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Help identifying Omega enlarger (getting my first 4x5 enlarger Xmas day!)

Dandelion

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Hi Photrio!

I'm getting my first 4x5 enlarger ever on Xmas day this year! I purchased a lot for $100 AUD.

All I know is that it is an Omega enlarger and have these photos I've attached. I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me identify the rough model number of this unit before I can get it in my hands?

I'm also on the look out for a 4x5 film negative carrier and a 4x5" glass plate carrier for this system. If anyone has one available please reach out!

Thank you, Ryan.


 
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AnselMortensen

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The chassis in the first photo looks to be an Omega D5XL.
The black negative carrier appears to be modified or possibly homemade...for a D-series.
Nikon 75mm lens is for 6x6cm negatives.
The 35mm negative carrier appears to be made of cardboard.
Not much info to be seen about the lamp housing...sorry.
The go-to person for Omega parts and info is KHB Photographix in Canada.
Hope this helps!
 
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Dandelion

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A rough model number is super helpful! I can start doing some prior research. Thanks so much!
 

RalphLambrecht

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looks like aÎ2 to me. yhis was also my first 4x5 enlarrger before I went to a Durst L1200.
 

Don_ih

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It comes with condensers? It should have two big ones (6" cylinders that go under the light) and a variable condenser (a lens in a square metal holder). It also should have some lens boards. I don't see any of that in your photos. With no 4x5 negative holder, I'd be concerned the 4x5 condenser might be missing.

The condensers, by the way, should be cleaned after you get it.
 

Rick A

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The model designation will be on the lamp housing, if it's a 4x5 it will be a D series. There are two types of negative carriers, the old style that uses notches on the edge of the carrier for locating it in the machine, and the new type that utilizes a frame on the bottom of the carrier to secure it on the negative stage.
 

Ian C

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KHB Photographix of Welland, Ontario is the best source of information, parts, and advice regarding Omega enlargers:

http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/

The enlarger shown in post #1 is the Omega D5XL.

The model designation on the lamphouse refers to the lamphouse only.

The lamphouse shown in the lower photo is a condenser lamphouse. This contains an opal photo lamp and condensers. Depending on the model of condenser assembly you have, you might have to adjust the configuration of the condensers to provide proper light coverage when changing lenses to cover different formats.

The combined D3 and D5 manual is in the following PDF:

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/omega/OmegaD3andD5.pdf

Here is some more information regarding the various condenser heads:

http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/CondenserHeads.htm
 
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Rick A

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Hmm.... I own a D5 and there's no ID on the chassis, only on the lamp housing on mine.
 

Ian C

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Regarding post #8, thank you for catching that. I've amended my post for accuracy.
 

MattKing

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Rick A said:
Hmm.... I own a D5 and there's no ID on the chassis, only on the lamp housing on mine.
Click to expand...

Check the back of the column - some if them are identified there.
But yes, it is a D5XL.
I miss my D6, and I enjoy using the D5XLs in my Darkroom Group's darkroom.
 

Rick A

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MattKing said:
Check the back of the column - some if them are identified there.
But yes, it is a D5XL.
I miss my D6, and I enjoy using the D5XLs in my Darkroom Group's darkroom.
Click to expand...

I've owned it for many years, the only marking on the chassis is the word OMEGA at the top of the column. I don't doubt some are marked, mine isn't.
 

mwdake

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As pointed out the ID label is usually at the rear of the column near the base. Oftentimes the label falls off, mine was sitting in the base mount; I guess someone put it there for safe keeping.
Definitely looks like a D5 Pro, probably the XL version judging the height.

I had 3 of them up until recently, down to 1 now.
 

Pieter12

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The Omega does not use a condenser in the variable slot for 4x5!
 

Don_ih

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Pieter12 said:
The Omega does not use a condenser in the variable slot for 4x5!
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't. I have one. You need it for shorter focal length lenses. Even then, you can do fine without it. Doesn't change the fact that it should come with the enlarger.
 

Paul Howell

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I don't see rails for auto focus, the one negative carrier has the slot to fit a rail. And no cones for the 135 and 150 lens. As the auto focus rails were matched to a given lens, if missing might have been removed over the years as lens were swapped out.
 

MattKing

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That doesn't sound like a reference to a D5XL - which:
1) does not offer auto-focus; and
2) does not use lens cones.
I think you may be thinking of the D4.
 

Ian C

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Omega did indeed place a model label on at least one of its D5XL enlargers. I checked mine on 12-12-25. On the rear there is a formed-steel box-shaped reinforcement of 0.138” thickness that joins the left and right column rails together. It’s fastened to the side rails with 8 Phillips-drive machine screws. They appear to be 5/16” – 18 UNC. They are threaded into the reinforcement.

