Enlarger question

[semck83]

Hi all,

I've been lurking on the forum for about a week now, and I just want to say how great I think it is, and thank you all for your very helpful posts. The archive is so helpful that this is the first time I've had to actually post!

I have shot 35mm for a good few years, but have just now decided to get into 4x5, and have acquired a Tachihara, a lens (en route now), etc. I am now buying an enlarger, since I have only a printmaker 35. Here is the problem.

My friendly local (North Texas) camera equipment seller has only two 4x5 enlargers right now -- an Omega DII and a Beseler 45MXT. I've read various opinions here in the forum of both. The thing is, the baseboard on the Beseler is huge, and the one on the Omega is fairly small -- 11x14 would be the largest possible enlargement. Now, I don't see myself enlarging bigger than that any time soon, but I also didn't see myself enlarging bigger than 35mm frames a few years back, and I'm hesitant to have to keep upgrading. On the other hand, the Beseler's baseboard is so big it would not fit on my bathroom counter (which is only 21.5" deep), so I'd have to put it on the carpet. My question, therefore, is how bad an idea would it be to have your enlarger on the floor, on carpet no less? Should I just buy the Omega?

Thank you most kindly for any insights you may have.

Stephen

[Jon Shiu]

Hi, I use an Omega DII and you can make larger prints if you have a good easel. The easel can be moved around on the baseboard and overhang the edge. It is a pretty light enlarger, which comes in handy when you want to move it. I wouldn't want to move the Beseler 45 around too much. Having an enlarger on the floor is okay if you are young and flexible enough to sit on the floor.

Jon

[Gem Singer]

I routinely made 16X20 enlargements with my Omega D2.

The 16X20 easel merely overlapped the sides of the baseboard. As long as most of it rests on a solid foundation, no problem.

I have now have a Beseler enlarger mounted on a metal stand. Still use the same 16X20 easel, and it overlaps the sides of the Beseler base board.

If you're anywhere near the Frisco area, contact me. I'll show you how to make a baseboard for the Omega. Any size that you desire.

BTW, who is this North Texas photo dealer that still sells enlargers?

[J D Clark]

Stephen,
A couple thoughts: When I was using my bathroom(s) for my photography, I had a Beseler 45MXT on the counter, and I'm pretty sure it hung over the edge. As I recall, I used a piece of matboard beneath to avoid scratching the counter.

Secondly, when I designed my darkroom, I designed it around making 11x14 prints. That said, at this point, I've sold quite a few 16x20s, and I'm trying to figure out whether I can make 20x24s. The point is, and you've observed yourself, that situations change, and what might be okay now might be a limitation later -- only you can answer what you're thinking might eventually be...

John Clark
www.johndclark.com

[Drew Wiley]

I have an old D2 that I make 20x24's with rather often using a 180 Rodagon lens.
The trick is to either reverse the enlarger column or wall mount it. I have even seen
some of the old enlarging tables for Omega come up for sale lately which will allow
you to do up to 30X40. Lots of ways to do it relatively easily.

[bigdog]

BTW, who is this North Texas photo dealer that still sells enlargers?

Don's?

[Gem Singer]

You guessed it. I hope I talked Stephen out of making that mistake.

[Dave Brown]

Please note that the Omega DII and the Omega D2 are not the same. The DII is an older model with a wimpy column and lacking an elevator crank. The D2 is stronger, has the elevator crank, and is pretty much equivalent to the modern D5.

Nonetheless, you can still make 16 x 20 enlargements with the DII if you use a 135mm lens. You might want to keep shopping for a while, and consider a D2 or a D5 or perhaps an LPL. Obviously portability is important to you, and while the DII is somewhat portable, in my opinion, it's just not very user friendly.

[Gem Singer]

David,

Stephen was not aware of the difference between the Omega DII and the D2.
The one that Don is selling is a DII.

I talked to Stephen this morning, and he says that he has located a D2 on Craig's List for a lot less money than Don was asking for his ancient DII.

[semck83]

Thank you very much. All of these responses were very helpful, and Eugene has been giving me some help on the phone, too. I appreciate all your thoughts! I'll let you know what I end up with.

Stephen

[SamReeves]

Please note that the Omega DII and the Omega D2 are not the same. The DII is an older model with a wimpy column and lacking an elevator crank. The D2 is stronger, has the elevator crank, and is pretty much equivalent to the modern D5.

Nonetheless, you can still make 16 x 20 enlargements with the DII if you use a 135mm lens. You might want to keep shopping for a while, and consider a D2 or a D5 or perhaps an LPL. Obviously portability is important to you, and while the DII is somewhat portable, in my opinion, it's just not very user friendly.

I'd agree with Dave. Hold out for a D-5 or D-5XL on eBay. They are starting to go cheap as digital eats into film.

[neil poulsen]

You don't have to stick with the baseboard that comes with the DII. You can always migrate to a larger, home made baseboard later. I built a stand that can anchor my old DIIV at both the base and at the top.

This would be more difficult with the Beseler enlarger.

I'll add that I recently tried to align both a D5 and a Beseler 45MXT. I wasn't impressed with either.

[Rick Levine]

I have been a photographer for well over 40 years and have had only two enlargers in all that time. Both have been Beseler 4x5's . The first one I used on the floor in my parents home (my bedroom with the windows covered) was an MCRX and the current one (I have had that one for about 20 years) is an MXT that I have wall mounted in my darkroom. I can highly recommend the Beseler.

http://www.compupal.com/Darkroom/5.jpg