DeVere 75 spotted .

[Neil t3]

Just seen this uncommon enlarger on eBay and thought I'd let you know .
It's not mine , but as 7x5 enlargers don't come up often I thought someone might be interested. I was going to post this in the for sale forum , but you have to pay , and I've nothing to sell to be worth my paying for the three months pass .
It sounds like there's a right bunch of stuff with it , and it also sounds like it needs a bit of restoration work .
Possibly including some new bellows .

@ £150 it seems a bargain, I'd buy it myself, but with the integrated stand , there's no way would I get it through the door without being caught !
Not that I've got anywhere to put it anyway.
It's somewhere on Rotherham, which IIRC is Sheffield way . I'm guessing the buyer would have to collect.

De Vere 75 Large Format Enlarger 4x5 5x7 Leitz Easel | eBay

De vere 75 enlarger. most of my printing was done prior to owning this. There's a leitz easel, and a negative printer. I don't really know, they take up a lot of the space in their housing. The largest negatives I've printed from were 4x5" (taken with a Busch Pressman) - one of those pictures...

www.ebay.co.uk

I have the same era DeVere 54 table top version and like it , I've had it for years .

Although for 5x4 it came with a holder that support 7x5 or half plate .
Apparently it was never sold for this for tax dodging purposes!
5x4 was for amateurs and had a lower tax .
7x5 was apparently classed as for professional use like press , and had a higher rate of tax to be paid.


@ the mods , feel free to delete this thread or move it if it breaks the rules .
As I said it's not mine , just thought I'd share this not often seen but of kit .


Or just discuss other not often seen gear .

 

[Sean Mac]

Just seen this uncommon enlarger on eBay and thought I'd let you know .
It's not mine , but as 7x5 enlargers don't come up often I thought someone might be interested. I was going to post this in the for sale forum , but you have to pay , and I've nothing to sell to be worth my paying for the three months pass .
It sounds like there's a right bunch of stuff with it , and it also sounds like it needs a bit of restoration work .
Possibly including some new bellows .

@ £150 it seems a bargain, I'd buy it myself, but with the integrated stand , there's no way would I get it through the door without being caught !
Not that I've got anywhere to put it anyway.
It's somewhere on Rotherham, which IIRC is Sheffield way . I'm guessing the buyer would have to collect.

De Vere 75 Large Format Enlarger 4x5 5x7 Leitz Easel | eBay

De vere 75 enlarger. most of my printing was done prior to owning this. There's a leitz easel, and a negative printer. I don't really know, they take up a lot of the space in their housing. The largest negatives I've printed from were 4x5" (taken with a Busch Pressman) - one of those pictures...

www.ebay.co.uk

I have the same era DeVere 54 table top version and like it , I've had it for years .

Although for 5x4 it came with a holder that support 7x5 or half plate .
Apparently it was never sold for this for tax dodging purposes!
5x4 was for amateurs and had a lower tax .
7x5 was apparently classed as for professional use like press , and had a higher rate of tax to be paid.


@ the mods , feel free to delete this thread or move it if it breaks the rules .
As I said it's not mine , just thought I'd share this not often seen but of kit .


Or just discuss other not often seen gear .

There is one for sale about an hours drive from me. The seller wants quite a bit more money than the one you posted.

Apparently it is a reflex condenser which I found interesting. I had to look that up to see how it works.

Is your 54 also a reflex condenser and, if it is, how do you find it to use?

Do you print from 35mm or 120 negatives and, if you do, how easy is it to adjust?

They seem quite old and there is little information on the internet so it's good to find someone to ask questions

 

[Ian Grant]

I have the same era DeVere 54 table top version and like it , I've had it for years .

Although for 5x4 it came with a holder that support 7x5 or half plate .
Apparently it was never sold for this for tax dodging purposes!
5x4 was for amateurs and had a lower tax .
7x5 was apparently classed as for professional use like press , and had a higher rate of tax to be paid.

Here in the UK virtually no "Amateurs" shot large format post WWII, all De Vere enlargers and cameras were sold for professional use.



I bought a floor standing 54a enlarger ex Royal Navy with an anti vibration frame, it used a similar system to Durst enlargers to counter balance the head, thee arm that locked the head in place uses a bicycle brake pad.

I also had the Whole plate version of the camera illustrated, with 3 backs Whole plate, Half plate, & 5x4.

Ian

 

[Neil t3]

There is one for sale about an hours drive from me. The seller wants quite a bit more money than the one you posted.

Apparently it is a reflex condenser which I found interesting. I had to look that up to see how it works.

Is your 54 also a reflex condenser and, if it is, how do you find it to use?

Do you print from 35mm or 120 negatives and, if you do, how easy is it to adjust?

They seem quite old and there is little information on the internet so it's good to find someone to ask questions

Mine has the cold cathode tube in it .
I keep thinking of building an LED head for it , but not got much further than thinking and researching.
I haven't used it much , but it still works well for something that was made in the 1950's .
1950's transformer , wiring, tube , and glass box diffuser with water in it , playing around with it all in the dark ..... you just gotta have faith its still safe ! :0

I've an LPL C7700 colour enlarger for all smaller formats , though I have a negative holder for longer peices of 120 for the DeVere .
I typically scan and print my film digitally , but I do enjoy doing wet prints when I get chance to setup the darkroom .
I still don't have a permanent darkroom, which is a shame , as I really enjoy that side of it .
I find it very satisfying to see an image appear in a dish on the paper .
You can't get that with an ink jet printer !

 

[Neil t3]

Here in the UK virtually no "Amateurs" shot large format post WWII, all De Vere enlargers and cameras were sold for professional use.

View attachment 4658

I bought a floor standing 54a enlarger ex Royal Navy with an anti vibration frame, it used a similar system to Durst enlargers to counter balance the head, thee arm that locked the head in place uses a bicycle brake pad.

I also had the Whole plate version of the camera illustrated, with 3 backs Whole plate, Half plate, & 5x4.

Ian

I've also the monorail camera shown , one for 5x4 and two of the 7x5's .
The second one came up at a price it would have been rude to turn down !
Though as you say , they were for plates .
They are very well made .
Incidentally, I think I paid double the advertised price for each of mine and the enlarger , but that was twenty or so years back , rather than the 50's .
That was presumably quite a bit of money then .

 

[Ian Grant]

Well in 1954 an MPP Micro Technical MkVI was £75. a Reid 35mm camera £90 + £30 Purchase Tax -33.3%. So for what they are the De Vere cameras and enlargers were in the same ball park in terms of price. A registered business did not pat Purchase tax on items required for their trading.

I think I still have the receipts for the De Vere equipment, I also bought a Johnson V45 enlarger, from Process Supplies.

Ian