Used Enlargers in 2026: What They Actually Cost, and Where to Find Them in Quebec
The used enlarger market is a strange place. Machines that sold for thousands of dollars new in the 1980s sometimes show up for $50 in somebody's basement, or for $800 on eBay because the seller looked at "what others are asking" without checking what anything actually sells for. Understanding the difference between a listed price and a real market price is the first skill worth developing before you buy anything.
This article covers the price ranges I've observed in 2025-2026 for the most common models in North America, the pricing mistakes that show up on both sides of the transaction, and the best places to look depending on where you are in Quebec.
What Common Models Actually Cost
Beseler 23C and 23C II: the American workhorse
Probably the most abundant enlarger on the North American used market. It's solidly built, parts are still findable, and it handles both 35mm and medium format up to 6×7. On eBay, active listings cluster into three fairly distinct tiers: under $150 USD, between $150 and $350 USD, and above that. The large majority of units that actually sell (not just get listed) land in the lower-to-middle range, often between $75 and $200 USD for a complete unit in good shape, without a lens.
Add a clean lens and a dichroic head and the price climbs easily to $300-400 USD on eBay, but that's only a good deal if you can pick it up in person. Shipping is the problem, and we'll get to that.
On Kijiji Canada or Facebook Marketplace, the same enlarger often negotiates out between $50 and $150 CAD, sometimes less if the seller just wants it gone. The spreads are real. I've seen Beseler 23Cs move for $25 in Montreal and others listed at $400 the same week. The difference? One seller had looked at eBay (listed prices, not sold prices) and one just wanted the thing out of the house.
Durst M605 and M670: European precision
The Durst line is German and Italian-built, with a reputation for optical and mechanical quality. The M605 covers 35mm, the M670 goes up to 6×6cm. They're well-made machines, with smooth focusing and quality optical heads, but the dedicated accessories (condensers, negative carriers) can be hard to source and expensive to replace.
On the North American market, a complete Durst M605 in good condition generally sells between $100 and $300 USD on eBay. The M670 with a color head can go higher, around $300-500 USD, depending on condition and what's included. These prices are still below what you see on European markets, where demand is stronger and sellers are more aware of what they have.
On Kijiji Quebec, Dursts turn up far less often than Beselers or Omegas. When they do appear, the pricing is often miscalibrated in both directions: either a seller who looked at European eBay listings and is asking $600, or someone who has no idea what they have and wants $40.
Omega B-22 and D-2: American classics
The Omega B-22 is a dual-format enlarger (35mm and 6×6cm) that was everywhere in North America, particularly in old camera clubs and high schools liquidating their darkroom gear through the 1990s and 2000s. It's a rugged machine, well-supported for parts, and generally reliable.
A complete B-22 with condensers and negative carriers for both formats typically sells between $50 and $150 USD locally. On eBay, prices climb, but shipping an Omega is a real logistical question: specialty dealers like Blue Moon Camera in Portland explicitly flag that enlargers are expensive and difficult to ship because of their size and weight.
The D-2 is a bigger machine, built for medium format with more enlargement capacity. It shows up less often in private hands and more often in estate sales and school liquidations. Prices swing wildly, from essentially nothing (if you're the only one who shows up) to $200-300 USD for a complete unit with column in good shape.
LPL 7700: the lab choice
The LPL 7700 (and its sibling the C7700) is a professional-grade medium format enlarger, well regarded for rigidity and precision. It covers up to 6×7cm and often comes with a dichroic color head, which makes it a genuinely versatile tool. On eBay.ca, comparable LPL units sell in the $200-500 CAD range depending on accessories and condition. Negative carriers and replacement lenses are available but not always cheap.
It circulates less on Kijiji than Beselers or Omegas, but if you're actively watching for a few weeks, one usually surfaces.
Meopta Magnifax 4: the Eastern European sleeper
The Magnifax 4 is a Czech enlarger with a solid following among European darkroom workers, mainly for its optical quality at a reasonable price. In Europe, complete units in good shape regularly sell between €150 and €250. In North America, they're rarer and the market is less organized. You'll see them pass through eBay (often shipped from Europe, with everything that implies in freight costs), but finding one on Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace in Quebec is unusual.
If you come across one locally at a reasonable price, say under $150 CAD, that's a genuine find. But actively hunting for a Magnifax 4 in this part of the world can take a while.
Pricing Mistakes: Sellers and Buyers
The seller who looks at eBay… but reads the asking prices
This is the most common mistake. Someone inherits an enlarger, searches "Beseler 23C" on eBay, sees listings at $400, and puts their own up at $350. The problem: what you see on eBay is the asking price, not the selling price. The gap can be enormous. A unit listed at $400 for six months that never found a buyer tells you nothing about real market value.
