[LargeFormat] Not seen very often...

[LNPhoto]

 >>Norman Reily had administrative problems with this so I'm forwarding=20=

it on his behalf.
Les


This is at least the second or third time this item has been listed.=A0 =
I=20
recall talking to Omega about it the first time I saw it.=A0 Here's what=20=

they wrote back:

Our "F" model enlarger is a 10x10. However, many years ago Simmon
Brothers had made a few 8X10's for the military. As no serial numbers
were kept, so it is impossible to be sure if this is what you have. We
still make the 10X10 but again I can not be certain of what differences
between the 10X10 and the 8X10 there may be.

I also wrote to KHB Photografix.=A0 They replied:

I'm afraid that we can't really tell you too much about this particular=20=

enlarger.=A0 During and after World War II Simmon Bros. made a lot of=20
enlargers to military spec that weren't available to the public. We'd=20
have to say that this is one of them, but we have no information on the=20=

military enlargers.=A0 We don't believe that you can count on the serial=20=

number indicating year of manufacture. We have never known Omega to=20
incorporate the year into any of their serial numbers. We took a look=20
at the eBay listing and noticed details that are totally=20
unfamiliar=A0from any other Omegas we've seen and have no idea what the=20=

arrangement of knobs above the focusing bellows are for. The only thing=20=

we can think of is that there are drawers of some sort into which the=20
film was inserted.=A0 It appears to have the early type of "cold light"=20=

head, similar to that used on the Omega E-3, which would date it to the=20=

late 40s - early 50's. Those heads had a grid of common straight=20
fluorescent tubes, and this type of head was later replaced by the=20
Omegalite head which used GE Circline lamps. On the E-3, because the=20
lamps were slow to start, the head was left on during the entire=20
printing session and exposures were accomplished by means of an=20
electric solenoid operated under-the-lens shutter mechanism. We have an=20=

E-3 here with this type of lamphouse and shutter, but we don't see such=20=

a shutter on the NL, so there must have been some other mechanism.=A0=A0=20=

Many of the military enlargers were=A0designed specifically=A0for =
printing=20
negs from aerial cameras so may not be set up to print the common=20
consumer formats=A0 - we just aren't familiar with those enlargers. Your=20=

best bet is to ask the seller what formats he printed with it. It's=20
quite possible that it would be entirely unsuitable for small formats=20
altogether. =A0
Because of the age, likely problems with getting parts, and all the=20
unknowns, frankly it's an enlarger we would recommend steering clear=20
of.=A0 However, there's one "Omega historian" we know who may be able to=20=

provide a little more information on this one, and I'll forward=20
anything he might be able to add.

I didn't find this too encouraging.=A0 The seller never responded to my=20=

questions about the enlarger and I passed on the deal.

Norman E. Riley
http://normanrileyphotography.com

ps.=A0 I can also tell you that according to recent communications I've=20=

had with Aristo, it will cost you about $1400 to get a custom made cold=20=

light head for this enlarger, if that is what you have in mind. I doubt=20=

that you could find a color head for it.=A0 No way are you going to bolt=20=

this thing to a table. It appears to be an Omega chassis and therefore=20=

about 9' tall.=A0 It will have to be bolted to the floor (concrete, I=20
would suggest vs. wood) and that isn't as easy to do as it sounds - or=20=

you'll have to make (or have made for you) a very heavy stand of metal=20=

and/or weighted wood to support it (something like the which appears in=20=

the attached photos depicting the stand for the comparable 8x10 Super=20
Chromega Dichroic II).=A0 I've seen other 8x10 enlargers on eBay that=20
were newer and in far better shape than this one appears to be.=A0 My=20
recommendation is that you keep looking, but of course that's your call=20=

to make.

Norman Riley
http://normanrileyphotography.com/


And finally,

Tori,

I'm glad I was able to help you.=A0 I watched eBay for a long time=20
looking for 8x10 enlargers and I did see some nice ones come and go for=20=

very good prices, so I would recommend that you keep an eye on the=20
site.=A0 I ended up getting mine (it's actually a 10x10) from a=20
commercial lab in San Francisco that no longer needed it and I got a=20
very nice deal too ($1850 for the enlarger - in excellent condition-=20
although I had to take aspects of it apart for cleaning + 3 good=20
enlarging lenses).=A0 I managed to find it by writing to different folks=20=

and asking if they had any used 8x10 enlargers for sale.=A0 Adolph=20
Gasser's in SF pointed me to ColorMetro which had the enlarger.=A0 I =
knew=20
I wanted an Omega because my 4x5 Omega served me well and the reading I=20=

had done on converted Beselers (which I was at one time considering)=20
was not encouraging.=A0 You might try the same tactic.=A0 8x10 enlargers=20=

are not that hard to find now that the world is being overrun by=20
digital disciples.=A0 Eventually, however, the supply will dry up, so =
you=20
need to get yours soon, along with the other things necessary for 8x10=20=

film work that are slowly but surely disappearing (e.g., trays large=20
enough to make 20x24 prints).=A0 The folks at KHB were very helpful in=20=

answering questions I had about Omegas, Beselers, Deveres and other=20
brands, and I'm sure they'd be glad to help you in the same way.=A0 They=20=

have a website:=A0 http://khbphotografix.com/ and their prices didn't=20
seem all that bad.=A0 Try Midwest Photo Exchange also. There are plenty=20=

of others.=A0 A Google search on "8x10 enlargers" should be revealing.=A0=20=

I=A0 guess that's it, except to say (shameless self promotion time here)=20=

that I'd like it if you'd take the time to look at my new web site when=20=

you have a chance.=A0 I'm still working on it, but I am pleased with =
what=20
I've done so far, especially given my very limited knowledge of=20
computers.=A0 The large format stuff starts on page 3 (pages 1 and 2 are=20=

small format images).=A0 The URL is: http://normanrileyphotography.com/

Good luck.=A0 (You'll do fine.)
Norman Riley