On the back of the reinforcement is a thin aluminum, adhesively attached 1.25” x 2.5” label. It’s about 0.013” thick. It reads:

“D5XL UNIVERSAL
CHASSIS
BERKEY OMEGA
SR. NO. 032593

BERKEY OMEGA
WOODSIDE, NY 11277 U.S.A.”

The serial number is lightly stamped with 1/8” tall numerals. I bought this new from Calumet Photographic in September 1988.

Regarding Post #15:

I think you might be commenting about the PDF whose link I provided in post #7.

“Omega, D-3 Autofocus D-5 System Enlargers & Lamphouses INSTRUCTION MANUAL.”

It’s single manual that covers BOTH models. It’s a bit confusing. A careful rereading should make it clearer. The linear cam-driven autofocus refers only to the D3. The photo on the first page shows the D5 on the left and the D3 Autofocus on the right. They share some parts in common, but are different in several ways:

The D5 is manual focus, while the D3 is Autofocus.

The D5 has a long, tapered bellows. The D3 has a short bellows and requires a collection of lens cones of various lengths to accommodate lenses of different focal lengths.

The D5 has the counterbalance spring on the back of the column. The D3 has two counterbalance springs on the top of the column.

Due to space taken up by the autofocus system of the D3, it lacks the boxy formed-steel column reinforcement of the D5.

The lamp heads are interchangeable between these two machines.
 
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Dandelion

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Hey all! Apologies - I'm only just getting back to this thread.
Thanks Don - I will indeed clean them if they're there haha. If they're not I will definitely try to source the parts via ebay or KHB Photographix.
 
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Dandelion

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Thank you Ian! That's super helpful. It's kind of amazing that new parts are still obtainable.

I don't quite have it in my hands yet but that's very helpful to confirm the model number. As far as I understand, the lamphouse can be changed out for a Dichroic colour head if desired instead of the b&w condenser head, is that correct? I plan to mostly do b&w but want to consider colour in the future.

I will go and read the pdfs Thank you for the help!
 
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Dandelion

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MattKing said:
Check the back of the column - some if them are identified there.
But yes, it is a D5XL.
I miss my D6, and I enjoy using the D5XLs in my Darkroom Group's darkroom.
Click to expand...

Hey Matt, do you know if it is it at all possible to file out a 4x5" negative carrier on a D5XL to get at least partial rebate?
 
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Dandelion

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MattKing said:
That doesn't sound like a reference to a D5XL - which:
1) does not offer auto-focus; and
2) does not use lens cones.
I think you may be thinking of the D4.
Click to expand...

You guys are legends, I love the debate of confirmation! Haha. It's still 2 weeks till I get my hands on this thing so I'm considering ordering the 4x5" glassless and 4x5" glass negative carriers from ebay for film and glass plates. Am I correct in assuming it's best to get the rectangle neg holders with the 2 slots? For example: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/406301980554
 
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Dandelion

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Don_ih said:
No, it doesn't. I have one. You need it for shorter focal length lenses. Even then, you can do fine without it. Doesn't change the fact that it should come with the enlarger.
Click to expand...

I do plan to print 6x7 medium format with this setup, so I will have to acquire the condensers if they're not included. They don't seem to be too prohibitively expensive so I should be able to sort that out. I see KHB Photographix have some replacement counterbalance springs, are they something I should consider?
 

Pieter12

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Dandelion said:
Hey Matt, do you know if it is it at all possible to file out a 4x5" negative carrier on a D5XL to get at least partial rebate?
Click to expand...

I wouldn’t file the carrier. The 4x5 neg is big and would be very susceptible to bowing under the heat of the enlarger lamp. Not sure if a heat absorbing glass would help. I would recommend a glass carrier.
 

Huub

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Dandelion said:
Hey Matt, do you know if it is it at all possible to file out a 4x5" negative carrier on a D5XL to get at least partial rebate?
Click to expand...

You can make negative carriers yourself from pieces of mat board. To be able to print the rebates on 4x5 negatives i made one and included a sheet of glass, onto which the negative is put: gravity keeps it in place. You have to be careful not to move the negative when using a self constructed negative carrier like this, but otherwise it works just fine. Also: when printing rebates on a 4x5 you are at the maximum negative size of the enlarger takes and you have to be careful not to clip any of the corners.

A second remark is about printing smaller size negative. I am not sure about the D5, but my D2V forces me to use a 75mm lens (or longer) when printing 35mm negatives on 13x18 and smaller paper, the crunching of the bellows not allowing the use of a 50mm lens, which would be the preferred focal length.
 
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