Aligning Omega D5 and Beseler 4x5

[neil poulsen]

I spent a portion of yesterday aligning an Omega D5 enlarger and three Beseler enlargers. Sheesh! Talk about poor design.

I don't know, maybe I'm missing something. I'd welcome some insights. Let the "Y" axis be a line running left to right and the "Z" axis be a line running from back to front.

From my perspective on the D5 Omega, it's not possible to adjust the lens-stage along either the Y or Z axis without trying to change the angle of the entire enlarger. Moreover, if the Y axis at the lens stage isn't parallel to the Y axis at the negative stage, it's too bad Charlie! For example, the only adjustment for the negative stage is along the Z axis.

As to the Beselers, two 6x9's and the similarly designed 4x5 enlarger with a 45S head, it was possible to align the negative stage in both the Y and Z directions. But, it was not possible (from my perspective) to independently adjust the Z axis for both the lens stage and the negative stage.

So, through different shenanigans, I got the four enlargers aligned to within a smidgen of correct. But frankly, I don't it's really good enough. It's only the best that those particular enlargers would permit.

[Eric Woodbury]

I thought Z was always along the lens axis....

I have modified my Beseler 45 so that it may be aligned completely, but it took some work, because I have a forth plane, the 8x10 stage. I don't move the neg stage, I don't even know that it does. For just the 4x5 adjustment, I have some hardware that was manufactured and sold by Redlight Enterprises years ago that allows careful adjustment of the lens. This hardware wouldn't be too hard reproduce if you saw it. Some pix would be in order here, but I don't have such a camera. Maybe I could borow my daughter's if you are interested in the workings. Next, to get the final plane parallel with the neg and lens, loosen the baseboard and shove some pennies under there to make parallel the baseboard.

There you have it, make the lens parallel to the neg and the baseboard parallel these.

[ic-racer]

Lens-to-film alignment is most important when doing enlargements. The focal depth on the baseboard side is usually in the millimeter to centimeter range.

At least for the D5500, Omega recommends shimming to align the the column if needed.

Having said all that, I did make 4-corner adjustable false baseboards for my Omegas, to get perfect film-to-baseboard alignment in addition to the lens-to-film adjustments already incorporated by Omega.

On your D5 the negative stage is adjustable in 2 axes to get your film-to-lens alignment. Here is an example: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showpost.php?p=96407&postcount=3

[Brian Ellis]

Which model 4x5 Beseler were you using? The latest, and I guess final, Beseler is the MXT which I used for about 10 years. I don't remember the details but Beseler improved the alignment system on the MXT in some manner or fashion as compared with earlier models.

[Bob Salomon]

Lens-to-film alignment is most important when doing enlargements. The focal depth on the baseboard side is usually in the millimeter to centimeter range.

No. A properly aligned enlarger has the negative, lens and paper planes all properly aligned. You don't want to rely on an unaligned baseboard if you want the optimal performance from your image and lens. They are a chain and relying on depth of field or depth of focus in lieu of proper alignment will give you less the optimal performance. So will the lack of a glass carrier. And if you are printing glassless then the requirement for proper alignment is far less important as you can not get optimal performance from an enlarging lens without a glass carrier.

[Fotch]

No. A properly aligned enlarger has the negative, lens and paper planes all properly aligned. You don't want to rely on an unaligned baseboard if you want the optimal performance from your image and lens. They are a chain and relying on depth of field or depth of focus in lieu of proper alignment will give you less the optimal performance. So will the lack of a glass carrier. And if you are printing glassless then the requirement for proper alignment is far less important as you can not get optimal performance from an enlarging lens without a glass carrier.

How about the Beseler Negaflat, the one that clamps and pulls the negative flat? I don't own one but have heard good reports from users.

