hello, should I go for a durst C35 or an A600 ?? It would be for 35mm black n white. ( I know I will need a 50mm lens.) The C35 looks more modern and the A600 seems bigger and heavier. I know they are both quality enlargers, though. thankyou.
The choice between these 2 is not straightforward.
The C35 is a pefectly adequate "entry level" enlarger. It is compact and light in weight which is a good thing if you have to set up your darkroom space every time you use it but not so good in terms of stability and resistance to vibration. They are very prone to dust and dirt and this can drastically reduce the light output leading to overly long exposures. The light output is acceptable if everything is nice and clean with a new bulb but these have a tendency to lose power over time and need regular replacement. Since it is primarily intended for 35mm work you may find issues with "falloff" around the edges.
The A600 came in a variety of versions wth different interchangeble heads for colour and black and white work, including a superb multigrade head designed by Ilford. It is a massive beast with a solid metal base which gives really good stability and resistance to vibration at the expense of being a bit of a performance to set up and put away and because it will take negs up to 6x9 cm it has a far taller column than the c35 as well. The heads are far more powerful and there is certainly no drop off at the edges for 6x6 cm let alone 35mm!
What it boils down to is that the A600 is a far superior bit of kit but its sheer size and weight may make it a worse choice.
In any event don't skimp on the lens - Nikkor, Rodenstock and Schneider are amongst the ones to go for.
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