Omega D3: Intersting Beginer Experience

I set up my friend with the autofocus Omega D3. He had never shot, processed or enlarged B&W film before. We worked together to put together a good darkroom setup and I taught him how to print.

I recently saw his first prints that he did on his own. What was unique was that every print had perfect razor-sharp grain from edge to edge. It was as if I were there focusing every print for him.

That D3 was essentially 'idiot-proof,' almost impossible to make a blurry print!

Of course that is the paradox of this enlarger. Perfect for a beginner, but nearly impossible for a biginner to set it up if it does not have all the correct matching components

That was my experience with a D3 - if one had a matching track and lens the auto focus was almost perfect. Even without a matched track, though, having the enlarger keep 'almost in focus' as magnification changes were made was a great help when doing tight cropping. Omega sold generic tracks along with matched track/lens sets.

Yup! Darn good enlarger, but she ain't simple. Well, once you get everything matched up it is, but if one component isn't right then you can forget it. Still a darn good enlarger for the money. JohnW