Autofocus on Omega D3

[igzabeher]

Generally speaking, I think I'm a fairly intelligent person. I can usually figure out most things I'm interested in figuring out. Clearly, I am not as smart as I think. For the life of me, I can't get the autofocus to work on a D3 that has come into my possession.

This is the set up. Apologies for the poor lighting, I didn't and likely won't have time during the day for the next several days to take pictures. I have:
The whole set up

50mm f/2/8 Rodenstock APO Rodagon + flat lens board/disc

135mm f/4.5 Rodenstock Omegaron + cone


50mm focus track

135mm focus track

variable condenser

Beseler universal 14 easel



I believe I followed the instructions found at: http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/omega/OmegaD3andD5.pdf, but I'm missing something.

focus rails at the top


focus rails at the bottom


At it's highest point, it's just a blurry mess. Racked down to it's lowest, there's an identifiable rectangular shape (this is all using the 50mm lens and 135 negatives, I don't have any 4x5 negatives yet). If I put my hand pretty close to the lens, I can get what appears to be a fairly sharp image projected onto my hand. If I use the 135mm lens and 135 negatives, I can almost get an in focus image by playing with the height position and adjusting the fine focus. What am I missing?

For those of you advocating for use of the auxiliary bellows, I have them, but I don't have a lens disc for it. At some point I will pick one up. I will also pick up a 75mm focus track (I have a 75mm Nikkor) or an 80mm track if I come into an 80mm Rodenstock (for consistency).

Thank you kindly for helping this poor unfortunate and dumbfounded soul.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

You are putting the follower wheel on the right track for the lens? Sorry if that's an insulting question but your photo shows the wheel sitting between the two tracks.

 

[removed account4]

your focus track wheel does not have the rail on the groove. grab bar with the wheel and pull it out, then wiggle / move the wheel so it is on the rail the right way.
is your cone 2 3/4" long?
are you using the baseboard ? nothing will work right ( except the aux bellows ) without the baseboard ro focus on ...

open the variable condenser housing and look at the diagram, is your variable condenser put in the right way? ( the 11th page of the manual you linked to shows the inside of that condenser housing ).

 

[Paul Howell]

I have a D3, but I took the rails off and use it as D2, reason, lens were matched to the rails and I didn't have the original lens. Some lens might be close or even spot on, mine were not, but as not as out of focus as your seems to be.

 

[ic-racer]

Why is the tracking wheel inbetween the tracks?

You are putting the follower wheel on the right track for the lens? Sorry if that's an insulting question but your photo shows the wheel sitting between the two tracks.

Yes and this is also evident in the picture "variable condenser" above.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

For the autofocus to work correctly your easel has to be 1" high, most 4-blade easels satisfy this requirement. When these enlargers were current you sent your lens to Omega and they ground a track for it. Omega also made 'generic' tracks available in common focal lengths - if this is the case for yours then you will have to tweak the focus.

Autofocus is really convenient when you resize a print, there is no going back and forth between changing the elevation, changing the focus, adjusting the elevation, adjusting the focus, ad nauseum ... and seemingly never getting it quite right.

 

[igzabeher]

Ask a question that implies you're a moron, get an answer that proves it.

I put it back together the way I received it, thinking that was how it should be. I should know better. Thank you all.

 

[MattKing]

Ask a question that implies you're a moron, get an answer that proves it.

Not at all!
Ask a question that reveals you are unaware of something important, and get an answer that fills in your lack of knowledge!

 

[removed account4]

Ask a question that implies you're a moron, get an answer that proves it.

I put it back together the way I received it, thinking that was how it should be. I should know better. Thank you all.

don’t be hard on yourself. .. as simple as enlargers can be, they can also be kind of complicated. The D3 is pretty complex…. I was only able to help because I bought mine from someone in Arizona back in the day, and the ups driver left it in 13 boxes in my parents driveway no instructions and no internet.. just. Lot of trial and error and mistakes
Have fun with your omega they are a lot of fun…

john

 

[ic-racer]

How does it work? One thing I noticed is that sometimes the little plastic thing on the 'focus tune' cam can wear out on the D3.