Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I really love this machine. I have used many differnt brands of enlargers at the school I attend but this is one I will fight to get to its easy to use and easy to to mulitple task with. If I were to start my own darkroom this would be the first thing I would buy

Strengths:
I love the motorized chassis it makes it a breeze to adjust your print size quickly. i like to easy to use color adjustment knobs, it makes it very simple to do color corrections. And I also love stablity, it has to be a tough machine to put up with some of the dumb students that come and go everyday into the lab and just dont have any respect for these costly machines. I know that the rest of the enlargers we use in the lab have to be aligned once or twice a semester(4 semesters in a year); where this giant is only aligned, MAYBE once a year. So that should tell you something

Weaknesses:
it doesn''t have a rotating head to do wall projections but if you don''t need that then this is a great piece of machinery

Similar Products Used:
Omega Beasler 23 Durst

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
3 votes

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Private purchase

Summary:
I will keep this enlarger only untill a good deal on a European or Japanese enlarger comes along. "MY" Beseler is just too finicky!! I expect to go into my darkroom & make prints without worrying if the alignment is OK. I could do this with the Durst.

Strengths:
Versatile, Will not be outdated.
Many options available

Weaknesses:
Goes out of alignment all to easily.
Poor design of negative carriers.
Light leaks

Similar Products Used:
Durst M301
Beseler 23c

Customer Service:
Not required. This unit is so basic adjustments & repairs can be made without assistance.

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Price Paid:  $1100.00

Summary:
I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE BECAUSE BOTH COLLEGES THAT I WENT TO HAD THEM IN THEIR DARKROOMS, AND IF THE 45MXTS CAN STAND UP TO VIRTUALLY THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ABUSING THEM THEN I WANTED THAT KIND OF ENLARGER FOR MY OWN DARKROOM. IT IS SOLID, HEAVY AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO VIBRATION. IT IS AN OLD DESIGN, BUT ONE THAT IS A PROVEN WORKHORSE. NOTHING FANCY, JUST RUGGED. A BUDDY OF MINE TOLD ME THAT WHEN HE WAS IN THE MERCHANT MARINE, THEY HAD ONE ONE HIS SHIP, WALL MOUNTED. I GUESS "ROBUST" IS THE WORD.

Strengths:
SOLID CONSTRUCTION
ADD-ONS READILY AVAILABLE

Weaknesses:
FOCUSING IS COARSE BUT ACCEPTABLE

Similar Products Used:
OMEGA D5

Customer Service:
NONE

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Summary:
A solid performer with smooth operating controls.
This is one massive piece of machinery.
A great enlarger to buy used. You can save a lot of money and since its design hasn't changed much in a long time, parts are easy to come buy.
For just being a couple of flat pieces of metal with a hole cut in them, the negative carriers and lens boards are expensive.

Strengths:
Well built and fully adjustable.
Handles film up to 4x5.
The motor makes this a breeze to use when changing print sizes. I can't imagine using this behemoth without it

Weaknesses:
Setting up this enlarger is a big task but once done, it's solid. Don't plan on moving this giant.

Similar Products Used:
As a teacher I've used a lot of enlargers and this is one of the best.
Beseler 23C series
Omega 45 series
Omega C76
Meopta Axomat II
Nikkor color enlarger

Customer Service:
Never used.