Omega D3 enlarger - what size lens board cone to accommodate 100mm lens for 6x6 negatives?

[JakeMike]

I have an Omega D3 enlarger that I've used for 35mm prints with great success. The enlarging lens -- a 50mm Nikon -- is mounted on a flat two-part lens board (square panel is labeled 421-170 and the smaller circular ring with a 39mm hole holds the lens is labeled 421-001).

I'm now wanting to make prints from 6x6 negatives. I have already obtained an Omega negative carrier for the negatives. I also have a 100mm Kodak Ektar 100mm f/4.5 enlarging lens. It has 40mm threads.

Aside: I tried mounting the 100mm enlarging lens on the same lens board, but found it did not fit . . . I sanded down the hole in the 421-001 lens board to widen it to 40mm (don't worry, my 50mm lens still fits the hole and the threaded ring that holds it on covers the 1mm gap). But of course then I found that the 100mm lens cannot be mounted in that elevation for 6x6 prints . . . it needs to be displaced downward at least a couple of inches from the normal lens board location to bring the image into focus.

So that brought me to the world of cones. I have searched high and low but cannot determine this one question: what size cone do I need to replace/supplement the flat lens board to accomadate the 100mm lens for use with 6x6 negatives in this D3?

I came across a couple of options on ebay, but cannot determine which is the right size.

Kodak Enlarging Ektar F4.5 100mm Lens with Omega D3 Lens Snood | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Kodak Enlarging Ektar F4.5 100mm Lens with Omega D3 Lens Snood at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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Omega D Series Lens Board 3 Cone | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Omega D Series Lens Board 3 Cone at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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(For whatever it may be worth, with the 100mm lens attached to the flat board, I removed it from the mounting position in the enlarger head and hand-held it to see where it would need to be to bring the 6x6 image into focus and it appears it needs to be displaced down about 2"-2-1/4" or so).

 

[MattKing]

Welcome,
For all sorts of questions like this, KHB is where to look first!
Here is a link to the page on the D3: http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/Enlargers/D3.htm
Good luck with your quest.

 

[JakeMike]

Welcome,
For all sorts of questions like this, KHB is where to look first!
Here is a link to the page on the D3: http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/Enlargers/D3.htm
Good luck with your quest.

Phenomenal - thank you! I did not know about KHB, but now that page is bookmarked. I appreciate your quick reply!

 

[Paul Howell]

For 6X6 negatives, you can print with a 100mm, but it a bit too long, the 100mm matches a 6X9 negative. Best bet is a 75 or 80mm which fits the same flat lens board as your 50mm, only issue diameters of the lens. I use the same flat same lens board and disk for both a Rosenstock 50mm and 80mm both are 39mm which is pretty much standard for lens from 50 to 90mm. If you want to use the Kodak 100 then as Matt advises, contact KHB he will make sure you get cone and disk that fits the 100mm.

 

[JakeMike]

OK - so I have now acquired a lens cone -- it is 2-1/2" I believe and it was labeled as appropriate for the Omega D3, but I am having a hard time understanding how I install it. It does not have any part numbers on it that I can find, nor did the seller offer any. And I cannot find accurate pictures of the D3 2-1/2" cone to ensure this is actually it, though it *does* appear to look like the one on KHB's page.

This is what my normal lens (50mm) board looks like when installed:

But if I try to slide my new cone into that slot, it appears too wide to me. The edges of the flange on the cone are trimmed off, but the sides of the cone itself appear too wide to fit past the small tabs on the left/ride side of the lens board holder:

This is the view looking up from beneath; you can see how I can slide it in part way, but I cannot slide it in any further, as the walls of the cone are too wide to get past the tabs:

Can anyone tell me what I'm missing?

Here's the normal flat lens board that I use (421-170) with my 50mm enlarging lens, and the new 2-1/2" cone beside it.

Thank you to anyone who can help me out!

 

[MattKing]

Your 3rd image shows the cone in the right orientation.
The correct 2.5" cone is supposed to be 421-153.
Do you see any such part number on it?

 

[Philippe-Georges]

For the 105mm on the OMEGA D3:

 

[cowanw]

Turn your cone 90 degrees such that the flat sides are entering the tabs. and the pronged red filter holder is to the side.

 

[JakeMike]

So it turned out the cone I was sold was sized for an Omega D2, not a D3, and no matter which way it was spun, it would not fit between the tabs on the enlarger frame. Frustrating, to say the least.
And I was having a very difficult time finding any D3 cones of the right size, so I instead turned to the garage and made one up myself.

Queue an old yogurt tub, copper flashing scrap, some two-part epoxy, and a plywood offcut. A couple coats of black spray paint later (I know matte would be better than gloss, but I didn't have any on hand; I'll remedy that another day) and my 6x6 negatives are now in beautiful focus through this 100mm enlarger lens.

 

[xkaes]

The D3 needs a cone for a 100mm lens? Really?

 

[Paul Howell]

Flat lens board until 135, the cones are interchangeable with D2.

See Page 6 from the D3 manual. I do use a very short cone for my 105, for 8X10s then flat for 11X14 and larger but not required.

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/omega/D2%20Condenser%20and%20Dichro.pdf

 

[MattKing]

Flat lens board until 135, the cones are interchangeable with D2.

See Page 6 from the D3 manual. I do use a very short cone for my 105, for 8X10s then flat for 11X14 and larger but not required.

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/omega/D2%20Condenser%20and%20Dichro.pdf

Not according to KHB:

For the D3:

For the D2:

 

[Paul Howell]

Your right, somehow the D3 jumped to D2, I pretty sure I was on the D3 site as I have a D3, and I have used a flat lens board when printing larger than 8X10.

 

[MattKing]

Your right, somehow the D3 jumped to D2, I pretty sure I was on the D3 site as I have a D3, and I have used a flat lens board when printing larger than 8X10.

It is a concern @Paul Howell when Omega D series enlargers start jumping around - they are substantial beasts, and when mobile can cause quite a ruckus!
No problem - keeping track of the various Omega D series accessories is a challenge!

 

[Neal]

Outstanding solution!