Color printing is relatively easy. The hard part is getting the color
balance right, which requires experience in recognizing how color
casts correspond to corrections in filter settings.

If the goal is to get good color prints, then digital (scanning plus
printing on a frontier) provides far more creative control.

If the goal is to have some fun in the darkroom, then color printing is
not ideal either because the actual exposure has to be in the dark and
the rest of the process is drum based.

 Colour IMHO is easier then B&W. Hand a B&W negative to ten good printers
and they'll give you ten good but different prints. OTOH hand a colour
negative and the results will likely be a lot more similar. If you're buying
used and in today's market you should then colour enlargers aren't any more
money then straight B&W models. Some times they sell for less because people
think they don't want a colour model.

     Nick

It is quite easy with the Tetenal Mono RA-4 chemicals.  These work at room
temperature and do not require precise control.  

I find color balance not difficult at all by just using a set of Kodak
Color Printing Filters

However I also find B&W printing much more rewarding because there is more
control involved.

An enlarger with a dichroic head is useful and
convenient for variable contrast black and white
printing.

I find colour negative prints to be a bit finicky,
but if you can print black and white, you can print
colour too. The main issue is the very high speed
of colour paper - I use Fuji Crystal Archive, the same
stuff the minilabs use. I bought both my enlargers
used, and bought a Jobo CPE-2 processor on EBay.

Colour transparency prints (Ilfochrome) are obscenely
expensive but easy to get right. They are very nearly
idiot-proof.

Laura Halliday VE7LDH     "Que les nuages soient notre
Grid: CN89mg                    pied a terre..."
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W       - Hospital/Shafte

Color printing is not difficult, especially if you have some sort of
automated processor. A drum type processor is probably cheaper and easier to
maintain, a roller transport type is probably easier to use and faster (my
opinion, YMMV)

In B&W, you make a test print to determine exposure. You make a judgement on
contrast (and perhaps another test print), then you make your final print.

In color (negative) printing, you make the same test print to determine
exposure. Then, using a _correctly_exposed_ test print, you make a judgement
on color balance, preferably with a set of viewing filters. You adjust the
filtration and make a test print to determine the new exposure.
There are two keys to color printing: (1) Always make your color balance
judgement with a correct density (darkness/lightness) print. Do not attempt
to color balance a print that is too dark or too light. (2) Write stuff
down! On each test print I make, I write (Sharpie brand marker) what
exposure(s) and filtration I used for that print. I also write the
exposure/filtration I plan to go to; IE: "Y60 M40 f/8 0:15--> Y65 M50 f/8
0:20" If I screw up the filter pack or exposure, I can go back thru test
print(s) until I find the best one and start over from there.

Ken Hart

IMHO I'd suggest working with B&W only at first and leave color for
another day. With B&W, it's relatively inexpensive and quick a test
print and the full print can be had in just 5 minutes or so. Also you
can use safelights when working with B&W papers. All color is done in
darkness and unless you know your way around your darkroom well, the
possibility of making expensive mistakes is increased.

Buying a color enlarger seems to make sense at the beginning - My first
(and only) enlarger was a Durst 35mm with a color head. I found I was
able to use the color filters with most multigrade papers. However I
never did use it for color as my darkroom was in a loft which was
difficult to cool in summer and very cold in winter.

So, go for B&W now and if you do went to dabble with color, a cheaper
alternative would be to scan slides and negs and produce digital prints
via a photo quality printer - I do realize this cannot be classified as
darkroom use, but digital manipulation is probably much easier than
color in the darkroom. This is not to say go the digital road -
transparencies provide the best way of displaying photos to many people,
rather color work in the darkroom is expensive in equipment and
chemistry as well as time.

I experimented a lot with lith film, all types of panchromatic film and
B&W papers and enjoyed many hours in my darkroom.