Setting up a omega super chromega

[rhyno0688]

My dad is letting me use his old stuff as he hasn't used it in 30 years. It was in the attic for that time and has the dirt/dust to prove it. I have made/replaced the light seal from the main head unit and the lens mount as it had melted and got nasty and did a general cleaning of the enlarger as a whole. The only thing stopping me from print right now is the lens has enough hazing on it to cause a drastic contrast/sharpness loss as well as some dust that I cant get to without more drastic measures.

Just so we know what we are talking about here, the exact enlarger is Super Chromega 6x7 Dichroic C-700

I shoot 35mm, 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7 and 4x5 but the large format isn't as important to me a the minute as a friend just got a 4x5 enlarger. The lens which is basically worthless at the moment unless i can re polish the lens element is a rodenstock 50 3.5 plastic barrel lens. I have some projects coming up that I would love to do some wet processing.

My question is what lens should I get that wont cost an arm and a leg to use all the formats listed above if possible (excluding 4x5 cause this enlarger obviously wont do that) and where could I find a Styrofoam insert for the larger negs?

Things to get (as far as I know)
Lens
Negative carriers
Styrofoam insert inside the head for larger negs.

 

[snapguy]

OK?

I don't know about OK but in my dusty little town here I have found brand new enlarging lenses that retailed over $400 new for between $5 and $15 each at camera stores going out of the analog side of the biz and into d*g*tal. And other bargains at thrift stores. You have to look around. That's my two cents worth.

 

[MattKing]

A 90mm lens is perfect for 6x7, and usable for 6x6 and 6x4.5, if you don't mind being constrained with respect to how large you can print the smaller 120 formats.

Some of the better 80mm lenses (a newer Rodagon f/4 as an example) will also work with 6x7, and give you more flexibility with the smaller 120 formats.

For 35mm, you are likely to be disappointed with how small the prints will be from anything longer than 60-65mm, and be much happier with 50mm.

Given the availability of reasonably priced, used, good quality lenses, I would suggest buying 50mm, 80mm and 105mm lenses, with lens boards for each.

The APUG classifieds often have good lenses on offer. As an example, I swear that bjsmith7474 must have stumbled on a darkroom mine somewhere (barry is actually great to deal with).

 

[mgb74]

You'll want a 90-100mm lens for 6x7 (maybe 80mm). You can use it for smaller formats but it will limit print size. Decent used enlarging lenses are cheap.

Make sure all the filters in your colorhead are intact. The Styrofoam insert in the colorhead is the mixing box. Not sure if the Chromega C head came with one or 2. You can always use the larger one, but will lose a bit of light intensity for smaller formats. You can't use a smaller mixing box with larger negatives.

 

[rhyno0688]

I just got on the bay and bought a 50 and a 90mm rodenstock lenses as a combo package, a 6x7 carrier and a 6x7 mixing box. I figured since I just spent all my extra cash at the moment with this stuff a 6x7 carrier can do the other 2 sizes till I can get the proper holders. I just want to start printing again.

 

[mgb74]

You'll be fine with the 6x7 mixing box if your 50mm lens is fast enough (2.8?) or your eyes are good enough for focusing. As I recall, the c700 carriers are basically rectangles, so mat board cut to match other film sizes should work. Or use thin paper masks inside the 6x7 carrier.