Is this an enlarger?

sandermarijn · Apr 7, 2010

Hi All,

I got an Opemus 5 from somebody whose late father also owned something of the Liesegang brand. I'm not so much interested in having this machine, just wondering what it is exactly.

It looks like an enlarger, but then quite different from the typical Durst that I'm familiar with. It also seems like some parts are missing (the son mentions a mirror).

Anybody know more about this type of thing? Thanks!

Sander.

mrred · Apr 7, 2010

try (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

steven_e007 · Apr 7, 2010

No idea what that is! It looks more like an overhead projector - but without anywhere to put the slide!

For that matter - if it were an enlarger, where would you put the negative?

I reckon the son is right, there should be a 45 degree mirror to project the image horizontally onto a screen... but not sure what it projects.
Is there a slot or aperture in that base that we can't see in the image?

AgX · Apr 7, 2010

It's from the Liesegang "Antiskop" (reflected-light projector) range. The object to be projected is placed beneath the large housing.

some photos of a seemingly similar projector are to be seen here:
http://cgi.ebay.de/Liesegang-Antisk...ewItemQQptZKünstlerbedarf?hash=item335bc55b73

sandermarijn · Apr 7, 2010

AgX said:
It's from the Liesegang "Antiskop" range. The object to be projected is placed beneath the large housing.

Thanks AgX. I checked ebay but obviously not well enough

It's a monstrous contraption! The seat-like thing is to attach the projector to a piece of rails connected to a wall, or at least that's what it looks like in another ebay auction. Now I don't know what you're supposed to project with an Antiskop; large format slides (if those exist), glass plates, maybe just anything transparent enough?

sandermarijn · Apr 7, 2010

steven_e007 said:
Is there a slot or aperture in that base that we can't see in the image?

I don't know Steve, the machine is not with me to check. But AgX's link to the ebay auction shows some slits and surfaces that may take something projectable.

Mike Wilde · Apr 7, 2010

wiki epidascope for some possibe options. If there is a mirror missing off the top then I would lean to some sort of lecture hall projector.

DLawson · Apr 7, 2010

sandermarijn said:
It's a monstrous contraption! The seat-like thing is to attach the projector to a piece of rails connected to a wall, or at least that's what it looks like in another ebay auction. Now I don't know what you're supposed to project with an Antiskop; large format slides (if those exist), glass plates, maybe just anything transparent enough?

Sounds like what we called in high school ('70s) an "opaque projector." In that context, it projected printed text or pictures -- anything you didn't have a transparency of. The one I recall was also very hot to run, so you didn't leave things in long.

ic-racer · Apr 7, 2010

Someone was looking for a projector here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=57919

sandermarijn · Apr 7, 2010

That person can buy the Antiskop on German ebay right now. It's complete and 'only' 100 euros plus the amazingly little amount of 6.50 euros for the shipping of the monster.

steven_e007 · Apr 8, 2010

Hi Sandermarjin,

Yep, what AgX makes sense. It is an epidiascope. My Dad had one of these for a while. You can place a book or magazine under it, rather than a transparency. That is why there is no negative holder. The big disadvantage is that because it uses reflected light - it needs a LOT of light - and would run REALLY hot! I seem to recall the image quality was pretty poor, too - dim and low contrast. It might be useful for an artist to project an image onto his canvas to sketch the outline...that is what my Dad used it for.

sandermarijn · Apr 8, 2010

steven_e007 said:
You can place a book or magazine under it, rather than a transparency. That is why there is no negative holder.

Ah, that's the part I still didn't get. Thanks Steve.

Whiteymorange · Apr 8, 2010

Epidiscopes are, or were, more common than you can imagine. Leitz made a good line of them, sometimes coupled with a magic lantern projector in the same housing and I have a Bosch and Lombe version from around WW I. Thee lenses are interesting to play with, if nothing else. Norman Rockwell used one to work up his paintings, as did many other artists who are known for their drawing skills - a bit of a scandal to many, but hey...

Is this an enlarger?

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