[tgtaylor]

I have the Beseler MXT and it's simple to align:

First align the table on which it sits and then the baseboard. I use a torpedo level and position it is 6 places - along each side and in an x in the center of the baseboard. Once the table and baseboard are aligned, then either align the easel on the baseboard or jump to aligning the negative stage. The MXT allows you to align the negative stage left and right and forward to backward. I use a laser to align. Once the negative stage is aligned, then align the lens board. If you have the new type of Beseler boards with the two screws that locks the board down, you can tweak those until the board is aligned. I can get the board aligned to about 1/16" or so from the laser's bull’s-eye. To eliminate fussing with the lock down screws, I've ordered a Delta 4x4" Bes-Align board from B&H yesterday. If this works, and I suspect it will, then I will take the Beseler board on which I have mounted a Schneider 180mm Componon-S to a machine shop to have the 3 adjustment screws installed.

I highly recommend getting a laser aligning tool. It makes aligning the enlarger a snap and I routinely check the alignment whenever I change heights.

[Bob Salomon]

How about the Beseler Negaflat, the one that clamps and pulls the negative flat? I don't own one but have heard good reports from users.

It would not be a replacement for glass. A negative moves in the heat from the lamp. Glass ensures that the position of the film at the start, the end and at all times in between is in the same place. A glassless carrier, including the Negaflat does not. In addition, as the darkroom session lengthens, the temperature at the negative stage increases meaning that the 10th negative may not be at exactly at the same point as the first, or the last making for more corrections in focus at the same magnification. Glass ensures consistency.

[Drew Wiley]

I had no trouble aligning the Omega. Took a cheap auto feeler gage to aquire a couple
shims for the base rotation area, jammed them in appropriately, and that took take of
any base to coumn issue. Adjusting the negative stage just required fiddling with some
set screws. The carrier itself was slightly shimmed with an adhesive teflon tape which
I acquired from MCMaster. That was over twenty years ago and the thing is still in
alignment.

[Drew Wiley]

Postscript - I did make my own precision board for the Omega lens mount, which I
tweaked for really high-quality focus. Incidentally, I use both a Starrett true machinists level and a top-of-the-line Peak focus device to check alignment - hardware store levels are rarely adequately level.

[ic-racer]

You can calculate the focal depth on the baseboard side with an equation similar to the view camera focusing equation.

For most apertures and magnifications the focus spread is in the millimeter to centimeter range. Thus, as I indicated the lens-film alignment is what is crucial. The baseboard alignment is less critical. Enlarger manufactures understand this and design accordingly.

[SamReeves]

The D-5 is a tricky one. After much consternation, I decided to level off the baseboard first by shimming up the corners. Once that was done, the alignment of the negative stage and lens stage went a lot smoother.

[neil poulsen]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I will try to incorporate ideas that have been offered.

It's amazing to me that after decades of producing these enlargers, neither company progressed to a versions where these crucial alignments could be something different than makeshift.

In my view, both the negative stage and the lens stage should be adjustable in both axes.

[neil poulsen]

. . . A properly aligned enlarger has the negative, lens and paper planes all properly aligned. You don't want to rely on an unaligned baseboard if you want the optimal performance from your image and lens. They are a chain and relying on depth of field or depth of focus in lieu of proper alignment will give you less the optimal performance. So will the lack of a glass carrier. And if you are printing glassless then the requirement for proper alignment is far less important as you can not get optimal performance from an enlarging lens without a glass carrier.

Thanks Bob. Very good points here.

[neil poulsen]

Which model 4x5 Beseler were you using? The latest, and I guess final, Beseler is the MXT which I used for about 10 years. I don't remember the details but Beseler improved the alignment system on the MXT in some manner or fashion as compared with earlier models.

We have the MXT. It's black, versus the blue color of earlier models. Maybe there's something I can do to improve the alignment. For example, by my inspection, the negative stage is completely rigid to the rest of the chassis. But, maybe there's an adjustment that I've missed.

[lloyd]

I've ordered a Delta 4x4" Bes-Align board from B&H yesterday. If this works, and I suspect it will, then I will take the Beseler board on which I have mounted a Schneider 180mm Componon-S to a machine shop to have the 3 adjustment screws installed.

This is what I've done; I believe this design originated with Zone VI, and it works v. well.

[Nathan Potter]

Enlargers are like view cameras but without much in the way of adjustments so I share Neils frustrations. There are three planes that really should be exactly parallel - the film, the lens and the baseboard (easel). Only two of the planes need tilt adjustment to match the third so pick the two easiest to adjust. The other desirable adjustment but less critical is to align the optical axis of the lens to the center of the film. That depends on the coverage of the lens to the size of the film.

