I am working on setting up a darkroom again after too many years of inactivity, and I have available to me a choice of either a Beseler 67CS II or an Omega B22 enlarger. I will be doing mostly 35mm black and white prints and sometimes some 6x6 prints, also B&W. I have a Nikkor 50F4 enlarging lens to start with, and I have some questions regarding the enlargers. First, what is the difference between the Beseler 67CS and the 67CSII? Are there any major differences? Minor ones? Does anyone have experience using both the Beseler and the Omega, and can you give me advice on which one might be the better quality machine, and easiest to use? I have had the Beseler 45 MCRX and the Omega D2V in the past, but those were larger machines. Thanks for any help anyone can give me.

-- Jim (jiminwis@yahoo.com), February 08, 2000

Answers

I've had 4 different Omega B22 enlargers and i loved them. they were small; i got some vignetting on 120-sized film, but for 35 mm., they were perfect, sturdy and dependable. stayed aligned. also, i 've worked now with plenty of Beselers and Omegas, and HANDS DOWN, i prefer Omega machines. Sorry to say, the Beselers i have at my one place of employment break regularly (23Cs) anyhow. goodluck and have fun

-- (manson_kat@hotmail.com), July 25, 2001.

I am not into professional photography today, though my love for cameras, darkroom has never stopped. Years ago i took photography courses at a Manhattan based school of photography and when we students were led into the darkrooms...where there were Beseleres and Omegas...it was clear that the preference on the part of staff was for the Omega series enlargers. We called them Omega 4x5's these were the D series enlargers -especially D2, etc. Wonderful machines!!

William

-- william martinez (willmart97@prodigy.net), August 04, 2001.