Meopta Opematus

Maltija · Nov 6, 2022

Hello, I’m new here and I’m not really good at photography, but if possible, I would like some information about the MeoptaOpemus which belonged to my father who passed away some years ago. I‘m trying to sell it in Malta (where I live). I have been asked questions like - is it a 4x4 or 6x6? If I knew the exact name for it I would try to download its manual. I’ve tried writing to Meopta but I got no response.

All the information I have about it is the information that‘s on the enlarger i.e. Meopta Opematus, it also has a number which I thought might be its registration number, 303487. It was probably bought in the early 1960s.

Attached are a couple of photos of the enlarger, sorry, couldn‘t get the pics right side up!

Thanks
Anne Marie

Paul Howell · Nov 6, 2022

It will take up a negative up to 6X6, mine is newer model but has a masking negative carrier, it will adjust from 35mm to 6X6. It's a condenser style that sometimes has a diffusion disk that fits over the condenser to give a softer print. You can find the manual on line.

Maltija · Nov 6, 2022

Paul Howell said:
It will take up a negative up to 6X6, mine is newer model but has a masking negative carrier, it will adjust from 35mm to 6X6. It's a condenser style that sometimes has a diffusion disk that fits over the condenser to give a softer print. You can find the manual on line.

Hello, thank you very much for the information, it’s a great help!

AgX · Nov 6, 2022

By its look it is the "Opemus 6x6"

Maltija · Nov 7, 2022

AgX said:
By its look it is the "Opemus 6x6"

Thanks for the info and taking the time to reply.

Trond · Nov 7, 2022

The enlarger is an Opematus. Takes negatives up to 6x6. It also has auto focus. I own an Opematus myself.

Maltija · Nov 7, 2022

Trond said:
The enlarger is an Opematus. Takes negatives up to 6x6. It also has auto focus. I own an Opematus myself.

Thank you for that extra info!

Trond · Nov 7, 2022

I don't think the Opematus is very common. It's very similar to an early Opemus, apart from the auto focus mechanism. I bought it some years ago since I thought it looked interesting. Haven't tried it yet, since I need to replace the wiring.

AgX · Nov 7, 2022

AgX said:
By its look it is the "Opemus 6x6"

Trond said:
The enlarger is an Opematus. Takes negatives up to 6x6. It also has auto focus. I own an Opematus myself.

I stand corrected!

This thread is the first time I learn of an "Opematus", I considered it a spelling mistake by the OP.
Just by your remark I realized that this designation hints at autofocus.

And just at looking now at the OP's photo at the collumn I realized that indeed it got AF... one only sees what one is looking for...
Sorry!

Maltija · Nov 8, 2022

Trond said:
I don't think the Opematus is very common. It's very similar to an early Opemus, apart from the auto focus mechanism. I bought it some years ago since I thought it looked interesting. Haven't tried it yet, since I need to replace the wiring.

Thank you, I haven’t come across Opematus at all, so I did think it was the Opemus too. Hope you like yours once you replace the wiring. My father bought his Opematus brand new in Australia and loved using it. As a young child, I used to just go into the darkroom to see him develop photos.

Maltija · Nov 8, 2022

AgX said:
I stand corrected!

This thread is the first time I learn of an "Opematus", I considered it a spelling mistake by the OP.
Just by your remark I realized that this designation hints at autofocus.

And just at looking now at the OP's photo at the collumn I realized that indeed it got AF... one only sees what one is looking for...
Sorry!

No problem, I also thought it an opemus, in fact, I ordered the manual for the Opemus 6x6 as i couldn’t find the name Opemus anywhere.

AgX · Nov 8, 2022

Meopta at their own history site on the net got a line-up of their enlargers:

Enlargers | Meopta

(For unknown reason that very page did not end in my archive, and for more plausible reason I forgot about having it seen listed there...)

Interesting is its given period of production and one may wonder why this model was not manufacured in the years when amateur darkrooms were flourishing.

Maltija · Nov 8, 2022

AgX said:
Meopta at their own history site on the net got a line-up of their enlargers:

Enlargers | Meopta

(For unknown reason that very page did not end in my archive, and for more plausible reason I forgot about having it seen listed there...)

Interesting is its given period of production and one may wonder why this model was not manufacured in the years when amateur darkrooms were flourishing.

Thanks for the link, I did come across it a while back and for some reason didn’t see the Opematus. I was surprised to see it so old and thought it should be in some museum! I think dad bought his in the early 50s.

Meopta Opematus

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