will dichroic enlargers print b&w photos also?

Answer 1

OK...Now for a REAL answer. Dichroic enlargers WILL print B&W prints. In fact, if you check wth the user manual it should tell you what filter settings will equal similar poly-contrast filter grades! The big difference will be in contrast if you are used to using a condenser enlarger, because the dichroic is more diffused than a condenser. You may find that you need to bump the contrast level up 1/2 to 1 full filter (i.e. if you used grade 3 on a condenser enlarger you may need a 3 1/2 or grade 4 on the dichroic. It's usually trial and error. Its especially good for B&W portrait prints. And the cool thing, once you get used to it, is you can dial in 1/4 or 1/8 or other degrees of contrast changes as you see fit instead of being stuck with just the 1 unit or 1/2 unit increments in most packaged contrast filters. And of course, you can print color too! Hope this helps! Feel free to email me if you have other questions!

Answer 2

I haven't worked with a dichroic enlarger, but my understanding is that yes, they will work for black and white printing. Essentially you can use the dichroic filter settings to simulate the standard B&W filter set. In fact you really have all the filtering capacity of the the standard filters along with a near infinite number of settings inbetween. The Ilford link is a pdf that includes the dichroic settings equivalent to the various Ilford filter set.

Answer 3

Yes, and the advantage is that you could dial up the filters when you use variable contrast paper, so you can change the contrast of your picture; however being a difuse type enlarger, does not give you a picture as sharp as the condenser ones; but only the critical expert will tell you the diference in the photo.

So go ahead and print with it, have some fun.

Answer 4

Will iconoclastic sex-addicts post their comments elsewhere?

I really don't know but I had to comment on that response -- how vulgar and uneducated...
:)

Answer 5

Will clitoric endevors make me .....C*U*M