Ollinger's Guide to Enlargers

Devere Enlargers

Introduction

I know very little about DeVere except that they made large, higher end equipment (which is probably why I never saw them).


Quick Comparison

Model Era Format

Baseboard (inches)

Head Price Ref Notes
203 1981 6 x 9cm 24 x 24" (bench model) - 30 x 40" (free standing) Condenser $723 1  
504 1981 4 x 5" 24 x 24" (bench model) - 30 x 40" (free standing) Condenser $940 1  
507 1981 5 x 7" 24 x 24" (bench model) - 30 x 40" (free standing) Condenser $2,227 1  
5108 1981 8 x 10" 24 x 24" (bench model) - 30 x 40" (free standing) Diffusion $3,540 1  
508 Horizontal 1981 8 x 10" Horizontal mounted - no baseboard Diffusion $5,287 1  
108S 1981 8 x 10" 42 x 48" Diffusion $8,529 1  
810H Horizontal 1981 10 x 10" Horizontal mounted - no baseboard Diffusion $13,167 1  
108A/F Aerial 1981 10 x 10" 48 x 48" Diffusion $24,500 1  

Key

Era: It's nearly impossible to get actual production year spans; I've provided this simply to give an idea of when an enlarger was in production.

Focusing:

Autofocus: not to be confused with what we think of as autofocus today; these enlargers don't focus themselves. What they do is offer a sort of tracking control so that once the image is focused, it stays in focus as you change the elevation of the head for cropping.

Column: all columns are assumed to be vertical unless oblique is noted. Oblique columns (i.e. angled forward) are nice at higher head elevations because the image won't expand back across the column post when the head is at the top of the post. On smaller enlargers this wouldn't be a problem, but at larger magnifications (and with lenses with shorter focal lengths), this can become a concern.

References

  1. Darkroom Photography magazine, Vol 3, #5 (Sept 1981)
  2. Darkroom Photography magaziine, Vol 5, #5 (July 1983)