The motivated seller who undervalues
At the other extreme, estates and liquidations regularly produce complete enlargers at giveaway prices. Someone with no connection to film photography cleaning out a family home will often list an Omega B-22 with a full kit at $40 just to make it disappear. In those cases, the window to act is very short.
The buyer who underestimates the accessories
An enlarger without a lens, without a negative carrier for the format you shoot, or with a failing light source isn't a good deal even at $20. Quality enlarging lenses (Rodenstock Rodagon, Schneider Componon-S, Nikon El-Nikkor) run $50 to $200 USD on their own, sometimes more. A missing negative carrier for a Durst can cost as much as the enlarger itself, depending on the model.
Shipping: the Real Hidden Cost
Enlargers are heavy, awkward, and fragile at the same time. A Beseler 23C weighs between 12 and 18 kg (roughly 26-40 lbs) depending on the version and what's included. A complete Omega D-2 can push past 20 kg (44 lbs). The column is long, the head is fragile, and optical components don't respond well to knocks.
Shipping an enlarger is complicated. Dealers who do it routinely flag high costs, sometimes $100 to $300 USD just to cross the border, not counting Canadian customs duties on top.
In practice, that means two things. First, a $100 USD enlarger on eBay in the States can land at your door for $350-450 CAD all in, which changes the math completely. Second, a good local deal is worth considerably more than its listed price, precisely because it sidesteps all of that.
Where to Look in Quebec
Kijiji
Kijiji is still the most-used platform for analog gear between private sellers in Quebec. Search "agrandisseur", "chambre noire", "darkroom", and "enlarger" (not all listings are in French) in your area. The bigger cities generate more results, but smaller regions occasionally turn up good surprises, often with less negotiating pressure.
The downside with Kijiji is that listing turnover is unpredictable. A good machine can be gone in a few hours or sit listed for months. Setting up an email alert for the key search terms is worth doing.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace has largely caught up with Kijiji for local transactions, often with a more convenient interface for messaging and negotiating. Results vary by region: in greater Montreal the pool is large; outside urban areas you sometimes need to widen your search radius to 100-150 km.
Quebec-specific analog photography Facebook groups are a resource in their own right. Gear shows up there that rarely gets listed anywhere else, often between people who already know each other's work. Prices tend to be more realistic (in both directions), and you can ask about condition before negotiations even start.
Estate Sales and Auctions
Estate and house liquidation sales are an underused source. The companies running these sales throughout Quebec often don't know what they have, which can work in a buyer's favor. The catch: you have to show up in person, inspection is limited, and there's no way to test anything.
For online auctions, platforms like Invaluable and some regional Quebec auction houses do list photo equipment occasionally. Watch the buyer's premium, often 20-25% on top of the hammer price, which can push the final cost up significantly.
eBay Canada (ebay.ca)
eBay.ca is the default when the local market is dry. The selection is wider, but prices are higher and interprovincial shipping adds up fast for machines this heavy. Filtering to "Canada only" reduces customs surprises.
For common models like the Beseler 23C or Omega B-22, the American market is more active. For European models like Durst or Meopta, eBay.ca or eBay.com is often the only realistic option within a reasonable distance.
Quick Price Reference (Canadian dollars, 2025-2026)
These ranges are indicative, not guaranteed. The market shifts depending on region, condition, and what's included.
| Model | Local (Kijiji / FB Marketplace) | eBay Canada (estimated with shipping) |
|---|---|---|
| Beseler 23C (without lens) | $50 – $150 | $200 – $450 |
| Beseler 23C (complete, dichroic) | $100 – $300 | $350 – $600 |
| Omega B-22 (with condensers) | $40 – $150 | $180 – $400 |
| Durst M605 (35mm) | $75 – $200 | $250 – $500 |
| Durst M670 (medium format) | $100 – $300 | $300 – $600 |
| LPL 7700 (medium format) | $150 – $400 | $300 – $700 |
| Meopta Magnifax 4 | rare, $80 – $200 if found | often from Europe, add freight |
These figures reflect actual observed transactions on the platforms mentioned, not asking prices. The gap between local pickup and shipped is often what decides the whole thing.
Going Further
If the purchase is looking likely, three practical things to sort out at the same time.
First, a decent enlarger timer: the most common entry-level options are the Gralab 300 or the Paterson analog timer, both findable secondhand on Kijiji for $20-50. If you'd rather buy new, digital darkroom timers are available from suppliers like Freestyle Photo or B&H.
Next, a quality enlarging lens if the enlarger doesn't come with one worth using. For 35mm, a secondhand El-Nikkor 50mm f/2.8 or Rodagon 50mm f/2.8 (roughly $50-150 CAD on eBay) is the accessible benchmark. For medium format, an El-Nikkor 75mm or 80mm depending on your format.
And for assessing optical condition before buying, the most useful resource is still the practitioner forums. The French-language forum 35mm-compact, Quebec analog Facebook groups, or Photrio in English. People who have been repairing these machines for decades are responsive and direct.
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