Meopta Opemus 5 starter question

I want to do 6x4.5 B&W enlargements and am thinking about an Opemus 5. They look well-made. I cannot find any operating manuals online. The pdf manual(s) linked to in previous answers to Opemus 5 questions on this board have all disappeared. My three starter questions:

1. I assume that the B&W version uses a condenser head. Is this correct? Double or single , condenser is important for me.

2. What is the largest I can go with this enlarger? I need 16 x 20 in.

3. Is there a tray for filters in case I decide to go multi-grade?

Many thanks

S

Mr.datsun:
I have a Meopta Opemus 6, condenser one. It is designed to print no bigger than 12x16, with both 35mm and 120 films.
I am almost a hundred percent sure than a Meopta Opemus 5 only works with 35mm, and it will not print bigger than 12x16.
Both models have a tray for filters.
I have to say that the Meopta Opemus 6 is an excellent enlarger. I recommend it instead of the Meopta Opemus 5. However, you will not be able to print bigger than 12x16 with these models.
I hope it has been helpful.
Henry.

Opemus 5 goes up to 6x6, the simplest configuration is yes, condenser. There is tray for filters, and there is Meograde VC head available as well.
To achieve bigger enlargements you can turn the head 90deg and project horizontally.

The weakest part of Opemus 5 is lens board. It has such a small diameter that it is quite impossible to fit any decent lens there. El-Nikkor 50/2.8 for example.

werra said:

To achieve bigger enlargements you can turn the head 90deg and project horizontally.

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On my Opemus 5 (now in storage and no longer in use) you can also turn the column around to allow projection onto (say) the floor - just remember to put a counter-weight on the baseboard!

The weakest part of Opemus 5 is lens board. It has such a small diameter that it is quite impossible to fit any decent lens there. El-Nikkor 50/2.8 for example.

Click to expand...

Agreed - however the opemus lensboard with its 39mm Leica thread does make a nice retaining ring for holding lenses onto the lensboard of my D2V!

OP - if you still need a pdf copy of the manual then PM me - I may still have one floating around somewhere.

Cheers

Carey Bird
http://members.iinet.net.au/~cbird/index.html

I have to disagree with Werra on one point - I had no trouble adapting my Opemus 5 lensboard to an EL Nikkor 50/2.8 : a quick trip to a machinist provided the hole- the concave shaped lensboard needs to installed with the concave side upwards.
My condenser model (2 lenses) had no filter drawer -I think they were an optional accessory, so check before you buy.
The enlarger is easily swivelled on the baseboard for projecting down to the floor,and the head can be turned to the side for horizontal projection - so no restriction on enlargement size.
Certainly capable of handling 6x6 ; the AXOMAT is the 35mm version.
Excellent,well made machines,I can recommend them. The earlier versions are also worth considering :the functionality is very similar,but the cosmetics changed over the years.

OK. Thanks for the many replies. Some conflicting opinions there and I will try and reply to them in one post:

Smudger>
So it seems that it is going to have double condenser which is a good start.

Henry, Werra and Smudger>
The filter drawer option seems to be vague – if an option but where would it go and if not can non-filter drawer enlargers be adapted? I have never used multigrade before?

Seabird, Henry>
If it can be rotated then I can graduate on up to large prints but that column is slanting inwards? Would the whole base mount need to be unscrewed and re-fitted? Seabird, yes, I'd love a PDF of the manual and will pm you.

The model I am looking at has a 35mm neg guide but has 6x6 glass and I think I can get a 645 guide from a UK darkroom suppliers that is made for the No. 6 version (hopefully fits but will check).

Lastly I heard that there is a 39mm and 24mm lens board with the one I am looking at. I favour a Componon S 80mm which has m39 fitting – am I correct in thinking that m39 means it will fit the 39mm lens board
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STOP PRESS
Just found this:
http://www.meoptahistory.com/?id=312

It confirms double 105cm condenser but makes no mention of filter drawer.
They say that it only enlarges by 6.2x. This seems a little small. 6.2 x 6x4.5cm = 37.2 x 29.9 cm = 14 x 10 ins. Is this kind of size (without swivelling) normal for medium format enlargers?

I'm also beginning to get the idea that there were 'a' or standard models. It seems that the a of the No. 6 has a longer column.

Mr.Datsun :the maximum enlargement size is always given as "on the baseboard". Trust me,if you swivel or swing you will be able to make enlargements of any size.
The filter drawer option I have seen was just a simple metal collar with a slide out drawer which slipped into place below the lamphouse - I'm sure you could fabricate something to suit.Or there is the option of under-lens M/G filters -if they are clean there are no quality problems.
The inclined column actually works in your favour - the bottom mount is designed to swivel, so this puts the enlarger head out a distance from the edge of the bench.
In my opinion,the Meopta neg carrier is the strong point of this brand - far superior to many more expensive machines. The 35mm and glass inserts are held in place by spring loaded tabs,and just slide out.
If you put the glass in the top position,and the mask (which could just be a piece of stiff card) in the bottom of the carrier,you would have an excellent setup for your 645 negs. And Meopta have installed a unique neat little split-image focus aid in their carriers which can be very handy..
All will become clear when you read that PDF-which "Seabird" has,not me.

Smudger said:

I had no trouble adapting my Opemus 5 lensboard to an EL Nikkor 50/2.8 : a quick trip to a machinist provided the hole- the concave shaped lensboard needs to installed with the concave side upwards.

Click to expand...

Yes, a quick trip to a machinist to make a new lens board will do the trick of course. But what if you don't have a machinist available?
The original concave lensboard has very narrow inner diameter and only a few threads as well. So you need to shim the lenses that don't have threading all the way to mounting surface.
Small, but annoying points.

I used my Opemus with selfmade flat lens board and Helios taking lens from Zenit for some time. Much more light than with original 4.5-something triplet.

Go here: http://www.meopta.com/CCE/DownloadFileList/ and click "Discontinued Product Manual". You'll find a scan of the English language Opemus 5 manual, among others. (And there is, indeed, a filter drawer.)

-tih

Hi Smudger,

thank-you for your detailed reply. You have convinced me. Everything looks good to go and I'm going to try and get it.

D

tih,
the manual is great. It illustrates all of the points that have been made in this thread and shows the enlarger to be a good buy for me. Those Czechoslovakian photographers using the enlarger in the manual are also very stylish. Thank-you very much for you help.

Enlarger purchased (at good price). Thank-you all for your help.

There is a lensboard made for M39 lenses, you can find them online from time to time.

>Goose,
thanks – I understand that it will come with 39mm and 23.5mm flanges. I'm assuming in my naiveté that 39mm means M39 as I want to find a cheap Componon S f4 80mm to fit.

Anyone out there have a Meopta Opemus 5 with color head and power supply for sale?

pdelrosario said:

Anyone out there have a Meopta Opemus 5 with color head and power supply for sale?

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For color I recommend to look for an Opemus 6 with Color 3 head. It is also more common than the Opemus 5 with the Meochrom head. I also suggest to use the classifieds section of the forum