Zone VI Zone VI Cold Light Head Reviews

Rating
Reviewed by: darrylhammonds
(Expert)

Review Date
August 16, 2002

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
2 votes

Review 1 of 3

Price Paid: $0.00

Summary:

If you are serious about traditional B&W photography and what absolute control then the Zone VI Cold Light VC head is for you. I use it for everything from 35mm to 4X5!

Strengths:

The variable contrast head is supurb in that it allows you to control how hard and soft the print will look and do it at the same time! And the compensating timer option will allow you to have complete control over lamp drift. I especially like the ability to take a 20 second exposure and "streach" it out so that you have more than enough time to dodge and burn.

Weaknesses:

NONE!

Similar Products Used:

I threw the others out the window after getting this baby!

Customer Service:

No need for it.

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Rating
Reviewed by: DAN
(Intermediate)

Review Date
December 1, 2000

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Review 2 of 3

Price Paid: $200.00

Summary:

I AM REFERING TO THE NON-VARIABLE COLD-LIGHT VERSION, WHICH IS A SIMPLE COLD-LIGHT HEAD AND IS THEREFORE LESS EXPENSIVE. FITS ON MY BESELER 45MXT WITH NO ADDITIONAL PARTS REQUIRED AND IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN A CONDENSER HEAD FOR THE MXT. IF YOU GO THIS ROUTE FOR B&W PRINTING, GET A COMPENSATING ENLARGING TIMER TO GIVE CONSISTENT EXPOSURES, AS THE HEADS BRIGHTNESS WILL FLUCTUATE DUE TO TEMPERATURE, ETC., EVEN WHEN PRE-HEATED. STILL, THIS HEAD PRINTS 4X5 NEGS VERY NICELY AND PRINTS REQUIRE LESS SPOTTING. NEEDS A SPECIAL FILTER TO COMPENSATE FOR THE BLUE-ISH COLOR IF YOU GO THE VARIABLE CONTRAST PAPER ROUTE.

Strengths:

SUPPRESSES DUST/SCRATCHES ON NEG

Weaknesses:

NEEDS STABILIZATION
REQUIRES EXTRA FILTER FOR VC USE

Similar Products Used:

None

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Rating
Reviewed by: joseph walsh
(Professional)

Review Date
November 17, 2000

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
3 of 5

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
2 votes

Review 3 of 3

Summary:

Very expensive but well made and useful. However, if you are printing anything smaller than 4x5 there are better (cheaper, but good) choices.

Strengths:

luxurious and simply applied choice of contrast control, both general and local. Will accept 6x17 negatives.

Weaknesses:

Expensive and specialized. I think if one were to buy one enlarger, a color head would make more sense. The color enlarger's dichroic filters work well with polycontrast black and white paper and the typical diffusion/mixing chamber illumination system is very good. And then, if you ever decide to actually start printing color...

Similar Products Used:

Beseler MCRX (4x5)
Beseler 23c
Omega d-5 (4x5)

Customer Service:

not yet

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