Beseler CB7 Photographic Enlarger 115V 600W Floor Stand w/ Timer Voltmeter

Beseler CB7 Photographic Enlarger 115V 600W Floor Stand w/ Timer Voltmeter

The Beseler CB7 is a large, floor-standing photographic enlarger made by Charles Beseler Company of East Orange, New Jersey. It is designed for darkroom photographic enlarging — projecting a negative onto light-sensitive paper to produce photographic prints. The unit sits on a tall open metal column frame with a scissor-lift carriage mechanism that raises and lowers the enlarger head for magnification adjustment. This unit is being sold as-is for parts or repair; the carriage mechanism powers on and operates, but no lamp is installed so the illumination system could not be tested.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Charles Beseler Company, East Orange, NJ
• Model: CB7 Enlarger
• Power: 115V AC, 5A, 600W Max
• Lamp: No. 212 lamp required — not included
• Form factor: Floor-standing on open metal column frame with wooden base platform
• Carriage: Motorized scissor-lift mechanism — powers on and operates
• Bellows: Accordion-style focusing bellows present and intact
• Condenser: Large round condenser/fresnel lens in metal ring — present
• Negative stage: Negative carrier opening present; lens tilt scale marked ±10°
• Negative tilt adjustment: Red-knob mechanism with NEG TILT scale (−5° to +5°)
• Includes: Beseler timer unit (analog 0–60 second dial, Charles Beseler Co.)
• Includes: AC voltmeter/voltage regulator unit (0–250V AC dial, red control knob)
• CSA approval noted on rating plate
• Note: No lamp installed; timer and voltmeter units are untested

Applications

The Beseler CB7 is a commercial-grade darkroom enlarger from the mid-twentieth century, designed for professional photographic printing studios, school darkrooms, and serious amateur photographers working with large-format film negatives. Beseler was one of the most respected American enlarger manufacturers, and the CB7 represented their larger floor-standing line capable of handling bigger negative formats and producing large photographic prints. This type of enlarger projects light through a film negative and lens onto a baseboard or easel holding enlarging paper, allowing the photographer to control print size, focus, contrast, and exposure time. The motorized carriage allowed precise, repeatable height settings for consistent print magnification. The included timer and voltage regulator were standard companion accessories in professional darkroom setups of this era, ensuring accurate exposure times and stable lamp voltage for consistent print density. While modern digital workflows have largely replaced traditional darkroom printing, these enlargers remain in use among film photography enthusiasts, alternative process printers, and collectors restoring period darkroom equipment.