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Thread: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

  1. #1

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    Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    I'm trying to work out why the Omega D carriers (e.g. D2, D5, etc.) are usually white on top, black on bottom. Most other enlargers seem to use black for both the top and bottom halves and I was trying to work out if this was for a reason (e.g. reflecting light back up into the condensers to somehow make it more even?).

    Asking because I made 3D printed negative carriers for various enlargers and am pondering switching to just black for the Omega ones, since all the other carriers I make are black on both halves (e.g. Beseler 67, 45, Zone VI all seem to use black carriers). But if this was for some design reason, I wouldn't want to compromise the performance, though I kinda don't think in practice it would make much of a difference?

  2. #2
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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    I'm trying to remember when Omega started making them white on top and black on the bottom. All the carriers that came with my D2 and D3 were aluminum with clear anodizing. It may be that the white/black carriers came with the D5, which used a dichroic color head that acted like a diffusion head, unlike the condenser heads mine used. (And I still have mine, recently unearthed in its attic storage, and strangely calling to me, though I have no place in this house to build a darkroom.) My Omega lore is just not up to the details needed, despite that I've used them all at one time or another. But I'm betting it has to do with color balance on the dichroic heads.

    Rick "who certainly never noted any ill effects from the aluminum-colored holders" Denney

  3. #3

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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    Ooooh I didn't think about the color head but that's a good point! I did indeed read the originals were aluminum but couldn't quite figure out the reason for the switch, and the color head is indeed a good point. Though yeah sounds like I can maybe switch to black and maybe offer white as an option for those that want it.

    On the note of your Omega in storage, for what it's worth, I've got my D2 sitting on top of a "table" that I made above the toilet in my spare bathroom It's certainly not ideal but it does work! The Mrs. isn't super thrilled but until I can justify a darkroom shed out back, this works Anyways something to consider if you're feeling the need to print!

  4. #4
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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    Quote Originally Posted by m00dawg View Post
    ...On the note of your Omega in storage, for what it's worth, I've got my D2 sitting on top of a "table" that I made above the toilet in my spare bathroom It's certainly not ideal but it does work! The Mrs. isn't super thrilled but until I can justify a darkroom shed out back, this works Anyways something to consider if you're feeling the need to print!
    Heh. I’m not really liking the flight characteristics of that suggestion in this household. Or the subsequent consequences.

    (But when I’m no longer grounded by CV, I’ll be on the road every week again and won’t have darkroom time anyway.)

    Rick “a man has got to know his limitations” Denney

  5. #5

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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    White towards the light...

    Steve K

  6. #6

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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    Delving back into the ancient past, my college darkroom in the early 1970's had the Omega D-series carriers in aluminum finish. When I bought my D2V new in 1974, it came with carriers that were black on the bottom and white on the top. Sometime much later I noticed that they started appearing in all black.

  7. #7

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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    Way back last century I was told that several manufacturers did this to reduce the amount of radiant heat (from the lamp) absorbed by the neg. carrier, and hence to keep the neg a bit cooler. It sounds plausible at least.

  8. #8

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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    My belief has always been that it was a marketing gimmick. If anything, I think the white surface can reflect light back into the condensers and cause flare. I always painted them black untl I gave up on Omega.

  9. #9

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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    I think the change came when they switched the carrier alignment design from the two-pin style of the D2's to the rotating style (with the frame on the bottom) of the D5's and later. I used both kinds on many enlargers for decades and have never seen a flare issue from a white-top carrier.
    I did have my department's maintenance shop bevel out all the carriers to print 4x5 full-frame, and painted the inside edges black, but that's another story.

  10. #10
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Speculation on why the Omega D negative carriers are white on top?

    I don't use Omega anymore, but likewise filed out or routed my carrier for full frame and blackened the edges.

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