Meopta Opemus III enalrger

Paul Howell · Jul 12, 2016

I have never used a Meopta enlarger, even with the time I spent in Europe, one popped on a auction site, I got for $20.00 including shipping. I must admit it was impulsive buy, I have 3 enlargers. It arrived yesterday, came in it's own storage box. Well thought out design, good build quality, I am impressed. Had put together in just a few moments. 6X6 to 35mm, masking negative carrier, came with 50 3.5 lens and diffuser disk. So impressed that I took down my Omega 6 that I used ay second enlarger. This weekend will make sure it is in aliment make some prints.

Michael L. · Jul 12, 2016

Hi Paul,

I think you will be very happy with your new Opemus. In my own darkroom, I have three elderly Opemus enlargers, all still fully operational:
An Opemus 4x4 (early 1950s); an Opemus IIa (mid 1960s - the red heat dissipating glass shield in the lamp house is pure genius); and a more recent Opemus 5 (about 1979).
(And in our small local photo club, the young people successfully use two Axomat 3 enlargers (also by Meopta).

What lens did your Opemus III come with? The standard Belar and Anaret lenses are okay really, but you may find it worthwhile to equip the machine with a modern lens.

The Czech Meopta enlargers have proved incredibly durable and dependable; mine will probably outlast me.

Have fun!

Paul Howell · Jul 12, 2016

A Meopta 50 4.5, I have not tested it, seems to be 4 element design, I have Wollensake also 4.5 a Omega 3.5 and a Schneider 2.8 in 50s. the mounts seems be 25mm? the Wollensake should mount, to mount the Omega or Schneider I will have to drill the lens board. I also have a Schneider 80 and Wollenske 90 in 25mm thread. The lens board is recessed for the 50, I take it by flipping it over it will work for a 80mm. I take it that the Omemus III was made in the mid 70s?

I agree, a much better made enlarge than the Omega 6 or the Durst 66 I had in the past.

Michael L. · Jul 12, 2016

To answer your last question first: the Opemus III model was produced between 1969 and 1975 (see http://www.meoptahistory.com/?id=312).
The manual for it appears to be downloadable from several Internet sites (for money), but the "III" doesn't seem to be much different from the "Opemus 5" model (the upper lamphouse just is a different shape), and the manual for this slightly younger model can be downloaded for free from
http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/misc/Opemus_5-En2.pdf .
The manual will answer your question about flipping the lens board for different focal lengths (on page 6-7), but apparently you already have figured that out.
The early Meopta lenses had a native thread of 23.5mm, not 25mm, so third party lenses will not readily fit. One solution is to make new lens boards from heavy duty PC board for your other lenses.
If free from dust and old-age milkiness, the Meopta lenses are quite satisfactory, but if you go for really large prints, a higher-class lens is advisable.
Have you noticed the semi-automatic rangefinder system? Pulling the negative carrier part way out, two lines are projected on the easel. Line up these two lines by rotating the bellows control knob and the negative is properly focused. It really works!

I wish you the best of luck with the enlarger.

Dali · Jul 12, 2016

Meopta lenses are not quite satisfactory, they can be great! A Meogon is a first class lens and even a modest Anaret is fine unless to try to print posters.

Paul Howell · Jul 12, 2016

thanks for the links, looking forward to trying out the rangefinder. ,

Paul Howell · Jul 17, 2016

I had to set and attempted to print, the Belar 50 4.5 is defective, the first defective enlarging lens that I have ever some across. The rangefinder works, the lens will not just focus, just comes somewhat into focus then back out of focus as I run the bellows up and down. I take it the Belar is the 3 element entry level lens, but this is not just poor resolution there is some wrong the the lens itslef. I have a 39mm lens board coming this week, all be well.

Michael L. · Jul 17, 2016

Sorry to read about your disappointment with the Belar lens, Paul. I have (and have had) several Belars, but I never met with a problem such as the one you describe.
Sure, the Belar is an entry level lens, but when I first started to do darkroom work (a looong time ago), I made a great many quite satisfactory prints with a Belar lens. The Axomat enlargers in our local young people's photo club are equipped with Belars.
I'm not certain if Belars are three element lenses - I have also seen the description "four elements in three groups" (like the Tessar).
Before you completely discard your lens, it might be a good idea to check how tight or loose the friction drives for the enlarger head and the bellows are. If there is too little tension in either (because the tightening screws are too loose), the head/bellows may slip from its position.
Glad to know you're still hopeful!

