Just got a D2 Enlarger!

[kfed1984]

Bottle in the eye-loupe (35mm negative)

bottle in the microscope eyepiece

"35mm" negative. Actually I cut it out from 4x5 sheet and shoved it in the back of an old Leica.
You can see the bottle on the counter, in the negative, the text is on that bottle.

 

[kfed1984]

Haven't heard from you, do you want it?

Hi sorry I didn't see your message. Since then I picked up a second bargain Omega D2 with a bunch of carriers (incl. 4x5) and bunch of other stuff. Thank you for the offer though.

 

[kfed1984]

Mmm most decent 6 element lens for 4x5 that's reasonably modern will print to 16x20 easy, I would be more concerned with neg flatness (AN glass) and alignment (Versalab laser tool). Heat cutting glass is a must as is sparkling condenser glass.

What do you mean by heat-cutting glass? Something with a special coating on it? Sparkling condenser glass? Meaning sparkling clean condenser lenses?

 

[kfed1984]

I have a 135mm that will cover 4X5, but prefer either a 150 or my Wollensake 162, 150s are the most common.

I also got a 162 mm Wollensak, is this the same one? Haven't tested it.

 

[kfed1984]

The filter just slips in, either sitting at the bottom of the housing or on top of the variable condenser. A sheet of heat-absorbing glass would sit in there, too. I highly recommend it, especially if you are not using a glass negative carrier.

Heat absorbing glass is something with UV/IR coating? Maybe it comes in raw sheets that can be cut to fit. Or maybe I should improvise an LED light source later on.

 

[kfed1984]

I'm not familiar with that enlarger, but is it a regular frosted bulb with the writing at the end? I had an enlarger where someone had put such a bulb in it - when you turned it on, you could read GE in the middle of the easel.

gonna check the bulb later on, but I think it could be a bulb distortion at the tip. Don't recall seeing any letters on it.

 

[kfed1984]

I had one of those before they bought the Durst L1200. Of course, it is no comparison the design of the D2 is somewhat mediocre, but by securing the top end to the wall can be made quite sturdy.

This is because the enlarger head shifts relative to the base? The slight shift can cause image blurr?

 

[kfed1984]

That has to be about 35mm film. Englarging 4x5 onto 11x14 paper is not even an enlarging factor of 3. If a lens can't make a 3x enlargement, it should be fired off into outer space.

So we should be good enlarging 4x5 film onto at least 11x14 paper, right? It does not sound like there should be an issue enlarging 4x5 onto 16x20 and maybe a bit more.

4x5 film to 16x20 paper is like 35mm film onto a 4x5 paper, should be no issues. Unless things don't scale linearly with lenses.

 

[kfed1984]

Because of the size of a 4X5 negative a good 4 element will enlarge to a 16X20, on the other hand a decent 6 element that will go to 20X24 is worth considering, if your thinking about color an APO is going be best. I have printed color 4X5 with my 6 element Wollensake, looked fine, the client had no issues, but I think the color would have a bit better, maybe a lot better with an APO lens.

For now I am enlarging B&W, no color yet. Would you say the 135mm and 162mm lenses we discussed so far would be good for enlarging 4x5 film to 16x20 paper?

 

[kfed1984]

Enjoy it.

thanks!

 

[ic-racer]

6 element lens brand names:

Rodagon (Rodenstock)
Componon (Schneider)
Componon-S (Schneider)
Rokkor CE (Minolta)
Fujinon EP (Fuji)
Komuranon E (Komura)
Meogon (Meopta)
Meogon-S (Meopta)

El-Nikkor (name does not distinguish 6-element lenses) see below. Note how the 6 element lenses can give higher magnification as mentioned in my prior post:

 

[kfed1984]

6 element lens brand names:

Rodagon (Rodenstock)
Componon (Schneider)
Componon-S (Schneider)
Rokkor CE (Minolta)
Fujinon EP (Fuji)
Komuranon E (Komura)
Meogon (Meopta)
Meogon-S (Meopta)

El-Nikkor (name does not distinguish 6-element lenses) see below. Note how the 6 element lenses can give higher magnification as mentioned in my prior post:

This will be very useful. Thank you

 

[kfed1984]

the small 80mm lens that came with Omega D is Componon.
Much better image than my Nikon 50mm, but part of this could be due to focal length.

