I am in the market for a used Omega enlarger and have come across a D2V with a diffusion (cold?) lamp head. Is this a good option or should I keep looking for a condenser version? I work with VC RC paper with polycontrast filters and wondered if the diffusion type is compatible.

-- Rich Weiss (mrw@cape.com), February 01, 2000

Answers

A *diffusion* head is compatable, but a cold-light head, which usually emits very bluish light, might not be. A special tube is required for VC papers. Then you will need to use VC filters.

I would suggest a dicroic color head, which is a diffusion light source. VC filter equivalents can be dialed in: Magenta for high contrast, Yellow for low.

-- Peter Hughes (leo948@yahoo.com), February 01, 2000.

And I suggest a plain old condenser head. Sure it's old tech, but they still work beautifully! We use our D-3v for everything from Minox negs up to 4x5, (and print everything on VC paper with an old set of Kodak filters) and have very little to complain about...

-- Michael Goldfarb (mgoldfar@mobius-inc.com), February 02, 2000.

The 'V' in the D2V refers to a head with a variable focal length condenser. It uses the standard 6.5" dia condenser lenses for 4x5 and a supplementary 3" dia lens that is installed and moved to adjust for the various smaller formats. It also allows 6" square filters to be used for VC paper.

For the Aristo cold light heads you remove the condensers and replace them with the coldlight module which must sit right down by the negative. This prevents using the VC filters easily.

If were buying this I'd try to understand exactly what is there. If the condenser lenses are not included it will cost you a few bucks to get some. The type of cold light is also important.

If you want to use VC paper with an Aristo cold light head with a W45 tube you will need a CC 30G filter to convert the spectrum to something more like a tungsten lamp - the light source the filters are designed to work with. If you get a W54 tube it is already corrected. I made up a low profile filter holder that fits between the cold light and negative carrier and allows me to use VC filters and paper with the cold light. This is far more convenient than laying the filter on the carrier.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Cheers,

-- Duane K (dkucheran@creo.com), February 02, 2000.