Hello, I have a Meopta opemus 6 enlarger with an El-Nikkor 50mm f2.8. The problem is that in all my photos, the right side is quite underexposed, not only the photo, but the film frame too. I can't figure out what's the cause; the lens is clean, and so are the film and the filter drawers. Any ideas what's wrong?
Thanks in advance, Stelios
If the film is unevenly exposed it's in the camera and there's nothing you can do to correct it in printing. Well there may be if you feel like burning or dodging a lot.The problem is that in all my photos, the right side is quite underexposed, not only the photo, but the film frame too.
Thanks in advance, Stelios
...Now, I've opened the head and I see that the condenser and the bulb position are fixed, so it doesn't seem to be misalignment between them. The only thing that might be a problem is that the bulb was a common one, not for use in enlargers. I changed it with another common one to see the differences...
I bought it second hand and the bulb that was on it (until yesterday) was a frosted one with the label next to the screw (100W). Now I've put a (150W) frosted one with the label on the worst position; the bottom of the bulb. I'm just trying to exclude misalignment between condenser and bulb at the moment.
Ordinary household bulbs have imprecisely made/mounted elements and thin 'opal' colouring. It would be lucky indeed if one worked well in a condenser enlarger as the condenser focuses the light (and whatever irregularities there are in the bulb) to go through the neg. carrier. The photocrescenta enlarger bulbs are more expensive than normal for a reason, unfortunately.
BTW, the coating on the inside of fluorescent tubes is the bit that makes the light (it fluoresces when zapped by the otherwise non-visible e.m. radiation produced by the gas in the tube) - other than the superficial colour there is nothing in common with an enlarger bulb. Indeed, compact fluorescents don't work well in enlargers because of their discontinuous light spectrum, as well as the start-up time of course.
Ordinary household bulbs have imprecisely made/mounted elements and thin 'opal' colouring. It would be lucky indeed if one worked well in a condenser enlarger as the condenser focuses the light (and whatever irregularities there are in the bulb) to go through the neg. carrier. The photocrescenta enlarger bulbs are more expensive than normal for a reason, unfortunately...
...Is it so crazy to put an ordinary bulb in an enlarger? Do you think Ι need a psychologist to see me?
No, it works in a pinch. See my post above.
Which makes me wonder if putting something like "milky plexiglass" in the filter drawer would give good results.
I used a frosted plastic foil.
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