 

[ic-racer]

I use a 80mm Componon-S for most of my 35mm enlarging with my 4x5 Omega enlarger most of the time.

EL-Nikkor 50/2.8 is rated up to 8x and they are correct. It is challenging making a 16x20 from 35mm, the lens has to be centered perfectly and negative held flat in glass.

 

[kfed1984]

I use a 80mm Componon-S for most of my 35mm enlarging with my 4x5 Omega enlarger most of the time.

EL-Nikkor 50/2.8 is rated up to 8x and they are correct. It is challenging making a 16x20 from 35mm, the lens has to be centered perfectly and negative held flat in glass.

what about medium format and 4x5?

 

[Pieter12]

what about medium format and 4x5?

A 50mm lens won’t cover those. Or are you asking what lenses he uses for those formats?

 

[kfed1984]

A 50mm lens won’t cover those. Or are you asking what lenses he uses for those formats?

Yes just the lenses used for the other formats.

 

[Paul Howell]

I also got a 162 mm Wollensak, is this the same one? Haven't tested it.
View attachment 332496

This is the 4 element version, the 6 element is labeled pro. I have both, the 4 element is very good up to 11X14, a bit long for 4X5 at 162 which means that it is sharp in the corners. You do need the long cone for it.

 

[ic-racer]

what about medium format and 4x5?

One of my 4x5 Omegas has a 3 lens turret and it contains 80, 100 and 150mm lenses. Only the 150 covers 4x5.

 

[Paul Howell]

You need a 75 to 80 for 6X6, some 80s will cover 6X7 otherwise a 90mm, some 90s will cover a 6X9 negative, I use a 105, a 135 will cover 3 1/4 X 4 1/4 while a few 135 wills cover 4X5, a 150 to 170 covers 4X5.

 

[kfed1984]

This is the 4 element version, the 6 element is labeled pro.

One of my 4x5 Omegas has a 3 lens turret and it contains 80, 100 and 150mm lenses. Only the 150 covers 4x5.

You need a 75 to 80 for 6X6, some 80s will cover 6X7 otherwise a 90mm, some 90s will cover a 6X9 negative,

What brands do you guys use? Yesterday tried the 80mm Componon on a 4x5, and the illumination appeared even, not sure about the focus. The 75mm 4-element Wollensak started to produce distortion. No I will not use 80mm Componon for 4x5, but just as a demonstration I think because it's a 6 element design, it can do more than 4-element.

By the outside look of the lens, the 6-element lenses all tend to have long bodies (to accommodate the lens stack) and front/rear elements with a very round surface, small radius of curvature. Noticed that all wide angle lenses have this strong curvature, either positive or negative, probably making it more expensive to machine.

I have these two guys in transit:

and a 4-element

 

[RalphLambrecht]

the 135 lens appears to be sharp throughout for a 4x5 negative; Rodenstock Omegaron 135mm f4.5

But I will need a 4x5 negative that is more sharp all across for a proper evaluation of the 135mm lens.

What is clear for sure is that for a 35m negative, 80mm and 135mm lenses produce a sharper image across the field compared to 50mm lens.

The 50mm lens is more sensitive to enlarger misalignment and film buckling

View attachment 331947

a few words to darkroom sharpness

 

[kfed1984]

a few words to darkroom sharpness

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Pieter12]

Heat absorbing glass is something with UV/IR coating? Maybe it comes in raw sheets that can be cut to fit. Or maybe I should improvise an LED light source later on.

Heat absorbing glass to fit the Omega filter/variable condenser area is sold by KHB in Canada. http://store.khbphotografix.com/Heat-Absorbing-Glass-for-the-Omega-DV-Condenser-Lamphouse.html

 

[kfed1984]

Heat absorbing glass to fit the Omega filter/variable condenser area is sold by KHB in Canada. http://store.khbphotografix.com/Heat-Absorbing-Glass-for-the-Omega-DV-Condenser-Lamphouse.html

I wonder if I can just place a frosted LED bulb of the same dimensions. The bulb thread in Omega is just regular bulb thread correct? Can't check now, as I'm at work.