Any Omega D-2XL Variable Condenser specialists out there??

Luke Munnell · Jun 26, 2019

After a year of getting back into film (after about 20 years shooting digital exclusively), I'm getting back into film. I've been shooting and developing my own 4x5 shots for the past year or so and finally picked up a D-2XL w/Variable Condenser head to start piecing together my darkroom.

Problem is, the enlarger needs a little piecing together, too. There are no lenses, boards/cones, carriers, or contrast filters/holders present, and only one bulb that's pretty badly worn/discolored.

My questions, for any who care to lend some advice:

Should I bother with glass carriers for 4x5? Perfectly fine going this route but wondering which would be best.

For longer lenses (135mm, 150mm), will I need only flat lens boards with the VC head, or cones with longer lenses?

Should I try to track down an accessory holder for the round-type contrast filters, or just lay flat ones on top of the condenser lenses?

What replacement bulbs are the cool kids using in this head, these days? Anything good that's twice as bright (or more) as stock?

Thank you! Really excited to be getting this together after so long. Darkroom process absolutely possessed me decades ago, and I can't wait to get lost in it again.

Sirius Glass · Jun 26, 2019

Luke, some like glassless, others like glass. I use both. Contact Dave Smith, the Darkroom Doctor, for parts and advice. http://www.darkroomdoctor.com/

bdial · Jun 26, 2019

When I bought my D2, it had a 150w bulb in it, and then I was trying to find a timer that could do sub-second exposures, really long exposures were 2.5 - 3 seconds.
Switched to a 75 watt and got reasonable exposure times.

I have a glass carrier for my current enlarger, but rarely use it, some people swear by them, others swear at them. I like cleaning two surfaces instead of 6.

mgb74 · Jun 26, 2019

I have some Omega manuals that might help. Send me your email in a "conversation" and I'll send them to you.

jvo · Jun 26, 2019

welcome to photrio... and back to film!

i have a d2, no xl, or variable - never used glass carriers, always used 75 watt bulb, and harry taylor was my go-to guy for info and needed items, but sadly no more.

MattKing · Jun 27, 2019

I should really get royalties from KHB...

http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/Enlargers/D2.htm

Patrick Robert James · Jun 27, 2019

If you want your photos to be sharp then get glass carriers. Simple.

You can use Ilford filters below the lens. That is the easiest. You need to keep the condensers spotless and putting filters in the lamphouse will introduce dust.

You should get a laser alignment tool, again, if you want your prints to be sharp everywhere. Aligning an enlarger without one is a royal PITA.

Of course you don't need any of these things if you just want to have fun.

mike c · Jun 27, 2019

Bracing the top of the column to a wall stud can help fight vibrations. Glass type neg carriers work well, just put filters in the variable condenser slot , the same amount of dust above and below the lens.

Luke Munnell · Jun 27, 2019

Thanks, everyone! Great advice. Patrick, any suggestions on brand/model of laser alignment tool?

Paul Howell · Jun 27, 2019

I have a D3 with VC head. I agree that a glass carrier for 4X5 is best. Although I have not noticed any buckling with 35 mm or MF as the Omega negative carries are heavy enough to hold the negatives flat, 4X5 will buckle if using a 150 watt bulb, and when using a 150 watt bulb needs to get heat absorbing glass. I'm using GE daylight LED bulbs which are rather cool, I have 2, a 900 and 1600L. I also have an Omega cold light head and electric shutter, but the shutter has stopped working, I have not spent time to trouble shoot it. My D3 needs a cone for 135 to 165, the flat board works with 50mm to 105 or so. I use large 6 inch Ilford VC filter, I slip them either above or below the upper condenser depending on the position of the condenser. Some like the under lens filters as they are easier to change when doing split printing. Depending on how you want to spend you can find a cold light, not an ancient Omega cold light, a newer model with stabilizer, or a color head. If you really like the hunt, you might look for a point source head, really sharp, not many were made. Most use used for micro film work, some think the prints are very sharp, sharper than a standard condenser. The XL model is really nice, you should be able to print 16X20 from the baseboard.

Luke Munnell · Jun 29, 2019

Paul Howell said:
I have a D3 with VC head. I agree that a glass carrier for 4X5 is best. Although I have not noticed any buckling with 35 mm or MF as the Omega negative carries are heavy enough to hold the negatives flat, 4X5 will buckle if using a 150 watt bulb, and when using a 150 watt bulb needs to get heat absorbing glass. I'm using GE daylight LED bulbs which are rather cool, I have 2, a 900 and 1600L. I also have an Omega cold light head and electric shutter, but the shutter has stopped working, I have not spent time to trouble shoot it. My D3 needs a cone for 135 to 165, the flat board works with 50mm to 105 or so. I use large 6 inch Ilford VC filter, I slip them either above or below the upper condenser depending on the position of the condenser. Some like the under lens filters as they are easier to change when doing split printing. Depending on how you want to spend you can find a cold light, not an ancient Omega cold light, a newer model with stabilizer, or a color head. If you really like the hunt, you might look for a point source head, really sharp, not many were made. Most use used for micro film work, some think the prints are very sharp, sharper than a standard condenser. The XL model is really nice, you should be able to print 16X20 from the baseboard.

Thanks, Paul! Very interested in cold head options, but I'm not too familiar with the market for them. Can you recommend some? Once I get back into the groove of printing, I want to mount this on an elevated baseboard for really big prints and I'm thinking a brighter/colder power source would be a must for that (but that's at least a few months out).

darkroommike · Jul 7, 2019

Patrick Robert James said:
If you want your photos to be sharp then get glass carriers. Simple.

You can use Ilford filters below the lens. That is the easiest. You need to keep the condensers spotless and putting filters in the lamphouse will introduce dust.

You should get a laser alignment tool, again, if you want your prints to be sharp everywhere. Aligning an enlarger without one is a royal PITA.

Of course you don't need any of these things if you just want to have fun.

It's easy and cheaper to use the Omega bubble level or just any small level to square up your Omega. Level the base, level the film plane, then check all four corners for sharpness.

Paul Howell · Jul 7, 2019

Aristo are common, Zone VI used if you find one. What format are you shooting? There are LED heads, don't know much about them, I just use the LED bulbs. Cold lights work well with 4X5, but as there is no condenser to focus the light a cold light prints slower with smaller formats, at least with my ancient Omega Cold Light. I think Aristo's have several lamps that can turned on and off depending on the format. If you plan on printing really large like 16 X 20 or large a diffusion head of some kind makes sense as dust will not show as much. Other issue with cold lights, some do not work with VC paper, my Omega need a yellow color correction filter to work with VC paper. Graded paper is getting rare, grade 3 and 4 is common but most makers no longer make grade 2. You might find an Aristo manual on line, read before you buy. Other option for diffusion and will cost about the same is a color head. Will have a voltage stabilizer, works with VC paper without VC filters, and you can print R4 as well as black and white. It's been a very long that I've printed with a Omega Color head on a D5, while in the AF in the 70s, think you need a set of mixing boxes for different formats, could be wrong.

Any Omega D-2XL Variable Condenser specialists out there??

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