The other frustration can be the flex inherent in the mechanical parts of most enlargers. Flex in the whole head relative to the baseboard bugs me but flex between the lens and film holder can also occur during repeated exchanging of film holder over time.

I tend to use thin shims with sticky tape for film and lens plane adjustment and leveling screws for baseboard adjustment. An optical collimator is the ideal readout mechanism for planarity adjustments but I scavenged a couple old of IC glass photomasks with chrome emulsions which are a good substitute but you need to work with the enlarger lens wide open for alignment.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[tgtaylor]

We have the MXT. It's black, versus the blue color of earlier models. Maybe there's something I can do to improve the alignment. For example, by my inspection, the negative stage is completely rigid to the rest of the chassis. But, maybe there's an adjustment that I've missed.

Yeah, you missed it! FWIW, pick-up a Beseler MXT manual - you can readily find them on E-bay for ~$10. Except for the lens stage, the manual gives detailed instructions on aligning the enlarger. You'll need 2 wrenches: 11mm and 14mm. As far as the lens stage, if you have the new Beseler lens boards with the 2 locking screws you can fiddle with them and, if everything else is level and the chassis is not warped, you can probably bring the alignment into about 1/16.”

[Dave Langendonk]

From my perspective on the D5 Omega, it's not possible to adjust the lens-stage along either the Y or Z axis without trying to change the angle of the entire enlarger. Moreover, if the Y axis at the lens stage isn't parallel to the Y axis at the negative stage, it's too bad Charlie! For example, the only adjustment for the negative stage is along the Z axis.


Neil,

On the Omega, the lens stage is adjusted by means of an eccentric rod on the carriage that rides along the column. This allows front to back alignment of the lens stage to the baseboard without using shims. Once the Lens stage is parallel with the baseboard, the negative stage can be aligned as mentioned above. I have a service manual I'd be happy to email you if you're interested. Just PM me your email address.

[Brian Ellis]

Which model Beseler were you using? Beseler made some changes with the MXT that improved the ease of aligning it. I don't now remember what the changes were but I know it wasn't terribly difficult to align my MXT.

[Richard Schlesinger]

Apparently there is a lens alignment board for thr
beseler which would seem o sove the probem. But get a a laser alignment too - much better than a leve No comparison. You can make one for peanuts - see Way Beyond Monochrome book.

[Arthur Nichols]

I have two Beselers (MXT), one Fotar (8x10) and one Devere (5x7). After seeing how easy it was to align both the Fotar and Devere I just quit messing around with the Beselers. I guess the the single column Beseler is much better than the MXT series. Of course a Durst would also be easy to align.

[Brian Ellis]

We have the MXT. It's black, versus the blue color of earlier models. Maybe there's something I can do to improve the alignment. For example, by my inspection, the negative stage is completely rigid to the rest of the chassis. But, maybe there's an adjustment that I've missed.

It's been a long time - over 7 years - since I aligned my MXT but it seems to me that I aligned the lens stage and easel to the negative stage since as you say the negative stage is immovable. I used a ruler with a bubble in it, checked the position of the bubble and then got the lens stage and easel in the same position. I also tried using the Beseler alignment tool but didn't like it for some reason I now can't remember.

I'm not sure that "black" means it's necessarily an MXT. I was under the impression, from where I don't know, that some of the earlier models in the MX series were also black. But I could very well be wrong, I'm not sure I've ever actually seen any of the earlier versions.

[dng88]

Yeah, you missed it! FWIW, pick-up a Beseler MXT manual - you can readily find them on E-bay for ~$10. Except for the lens stage, the manual gives detailed instructions on aligning the enlarger. You'll need 2 wrenches: 11mm and 14mm. As far as the lens stage, if you have the new Beseler lens boards with the 2 locking screws you can fiddle with them and, if everything else is level and the chassis is not warped, you can probably bring the alignment into about 1/16.”

Can I confirm that once negative is aligned with the baseboard (using versa lab parallel), one can only get the lens board parallel by shimming or some lens board that has screw to do lens stage adjustment.