Printing with the Omega D5 XL: Two questions

[dan_blair2]

After acquiring an Omega D5 XL enlarger a few months ago, I've finally been able to put together a makeshift darkroom and have started printing a few 4x5 b&w negs that I developed. I've outfitted the D5 with an Aristo cold light and a Rodenstock 150mm lens. I've done some rather rudimentary printing so far just to play around, and I have a couple of questions that have me perplexed. Please excuse me if the questions seem naive.

 

<p>

 

1. I cannot get the lens to focus close enough to print on an 8x10 piece of paper no matter how far I extend the bellows or how low I crank the neg./lens stage. Is it impossible for me to print on 8x10 with a 150mm lens? Am I relegated to 4x5 contacts and printing on 11x14 and up?

 

<p>

 

2. Installing the cold light necessitated the removal of the filter drawer. How can I use contrast filters now? Can I place 6x6 in. filters between the neg. carrier and the light, or should I just forget it now that I'm using cold light and go with graded paper?

 

<p>

 

Thanks for your responses. I'm just getting my feet wet in b&w, so I apologize if my questions seem painfully simple.

[louis_jensen]

Under the lens there is a lock and it can be used to extend the

bellows. This is in addition to the round knob used for a fine focus

adjustment.

 

<p>

 

If you have the more recent version of the Aristo cold light (called

VL45?) you can use vc filters under the lens or 6x6 filters on top of

the negative holder. The latter method does not allow for easy filter

changing. Aristo sells the newer tubes for about $100. It is worth the

cost. The color of the newer light is "green."

[dave_schneider]

Dan, Don't be afraid of using a below the lens filter, they work just

fine. No real proof exists that they cause any problems as long as

they are clean and kept close to the lens. I have an Omega D5 and the

Aristo cold light head. No problems printing with the 150mm Componon-

S at 8x10 and smaller. I suspect the earlier response was on target,

you need to adjust the lens stage by releasing the lever behind it.

[john_boeckeler]

I am not an expert on this point, but I don't think you can use

variable contrast filters to vary the contrast with a standard cold

light head. I have the D5XL and I used to have the Arista head.

With that combination I was limited to graded papers for contrast

changes. Then I got the Zone VI variable contrast cold light head so

that I could use vc papers. It has two tubes: one for magenta, the

other for yellow light output. The contrast depends on the relative

intensity of the magenta and yellow lights. I think Arista makes a

similar vc cold light head.

As the other writers have indicated, you should be able to make 8 x

10 enlargments with a 150mm lens by extending the bellows.

[doug_paramore]

I regularly use contrast filters under the lens with my standard cold

light lead. I cannot tell you exactly what contrast grade they

produce, nor do I care as long as the print looks like I want it to

look. I do know that the lower contrast filters produce lower

contrast prints. It may be a slightly higher contrast than with the

light designed for filters. In any case, a little experimenting will

show you what the filters do. I have also not noticed any loss of

sharpness with the filters under the lens. It doesn't show up in the

prints nor under the grain focuser.

 

<p>

 

Regards,

[dave_schneider]

To calrify, I have the Aristo head with the V54 lamp.

[michael_feldman1]

The original Aristo cold light heads used the W45 tube that is not

compatible with VC filters due to the bluish color of the light

(similar to older style florescent lights). In theory, the W45 tube

can be corrected with a filter, but this reduces the light output

quite a bit. These older Aristo (and some Zone VI) cold light heads

are the kind that are usually available on eBay. They work great on

fixed grade paper such as Ilford Gallerie and Oriental Seagull (and

others).

 

<p>

 

Aristo now uses the V54 tube in their heads which is color corrected

and compatible with VC filters. Replacement V54 tubes for older

Aristo heads are available from B&H Photo or directly from

www.aristogrid.com for about $125. The only problem (as already

noted) is that the cold light head does not have a filter drawer like

many condenser heads they replace. Some people have made their own

filter drawer, or they insert the filter next to the frosted plastic

diffuser (you will usually need to custom cut the filter to do

this). If you put the filter on top of the negative carrier, care

should be taken to ensure that the filter is not within the depth of

focus of the enlarger lens.

 

<p>

 

Aristo (and Zone VI from Calumet) also makes a fairly sophisticated

VC cold light enlarger head that does not use filters to achieve

variable contrast. As mentioned above by others, this is

accomplished by using 2 cold light tubes of different colors, which

are varied by an attached controller to achieve the desired contrast.

These heads cost about $1000.

[michael_feldman1]

One additional note: Aristo Grid Lamp Products, Inc. is often

confused with Arista, which sells film, paper, and chemicals

(supposedly manufactured for them by other companies). These two

companies are completely unrelated.

[george_nedleman]

The V 54 bulb that Arista now uses does not give a filter grade #

that coorelates with "accepted" graded papers. The set up should be

tested with a step wedge to see what "correct" grade # comes from

what filter #. As an example Ilford VC FB paper with a #2 filter

gives about the same contrast as #3 graded paper on my set up.

George

[john_boeckeler]

Well, at least I was right about one thing. I'm no expert. After

reading the subsequent responses, I went to The Variable Contrast

Printing Manual by Steve Anchell (Focal Press 1997). He discusses

variable contrast printing with cold light heads (pp. 56-59, 106-

111). Happily for you, the Aristo V-54 is a single-lamp cold light

that is optimized for printing vc papers with paper manufacturers'

filter sets designed for subtractive printing.

[michael_feldman1]

Dave Schneider said he has the V54 tube, but Dan Blair (the

originator of this thread) has not said (and may not know) what tube

he has.

[john_boeckeler]

If Dan Blair has the W45 or W55, he should refer to Anchell's book at

pp. 109-111.

[dan_blair2]

Thanks for all the helpful responses. I don't know which cold light

tube I have; I'm away for the holidays but will check when I return

home. (Although I find it's a real pain in the neck to get that cold

light assembly out once it's put in place.) I'll definitely get a

hold of the Steve Anchell book.

 

<p>

 

Thanks again.