By the way, do you know James Ollingers guide to Meopta enlargers?
http://www.jollinger.com/photo/enlargers/meopta.html

Paul Howell · Jul 17, 2016

The lens is milky, I may try and take it apart to see if I clean the internal elements. Thanks for the link.

gone · Jul 17, 2016

I'd say that you got a deal. The shipping alone must have cost more than that. I'd recommend ditching the Belair and get a good Nikkor 50. Even the old 50 f4 is a really good lens stopped down, and the 2.8 is even better. These are selling for giveaway prices for such excellent glass. I went w/ a Minolta Rokkor 50 2.8 on my Federal enlarger just to try something different, and it's nice and sharp, but my old Nikkor 50 2.8 gave a little better contrast.

Paul Howell · Jul 18, 2016

The Opmus was a impulse buy, my main enlarger is a Omega DIII, I have an Omega 6X7 which I had a hard time keeping in aliment, the Opmus is very well made, in perfect aliment. I have Schneider 50MM 2.8 and 60mm 5.6 -both in 39mm mount along a Schneider 80mm 4.5 and a set of Wollesnake Raptiar (sp?) 50mm, 75, 80 in 25mm, the standard Opmus lens board is 23.5. I can have the current lens board drilled to 25mm and with the lens board on the way I could use any of my current lens. I usually have 2 enlargers set up as I work with 2 negatives at a time, usually a 4X5 on the DIII and a 35mm or 6X6 on the other enlarger, so as test prints are washing and drying and move to the next negative .

I think I know what happened to the Belar. The Ompus must have be storage for years, maybe decades, although the box for the Belar was included the lens was left on the enlarger when put back into the storage box. The storage box complete with molded Styrofoam cut outs for each of the parts. The lens coating on the Belar interacted with the off gasses of the Styrofoam and left a film on the lens. The condensers, glass negative carrier or heat absorbing glass insert are clear so it must have the coating. I got most of it with lens cleaner, but still not clear, might have to remove the coating, not work the effort.

onre · Jul 22, 2016

Belar is a Tessar-type lens, also used as the taking lens in Meopta's Flexaret VI TLR camera. Try lighter fluid for cleaning it. You won't be disappointed.

Michael L. · Jul 22, 2016

Your interesting theory about styroform interacting with lens glass/coating sent me racing to check on a recently purchased old Meopta Axomat 3 I had left stored in its original box with styroform cut-outs.
My findings seem to support your theory. The previous owner had left the Belar 50mm lens on the enlarger, and the front lens had indeed acquired a milky layer similar to what you describe (the hind lens was less afflicted).
The layer proved quite resistant to ordinary lens cleaner (and to lighter fluid), but I managed to remove it completely by careful and repeated application of diluted acetic acid on Q-tips. I know this is not a generally recommended way to clean lenses, but I had nothing to lose, and it worked.
By the way, have you had a chance to try out the Opemus with your new lens board?

RalphLambrecht · Jul 23, 2016

Paul Howell said:
I have never used a Meopta enlarger, even with the time I spent in Europe, one popped on a auction site, I got for $20.00 including shipping. I must admit it was impulsive buy, I have 3 enlargers. It arrived yesterday, came in it's own storage box. Well thought out design, good build quality, I am impressed. Had put together in just a few moments. 6X6 to 35mm, masking negative carrier, came with 50 3.5 lens and diffuser disk. So impressed that I took down my Omega 6 that I used ay second enlarger. This weekend will make sure it is in aliment make some prints.

