbers then they were quite different.

http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/Uploads/agfa-filters.jpg

Later Agfa MCC papers etc didn't include the Agfacolor head settings, Agfa's own filters were marked in half grades like Ilford's.

Most non professional Durst enlargers havemaximum filter settings of 130, professional enlargers sometimes go to 170. Ther Agfa C66 is a version of the M605 which gowes to 130.

Ian

The image above is from a 2009 Agfa Gevaert publication.

However Agfa like Durst use two scales, this is from an old Kentmere datasheet which states the Meopta scale shoould be used.

Durst: Dunco, Durst, Kaiser, Leitz.
Kodak: Beseler, De Vere, Chromega, Fujimoto, Jobo, LPL, Omega, Paterson, Vivitar.
Agfa: Agfa, Meopta.

http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/Uploads/agfa-filters2.jpg

Note this is for the original Kentmere VC papers not the Ilford versions of Kentmere paper. Ilford changed the sensistivities of the emulsions.

Ian

http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.or...1&d=1634840828

The above is from an information sheet for Ilford Multigrade 111, no longer available.

What it tells you is the groupings of the various enlargers.
Do not use the values given for the filtration.



Just a confirmation then.

Agfa, Meopta and Krokus are in the same group.




Without trying to take this off topic, Lostlabours mentions The Durst M605 filtration goes up to 130. There is also a B Filter on my M605 that can be switched in, this adds an extra +40Y and also +40M at the same time. This takes the Yellow and Magenta ranges up to 170.


Cheers.