Omega Diffusion Head/VC Paper?

[wilsonneal]

Does anyone have direct experience with the Omega diffusion heads made for the D2 enlargers, particularly with VC papers? Is this a good alternative to an Aristo head?
Thanks,
Neal

 

[Paul Howell]

I have the Omega cold light diffusion head, came with my enlarger along with the condenser head when I bought my D3 in the mid 70's. I don't think it is "good" alternative to an Aristo head. Mine has one fluorescent tube and is slow and difficult to focuses. I only use graded paper's with 5X4 and 6X9 negatives. I have even considered taking my head to a lamp repair shop to see if a smaller tube can added to to inside of the existing tube increase the brightness. Given a choice I would think twice about an old Omega cold light.

 

[wilsonneal]

Thank you very much for the feedback.
N

 

[Ronald Moravec]

You can even out the bright ends with mylar tape strip to keep the 2-4 O`clock and 8/10 O`clock segments of the tube from hitting the 4 in dimension of the neg. Then you add a vertical strip by each corner. I got mine to light perfectly.

Mylar is the silver slide binding tape 1/4 wide.

Ok for 4x5 but too little light for smaller formats.

Get an Aristo low power for 4x5 or a high power for smaller formats. Get the V54 tube model.

They make a nice one with a filter drawer

 

[Rolleijoe]

Does anyone have direct experience with the Omega diffusion heads made for the D2 enlargers, particularly with VC papers? Is this a good alternative to an Aristo head?
Thanks,
Neal

I tried one with my D3, but was given an Aristo head for it, which I didn't find to be any better.

Now I use a D5-XL Super Chromega with Dichroic head and Chromegatrol. With VC papers I find this gives the most control over contrast than anything else.

I could understand the concepts behind the Aristo heads, but really, the results weren't that much better.