Meopta is highly regarded by experienced darkroom workers

Paul Howell · Jul 23, 2016

Michael L. said:
Your interesting theory about styroform interacting with lens glass/coating sent me racing to check on a recently purchased old Meopta Axomat 3 I had left stored in its original box with styroform cut-outs.
My findings seem to support your theory. The previous owner had left the Belar 50mm lens on the enlarger, and the front lens had indeed acquired a milky layer similar to what you describe (the hind lens was less afflicted).
The layer proved quite resistant to ordinary lens cleaner (and to lighter fluid), but I managed to remove it completely by careful and repeated application of diluted acetic acid on Q-tips. I know this is not a generally recommended way to clean lenses, but I had nothing to lose, and it worked.
By the way, have you had a chance to try out the Opemus with your new lens board?

I got mine clean using denatured alcohol, today will print with it. I ordered a 39mm lens board from Ebay, but it is too large, I did not pay attention to the size. Tempe Camera Repair will drill lens boards so I will have the 23.5 drilled out to 25mm so I can use Wollensake and Kodak Extar 50 and 75mm.

Paul Howell · Jul 23, 2016

Just made first 5x7 prints, this is the best mid level enlarger I have ever used, over the course of 50 years I have owned or used many, Omgea, Federal, Dejure, Drust, Leica, and several more that I just cannot recall. The split image focusing aid works like a charm, masking negative carrier easy to set, in perfect alignment. Now that the 50mm Belar is cleaned up as good as any of my other 4 element glass.

Michael L. · Jul 23, 2016

Really happy to hear you enjoy working with the Opemus. I wish you plenty of fun with it!

Paul Howell · Aug 17, 2016

Got the lens board drilled for 25mm lens, so far only 2 minor complaints. Cannot get a true 11X14 on the baseboard, just shy, need to put a 3 inch block under the column, should be easy to do. Second with the recessed lens board for the 50mm can's see the aperture ring and need to count the clicks. The focus rangefinder feature works very well, surprised how well it works and that neither Omega or Bessler had a similar feature.

Michael L. · Aug 18, 2016

Perhaps you won't have to bother with adding a 3 inch block under the enlarger column. I had the same problem with my Opemus 5, until I found the solution at Ollinger's helpful and excellent Opemus site http://www.jollinger.com/photo/enlargers/meopta.html. I quote from his text:

"What's that you say? Using a 50mm lens on the 35mm format you can only get a print 12" wide? Well there's a simple answer. You placed the upright [the oblique rod] too low in the baseboard bracket during assembly. Raise it as high as you can and tighten the screws as tight as you can. Now you can make 14"-wide prints with no problem. Well, almost no problem. Combine the slippery chrome finish with the small area that the baseboard bracket grips and you'll find the upright slowly slides down through the bracket until it sits on the baseboard and you are back where you started.

"The solution to this dilemma is simple. Not pretty, but simple. We fitted a C-clamp to help those two little screws to hold the upright in the high position. Now 11 x 14s on the baseboard are no problem."

Could this be the cause of your problem with not quite 11 X magnification?

Paul Howell · Aug 18, 2016

I will give that a try.

Paul Howell · Aug 20, 2016

Worked, should have thought of it, thanks for the tip.

Michael L. · Aug 20, 2016

It's really Mr. Ollinger we should thank (and the world wide web, of course). I'm glad the tip worked.

Hilo · Aug 20, 2016

Dali said:
Meopta lenses are not quite satisfactory, they can be great! A Meogon is a first class lens and even a modest Anaret is fine unless to try to print posters.

I could not agree more with what you say. The Meogons 50/5.6 and 60/5.6 and 80/5.6 are in the same league as any 6 element quality enlarger lens. I have a Leitz Valoy II set up to do 16X20 and 20X24 and the Meogon 50 and 60mm are regular visitors. The zebra styled aperture rings make so much sense: easy to see and easy to turn. For sure these lenses are no less than the Focotar-2 50mm. I use a 150 watt opal lamp, hope your new enlarger can deal with that too.

Dali · Aug 20, 2016

I bought my 80/5.6 Meogon 30 years ago. This is still my first choice when printing MF negatives.

Paul Howell · Aug 20, 2016

I had the lens board drilled for 25mm lens, maybe I should have sent to Europe for a 75mm Belar but have Wollensake 50 and 75 4.5 with 25mm mount and although 4 element both are very good up to 11X14.

Meopta Opemus III enalrger

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