Possibly silly Meopta enlarger questions

[markinlondon]

Having only used condensers before and buying my Opemus 6/Meograde enlarger secondhand I need to ask any Meopta diffusion head users the following questions.

1. I believe I need to reverse the lens panel when switching between 50 and 80mm lenses. Is this true?

2. Re mixing chambers, do you switch between the 6x6 and the 35mm parts or just use the 6x6 one for everything?

This all comes about due to a "bargain" Isolette III I bought at a camera fair on Sunday. Since then I have bought an 80mm EL-Nikkor from Evilbay and now realise I need a 6x6 mixing chamber as my Meograde only came with the 35mm version. Not quite the bargain I thought 🙁

Thanks in advance,

Mark

 

[Andy K]

I use a Meopta Opemus 6 Color. The 6x6 chamber gets left in the head all the time. I have noticed no need to reverse the lens panel, 50mm, 75mm and 80mm lenses all work equally well with the panel in the same orientation.

 

[markinlondon]

Thanks, Andy. I thought you or Tony would be able to answer this. The lens panel thing probably explains why I can switch between 50 and 63 with plenty of travel left in the bellows. I hope my 80 arrives soon, the 6x6 stuff is piling up already.

Mark

 

[phototone]

Some diffusion color enlargers such as the Meopta had different mixing chambers for 35mm and 6x6, but the only advantage in switching to the 35mm chamber (when enlarging 35mm film) would be a slightly brighter light output, as the light is concentrated on a smaller area.

With my Bessler 4x5 with color head, I have printed everything from 4x5 down to 35mm with the 4x5 mixing chamber, and got acceptably short exposure times. It seems that particularly color print materials have gotten more sensitive over the years since these color heads were engineered.

 

[Fred]

Hi Mark, Congrats on the purchase.

I've been using an Opemus 6 with a colour head for about the last three years now for both 35mm and 6x6.

For MF work I do switch the lens panel upside down between my EL Nikkor 50 F2.8 and Durst Neonon 80mm F4 when enlarging 120 roll negs to 645 or 6x6. I can see the aperture setting that way easilly. No over stressing of the bellows either on compression.

As standard the 'mixing chamber' (common for both colour and multi contrast heads) was for 6x6 the difference with the 35 being the efficiency of light transference (brighter 35 frame). So if you have the 6x6 chamber your fine with both 35 an 6x6 printing. I think there might be an issue using the 35 chamber with the 6x6 carrier though, a test might be needed here. At my last visit sometime ago to a shop in Bath they did have the mixing chambers in stock for noddy money, I bought a 645 frame for my 6x6 carrier for about a tenner.

Let me know if you need the 6x6 chamber and I'll have a chat with the dealer. Or you can call them . The place is Avon Film Productions in Bath. I don't have the contact number to hand at the moment. As I say pop me a PM and I'll pick the correct chamber up if it's still in stock. I'll bring it to the next UK RFF meet or post it on.

Another thought is Nova Darkroom in Warwick, they used to deal in Meopta kit as well and may carry stock.

Good luck. 🙂

 

[markinlondon]

Thanks for the offer, Tony. Silverprint should have them and I hope to get down there at lunchtime today. At worst I'll give Roy at RK a call and should have one in the post for Monday (RK are Meopta UK).

The 35mm chamber might just be useful for 19th century style heavily vignetted portraits 🙂. I'll try the lens panel thing both ways and see how it works out, the aperture thing hadn't accoured to me. I'll still be printing 90% from 35mm anyway.

Thanks to all again

Mark