Fiber optic platinum enlarger. Is it Possible?

Richard Sullivan (richsul@roadrunner.com)
Sat, 18 May 1996 20:59:47 -0600

I was just browsing the SaltHill web page (http://www.salthill.com/12.htm)
and read their description of the fiber optic panel that is used to
illuminate the negative in their super duper enlarger. They say it is evenly
illuminated by + or - 2% over the surface.

Here's the idea. Reverse the emitter and make it a capture panel of say,
16x20 on the roof or at a powerful light source like a platemaker, then run
a fiber pipe down to the darkroom and into the lens. Here you would have a
hot enlarger, with enough light to print pt/pd and other alt photo
processes. Hot may be the operative word, however. Putting that much
concentrated sunlight into a normal enlarging lens would melt the balsam or
whetever they use now. When I was in aerospace we used water cells to trap
the IR heat, so this might be used here.

The question for the knowlegeable in this realm is how much of a fiber pipe
would be needed to transmit this much light energy? Cost? If the IR could be
trapped, would the heat still be a problem.

Obviously, as one could imagine, I salivate at the thought of a platinum
enlarger.

Dick S.
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Dick Sullivan
Bostick & Sullivan
Santa Fe, New mexico