Opemus 6 colour for Black and white advice

OP
OP
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
115
Location
West Yorkshire
Format
35mm
Are all the enlargers the same model of Durst? As I remember it when I used a college darkroom the enlargers were a mix of Durst and LPL of varying models, multigrade, colour, and with filters - kept you on your toes.
Hello

sorry for the late reply. Had no internet for a few days. They are all Durst ranging from 35 to medium and large format. I can’t remember the models but I’ll have a look again.
 

Tom Kershaw

Subscriber
Joined
Jun 5, 2004
Messages
4,974
Location
Norfolk, United Kingdom
Format
Multi Format
sorry for the late reply. Had no internet for a few days. They are all Durst ranging from 35 to medium and large format. I can’t remember the models but I’ll have a look again.

We didn't have large format enlargers. Power output differences can be confusing but if everything is around the same then there is less of an issue, however I don't usually make test prints so consistency of light output on the baseboard is probably more significant to myself than others.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
115
Location
West Yorkshire
Format
35mm
Hello again.

I finally got my enlarger set up and I think the bulb blew. Has anyone experienced anything like this? the chap I purchased it from doesn’t want to know and has stopped answering my messages.
It did work for around 15 mins, then just made a pop sound. I tried a new fuse and checked all
The parts and it seems fine. Does any one know where to buy these bulbs from?

Also the neg case is has glass above and below the negative. Will this affect the images I produce? the negative tests/cases at college have no glass in and hollow. The glass on mine seems quite clean, but there are tiny little marks.

Thanks
 
OP
OP
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
115
Location
West Yorkshire
Format
35mm
Thanks
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,182
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
That looks like an EFP bulb - which is used in a number of enlargers, including my LPL enlargers.
The contacts look quite worn, which may have contributed to the bulb blowing.
Here is a listing for a replacement: https://www.amazon.co.uk/231-EFP-100W-Effects-Lamp/dp/B000KH7S3U
One piece of advice backed by long term experience - buy two, not one. That way you have a bulb available when the next one goes, and you will be able to source a further replacement at your leisure.
When you put a new bulb in, check and clean the socket first.
 

Mick Fagan

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Messages
4,422
Location
Melbourne Au
Format
Multi Format
You may wish to check the ceramic plug, which is a heat protection unit, these deteriorate as well and with the corrosion and pitting inside them, they can cause the lamp to blow.

It may look something like this.

 

AgX

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
29,973
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
One can assume that used socket contacts look like the respective lamp pins.
 

Ernst-Jan

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2020
Messages
558
Location
NL
Format
Medium Format
Would you say the Opemus is a better enlarger than the Durst M670BW I was initially seeking?
Thanks
First of all, I am not a very experienced printer but I do own a Opemus 5 and a Durst M670.

The Meopta does its job and you can make great prints with it, but the M670 works finer.

But yeah, the Opemus was for free and the M670 I had to pay €300 for.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
115
Location
West Yorkshire
Format
35mm
Thanks everyone for the advice.
I’m so annoyed with this machine and the chap I purchased it off is not answering. I’ll try a new bulb and I’ll check the other bits. Thanks.
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
20,000
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
Thanks everyone for the advice.
I’m so annoyed with this machine and the chap I purchased it off is not answering. I’ll try a new bulb and I’ll check the other bits. Thanks.
I'll risk saying this and appearing to be condescending as you may be intending to do what I am about to suggest but in addition to a new bulb I'd seriously take the advice of the others' posts and change the ceramic holder. As was said its insides will already be like the prongs on the bulb you showed and will shorten the bulb's life as you have really only replaced half of what you need to. If you cannot find a new ceramic holder then at least until you can find one try and clean the insides of the with a sewing needle or better still with a jeweller's round file whose action files the inside and removes some of the blackened material caused by the inevitable arcing that occurs over the many times the lamp switched on and off

pentaxuser
 

flavio81

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2014
Messages
5,074
Location
Lima, Peru
Format
Medium Format

How funny, i have a M670 Color which i used for BW.

Yes you can do BW with a color enlarger and get very good results. Just search for the manual and it will tell you the filtration required to alter tha contrast grade of the paper. Also ILFORD has a publication on this topic: adjusting contrast using a color enlarger.
 

Jojje

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2006
Messages
243
Location
Finland
Format
Multi Format
It may be of interest Meopta did offer a separate multigrade head besides colour head, namely Meograde. I did manage decades with multigrade filters in the box, though...
 

Attachments

  • meograde p.jpeg
    272.5 KB · Views: 50
OP
OP
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
115
Location
West Yorkshire
Format
35mm
Thanks , appreciated
 
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…