Meopta Optemus 3 Lens question

Rhodes · Nov 30, 2013

I got a Meopta Optemus 3, and now? Well the answer is begin using it!
I want to ask were I can find a good MF lens for it, since mine came with the belar 50mm f/4.5 lens, but I want to print also my 6x6 negs!
Also, where I can get the filter support for the Ilford MG paper filters? Only the filter support because I already have the filters. I am asking for the ones that are put below the lens.

factus10 · Nov 30, 2013

The answer depends on what lens board you have. Since you mentioned the 50mm Belar, my guess is you have a 23.5mm thread lens. Look on ebay, you should be able to find an older 75mm Belar in the same thread. Or, you can take your lens board to a machinist and have them enlarge the opening to 39mm and use pretty much any enlarging lens you'd like. You'll need to make sure the lens come with the jam ring.

There are a couple of different Ilford enlarging filter sets. Do you have the one with the handle? I'll go check my Meopta later today and see if I can figure out a solution, since I need to do the same thing

mnemosyne · Nov 30, 2013

Yes, go the 39mm route, the 39mm lens boards for the Opemus models 3-5a (and for model 6) are still available new from Fotoimpex in Germany, price is reasonable (around 15 Euros). Alternatively, you might be able to source these parts from nova darkroom in the UK.
Fotoimpex also has some stocks of other Meopta accessories. In case you need anything for your Opemus it might be a good idea to get it while supplies last.
With a 39mm lens board you can choose any of the high quality (6 element) 80mm lenses from the major manufacturers, e.g. Rodagon-S (Rodenstock), Componon-S (Schneider), Nikkor EL (Nikon) etc. These should be availabe for around 50 Euros or so. With the prices for used gear being so low nowadays, I wouldn't settle for any cheaper lens. Make sur you have the right condenser for MF. I am not familiar with the Opemus 3, but usually you have to change some condenser parts to adapt the illumination system to the different formats.
As for the filter question, I am not aware of any pre-fabricated holder for the Opemus. If you don't have a filter drawer in your Opemus it might be easiest to just handhold the filters under the lens while exposing.

MartinP · Nov 30, 2013

The easiest solution for the lens 'problem' is to buy the 39mm mounting ring and look for a suitable second-hand lens i think. The larger size mount is much more common than the small one.

The filters you are talking about are presumably the rigid disk, mounted in a rectangular plastic frame, from Ilford? It is simple to make a little tray out of foamboard and glue, approximating the moulded plastic Ilford version, then mount it with a scrap of metal sheet as a bracket using a convenient screw on the lens stage (there is one which holds in the post for the red swing-filter I think). It would even be possible just to take off the red filter and mount a tray to the post. There is no high-tech system required for this purpose, so long as there is no glare around the holder and the filter is clean.

Rhodes · Nov 30, 2013

I see! Yes, my lens should be a 23.5mm, since the lens is quite small! So is just get the lens board and change it? I found some 75mm lens on ebay, but they need cleaning and etc, so I decided to ask to see if some good lens were still selling on shops, since I know that Fotoimpex sells material for meopta enlargers.
From what I saw on the manual, the enlarger does small/miniature format to 6x6 (lovely, since I only do 35mm of the miniature format...) and the negative carrier has sliding bars to match the negs size.
No need to change any parts, I think.
The filters are these:

here we can see the holder.
I thought that the holder and universal or almost universal. I got the filter set from a old lab that was deactivated but the holder was on the enlarger (a durst 1000) that I couldn't buy since I was property of the University and they don't sell and it still rotting in a corner...

MattKing · Nov 30, 2013

The holder that comes with the Kodak Polycontrast or Polymax filters works with the Ilford filters, so if you find one of those it will solve your problem.

I have an entire set you could have, but the cost of postage might be prohibitive.

Rhodes · Nov 30, 2013

Thanks, will look for the holders, and thank you, but I already have the filters, so just need the holder!

MartinP · Dec 1, 2013

There is nothing magical about the filter-holder - it is just a bit of plastic after all. I'll borrow a digi-camera and post a picture of the one I made for my Meopta (an Opemus-6 Super). I have two enlargers and one set of filters so knocked up a 'temporary' filter-holder solution out of foamboard - but it has now been used for nearly four years so it is not so very temporary perhaps.

mnemosyne · Dec 1, 2013

Rhodes said:
Thanks, will look for the holders, and thank you, but I already have the filters, so just need the holder!

i didn't realize you had the filter set with the plastic frame, sorry for the misunderstanding. Part of the set is normally a holder that is attached to the enlarging lens and allows inserting the filter disks. It is part of the package, maybe you can recheck with the place where you bought the filters if it is still there. See the picture below.

One more thing, as you bought the filters used, make sure they have not bleached, because they do bleach when used a lot. I assume it is possible to replace the sheets in these holders, so open them carefully and check if color in the middle has bleached compared to the color in the part that is usually covered by the plastic rim. The filters will not bleach by themselves but from the light of the enlarger, so the filter grade that are used most (#2-#3) are most likely to have bleached. If yes, the filter has to be replaced, unfortunately they are not cheap and AFAIK only available as complete sets.

When I rebuilt my darkroom a couple of years ago it was cheaper to buy a used color head 3 and power supply for my Meopta (Magnifax) then a set of filters, but I fear that the color head 3 will not fit the older Opemus models

MartinP · Dec 1, 2013

There was a colour head for the Opemus 5 too, but I think the Opemus 3 pre-dated the first Meopta colour head. I'm not even sure that it has a filter-drawer actually? The Meoptas do give excellent value for money though, as they are well made and with very practical features built in.

factus10 · Dec 1, 2013

It's really cool that there are so many other Meopta users here! And good to find out that Fotoimpex still carries some parts.

The Meokolor adapter for the Opemus is mean to allow using color correction filters with the III and a couple Axomat enlargers. It has a heat filter and a drawer that'll take 7x7cm filters but not the Ilford or Kodak set with the tab handles. You can see one in the set photo below.

Aside from making your own holder (a little cardboard and double-sided sticky tape would work), you could adapt a swing away holder from another enlarger to replace the red filter on the Opemus. The holder for the Beseler 23C looks like a good candidate. There are a couple on ebay right now for about $10.

Rhodes · Dec 1, 2013

Mnemosyne, no problem! No, I didn't bought the filters, as I said earlier, I got them when the photo lab of my university course department closed and the installations director give me (do to knowing my film photography passion) few material (the filter box being one) and old paper (some I sell for money for the department, etc). The holder was on the enlarger, that do to be a direct property of the university, I could not buy it. And I never had the chance to still hit all or some parts...muahahahha (also do to if the enlarger went missing I would be the prime suspect in 1 second...)!
Fotoimpex has the m39 lens board, but 25 euros of shipping for a 14 euros item is a lot for me!

mnemosyne · Dec 1, 2013

Rhodes said:
Fotoimpex has the m39 lens board, but 25 euros of shipping for a 14 euros item is a lot for me!

Okay, that doesn't make sense. How about that: I could order it for you and post it to you in a padded envelope when I change planes at Lisboa airport next Saturday. I have a couple of hours to spend there.
The part is 16.66 EUR (14 EUR+VAT) + 4.99 EUR domestic shipping. Of course if you want anything else (small parts) I could order that too. It should however fit into a normal padded envelope, I don't want to mess around with parcels. If you are interested, send me a private message as soon as possible, so we can sort out the details.
John

Rhodes · Dec 1, 2013

Thanks, I will take that offer!

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