Printing 6x7 Negatives with Meopta Opemus 6 Any DIY Solutions?

[gabrield]

Hi everyone,

I have a Meopta Opemus 6 Color 3, which I know is officially designed for up to 6x6 cm negatives, but I would love to print 6x7 cm negatives with it.

Challenges I’ve Identified:​

• The negative carrier on the Opemus 6 is too small for 6x7.
• The light source and condenser may not fully cover the entire 6x7 frame.
• The enlarger column height might be a limiting factor for larger prints.

Potential Solutions?​

I’m wondering if anyone here has successfully:

• Modified or created a DIY 6x7 negative carrier that works with the Opemus 6?
• Tested whether the 6x7 negative carrier from the Magnifax 4 fits the Opemus 6? (I suspect it might not be directly compatible, but maybe someone has tried it.)
• Overcome light coverage or focusing issues when enlarging 6x7 negatives?

Alternatively, if a Magnifax 4 is the best way to go, I’d also be open to buying one. Any advice on where to find a good deal on one would also be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance for any insights!

 

[LargishFormat]

The color 3 head can fit mixing boxes for up to 6x9 on various enlargers.

I have a boxed opemus 6 color 3. And i know something in there is labelled 6x7 but i can't for the life of me remember if it is a holder and the mixing box or just the mixing box.

 

[rduraoc]

I had an Opemus 6, and I don't see a way to go beyond 6x6 without destroying the enlarger (and it's still not clear that the condenser will cover the additional area, as you also point out). Much cheaper and effective to go with a Magnifax - or any other option that pops-up. I loved my Meopta and believe they're under-appreciated, but the opportunity to get a Durst M805 came up and it was too good to pass.

 

[LargishFormat]

I am a bit confused.

The opemus 6 came with three heads. A lamp housing with condenser etc. or a color 3 diffuser head and a color 4 (from memory). I have one lamp housing and one color 3 head. They are interchangeable.

The color 3 head sits on various enlargers and with the right diffuser box can go up to 6x9 there is no condenser. This is from the manual.

I think you might be right that it doesn't go past to 6x6 but there is some crossover with parts as i have a sub box in my full set that is stamped 6x7.

I wasn't very clear on my first post but there is a strong likelihood you actually have a 6x7 color head set up which could be as simple as looking for a larger b&w meopta enlarger to pop the color head on. Possibly even some broken ones.

As i say mostly the above is from memory so i could be wrong but i did have some headscratching when i ended up with two enlargers to work out what was what.

 

[darkroommike]

I am a bit confused.

The opemus 6 came with three heads. A lamp housing with condenser etc. or a color 3 diffuser head and a color 4 (from memory). I have one lamp housing and one color 3 head. They are interchangeable.

The color 3 head sits on various enlargers and with the right diffuser box can go up to 6x9 there is no condenser. This is from the manual.

I think you might be right that it doesn't go past to 6x6 but there is some crossover with parts as i have a sub box in my full set that is stamped 6x7.

I wasn't very clear on my first post but there is a strong likelihood you actually have a 6x7 color head set up which could be as simple as looking for a larger b&w meopta enlarger to pop the color head on. Possibly even some broken ones.

As i say mostly the above is from memory so i could be wrong but i did have some headscratching when i ended up with two enlargers to work out what was what.

I ran into this with the old 6x6 (and 6x7) Bogen enlargers, Bogen had a color head available and said head worked on all their enlargers up to the rare 6x9 BUT you could not print 6x9 negatives on the smaller enlargers even when using the color head. The "throat" below the film stage was still only 6x6 or 6x7 so that essentially cropped the available image area to whatever the maximum of the condenser model was.

 

[Sanug]

Your problem is not the light source, but the limited diameter of the bellows.

 

[Jojje]

My vague memory was right: the final model did cover 6x7. https://photo35bw.com/meopta-opemus-7-history/