I just bought an Ilford Multigrade 500 head, controller and power source, mounted on an Omega D-5XL, and have a couple of questions. First, there seems to be no provision to lift the head, other than to grasp it in one hand and sort of shove it up, while sticking the negative carrier in with the other. Inelegant, to say the least. Is that just the way it is, or is something missing on my setup? Second, I've decided that the 4x5 mixing box is more than adequate for printing 35 mm. Any reason to doubt this judgment? Third, has anyone used the optional probe with this setup? Does it work well enough to make it worth my while to try to find one? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

-- Randy Bradbury (rbradbury@kscable.com), September 24, 2001

Answers

Randy: I have two of the Omega enlargers. One on a regular chassis and one on the XL. I do not use an Ilford Multigrade head but use one condenser and one Super Chromega D head. The head however, raises identically with both. There is a lever on the left side of the enlarger that extends downward for about 18 inches from the head. Pulling the lever forward lifts the lead thus exposing the stage for the carrier. It locks in place so that you can easily work with the negative. I suppose that this lever could be missing? As far as the mixing chamber is concerned, you may lose up to a stop of light using the 4x5 mixing chamber for 35mm. Otherwise, I expect the illumination may be fine. Hope some of this may help

-- Arden Howell (serenisea@aol.com), September 25, 2001.

Thanks. This rig is replacing an old D-2 with a Zone VI cold light head and, yes, the D-2 has the lever arm. Is yours a D-5? If so, mine is definitely missing the arm, though I also can't see how it would attach to the Ilford head; it's attached in a completely different manner from the way heads are attached to the older D-2. Thanks again for your comments.

-- Randy Bradbury (rbradbury@kscable.com), September 25, 2001.

Randy, You must be missing the arm... I use several D-5's at work and all have arms to raise the head. The 4x5 mixing box is fine other than MAYBE a small increase in light (so I'm told) but I always just used the 4x5 box. In my opinion, the probe is ok. If your thinking of buying it, your still going to have to make a test print so save your money and put it towards paper...or a good graim magnifier... Just my opinion. Cheers

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), September 27, 2001.

Thanks for the help. I'll start looking for an arm. And, if the probe isn't good enough to eliminate a test print, there wouldn't be much point, would there?

-- Randy Bradbury (rbradbury@kscable.com), September 27, 2001.