Just Acquired New Equipment - Need Help Identifying It Please!

jamhenn · Jan 31, 2011

I recently acquired several pieces of equipment that I believe are used in dark rooms but I knew virtually nothing about them. I was hoping someone on this forum could help me out by telling me what they are, how to see if they work, if they're worth anything, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Here's a few pics of the items:

panchro-press · Jan 31, 2011

The first two photographs show a portrait camera and stand with lens. The label will tell the make for both.
It looks like it has a 4X5 back with a sliding carriage. With different backs, the camera will also do 8X10 and 5X7.

The thing with the big dome is probably a 5X7 Elwood diffusion enlarger. The smaller enlarger looks like some kind of Omega.

Have no idea about the other stuff.

Dave

Rick A · Jan 31, 2011

The smaller enlarger is possibly an Omega D series 4x5 enlarger, the bigger one for 5x7. Sweet portrait camera and studio stand. The last is possibly a uv light source for alternative process exposures for contact prints.

benjiboy · Jan 31, 2011

I'm sorry I have to ask the question, if you know nothing about them, why did you acquire them ?

Diapositivo · Jan 31, 2011

The last object has a label stating power (HP), revolutions per minute (rpm), and tension (V), and current (A), which I would expect to find in a generator. You pull the wooden handle to turn it on... there must be a place where to put alcohol, or gasoline, or whatever fuel.

(Very daring hypothesis, I know).

Fabrizio

jamhenn · Jan 31, 2011

Thanks for the responses guys, very helpful. Ben, I bought a storage unit for the furniture that was in the unit and this equipment just happened to come with it. Rather than getting rid of them I figured I'd try and learn a little bit about them. Fabrizio, the last item has a dc plug and plugs right into the wall and you flip the switch to turn it on. When it's running the dials/levers on the front spin so I'm not sure what that could be for?

John Kasaian · Jan 31, 2011

The Omega looks like a medium format to me. The Elwood appears to be a 5x7. If it has the white glass diffusion disc under the dome it is a real treasure(not many of those survive the passage of time!) But if it doesn't, it is still very usable.

tkamiya · Jan 31, 2011

The Omega you have is an Omega D-2 DV. Presence of hand crank for elevation on right side makes it D-2 rather than D-II. There is a box with a door under the light bulb housing. There is a movable condenser lens inside. That makes it DV.

It's a really nice enlarger. I have two here and they are my main enlargers.

pgomena · Jan 31, 2011

While much of what you have is antiquated stuff (the Elwood enlarger and the studio camera), it's worth something to the right buyer. The lens on the camera alone could be worth a few hundred dollars to the right person, depending on make, model and condition. A good place to read up on such equipment is the large format forum, http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/ A good many of the folks who post here belong there as well. You can find information on old cameras and lenses from catalogs posted at http://www.cameraeccentric.com/info.html The catalogs will at least give you an idea of the year and type of lens.

Peter Gomena

Diapositivo · Jan 31, 2011

It could be an electric motor. The motor has what would be termed in Italian presa di forza motrice that is something to "take" the force generated by the engine to transmit it elsewhere.

Imagine an external device, such as a small conveyor belt, a small mill, etc. that needs an external force, which is provided by belts which connect both the engine and the tool. In that case, there should be a "tensioner" to keep the belt in tension so that it transmit force to the tool. The cylinders that "spin" move the belt. So it should be an electric engine for some external utilising machine.

If this had to be utilised in a darkroom, it could have been used as part of a rotary processor. The belt would transmit the motion to the tank. Or maybe some kind of contraption would have the tank rotated while being on the same axis of the presa di forza, just as it happens with a Jobo.

Fabrizio

totalamateur · Jan 31, 2011

Definately a D2, I have the exact same one, except the Prev. Owner puta dichro head on it. Definately post up some details on the lens!! Neat!.

removed account4 · Jan 31, 2011

maybe it is part of a tray-rocker ...

jamhenn · Jan 31, 2011

Here are some better pictures of the enlargers and the labels on them:

Then here are some closeups of the lens from the portrait camera:

pgomena · Feb 1, 2011

The Commercial Ektars are fairly common lenses. They do have a good reputation, and yours being hard-coated makes it more desirable. The condition of the glass and whether or not the shutter is working will be the price determiners. If the coating on the front element is badly scratched, its value will decrease. Condition is everything.

Peter Gomena

ic-racer · Feb 1, 2011

Some things to look for on the Elwood are the presence of an un-broken glass diffuser, a negative carrier and intact (non-leaking) bellows.

greybeard · Feb 2, 2011

The item in the fifth picture of the original set, fourth one in the last set (in the background, next to the Elwood) is almost certainly a copy stand; the two bars on the mini-ball-heads are for photofloods, and the markings on the baseboard are for centering of different sized originals. From the looks of the column, it is not a factory item, but very stout. It would be reasonably valuable to someone who really needed one (and lived close by---it looks pretty heavy) and pretty much worthess to anyone else.

eddie gunks · Feb 3, 2011

great find. where are you? i sent you a PM

Just Acquired New Equipment - Need Help Identifying It Please!

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