mystery omega enlarger questions

[johnjoeboy]

ok, so I'm putting together two omega enlargers. i thought both were D-3s but are now unsure. One i bought for cheep off craigslist. the other i am building from found parts. the one i bought looks like it was modified to fit a 4x5 variable condenser head. there are homemade arms that taper in to connect to the standard 9 inch wide head but it looks like it could hold an 11 3/4 wide head. the bellows that are on it have a 6 3/8 hole for the negative carrier and the bottom where the lens board goes looks to have been shimmed in because the arms that hold the bottom of the bellows are wider than normal. Shimmed in from 7 to the 6 1/8 it is now. the column is wider than the D-3 as well. 7 3/4 as opposed to 7 1/4.

Was this an omega E series 5x7 modified to be a 4x5? or were there D series enlargers that were a little bigger to take slightly larger than 4x5 negatives?

Mystery 2. one of the parts i found is a veritable condenser head that fits 7 inch variable condenser lenses rather than the standard 6 1/2. but the distance of the arms for it to be mounted are still the standard 9 inches same the other 4x5 heads i have seen. Cant find any info on the larger size. condensers for 4x5 are 6 1/2 and ones for 5x7 are 9 inches. so what kind of odd ball condenser lens is 7 inches?

i don't have a lot of experience rebuilding enlargers, so if i say something confusing or wrong thats why.

[Luis-F-S]

I suspect you may be looking at different vintage enlargers, thus the differences. I'm not as familiar with the smaller Omegas other than LPL & the Omega F, so can't help much more with these!

[jnantz]

the one with the bigger head &c might be a military contract d3v
it was bigger to accomodate aerial film ...

[ic-racer]

The "D" Dichroic head is wider than the "D" Condenser head and needs wider spaced lifting arms.

[johnjoeboy]

the one with the bigger head &c might be a military contract d3v
it was bigger to accomodate aerial film ...

that would make sense. from the found components the light house had property of the us navy on the side and there are odd negative carriers (16mm ish and a really large one) with spools on either side to crank the film across. that answers the 7 inch condenser lens and veritable head. as for the bought enlarger with the other over sized features could it be an E seres (5x7) converted to 4x5 enlarger? if so would it be worth converting it back? the price of parts being what they are I'm guessing better to use it as is.

[johnjoeboy]

the 11 3/4 distance between lifting arms does fit the color head suggestion. someone could have added bushings to center the lifting arms i guess.

[jnantz]

that would make sense. from the found components the light house had property of the us navy on the side and there are odd negative carriers (16mm ish and a really large one) with spools on either side to crank the film across. that answers the 7 inch condenser lens and veritable head. as for the bought enlarger with the other over sized features could it be an E seres (5x7) converted to 4x5 enlarger? if so would it be worth converting it back? the price of parts being what they are I'm guessing better to use it as is.

yeah the mil contract in between 5x7 and 4x5 ... i also have an E.
you can use the mil contract one with 4x5, no issues, you just need
rapid shift negative carriers if you want to use roll film and realize the normal
glassless and glass negative carriers will leak a little light ...
regular omegalites ( if you want to go "traditional omega cold light" ) i dont' think
will fit, but the aristo ones will. be advised since the condensor collar is giant, you will
the cold light source will not be sitting in one spot unless you put stuff around it to keep it in one place.
i dont' bother with the cones but use the auxillery focus bellows ( for making jewel prints ) for both the D + E .. no hassles at all.

i've used my mil contract d3v continuously since about 1988 when i bought it from the back of shutterbug from some guy
in colorado who shipped it to me in like 13 boxes ... and my E since about 2000 ... omega made some great machines!

about the weird maybe E .. they made a 3, 4 and a 5. the 3 has a rectangular head with fluorescent tubes
that were continuously ON and there was a shutter at the lens stage
the 4 had an omegalite so it was "normal" by today's standards ( looks like a giant D3 )
and never was sold with condensers unless you found someone with a 5 who sold them to you the 5 was kind of modern i suppose
it had condensers ..
i could be wrong, and my descriptions might be a little off but
i have a feeling the big one you have is a military contract enlarger seeing where you said it came from.
have fun with your restoration

[johnjoeboy]

when they are all together ill post pictures. thanks for your advice, and for taking the time to post it.