Help needed on Meopta Magnifax 4a b&w

[greg choong]

Hi... I bought this used B&W enlarger in great shape yesterday and I

have a few questions:

 

1) Does the front top tray holds the grade filters?

2) The side tray holds the condenser lens, somehow I heard this needs

to be removed when printed 6x6 negs or bigger? Why?

3) It comes with the Ilford grade filters with a holder that mounts

under the enlarger lens. Though the filters are of quality glasses (

I guess), wouldn't it affect the quality? I thought item (1)'s

placement should be a better place to put a grade filter?

 

Thanks for helping.

[elliot_n]

Yes, you're better off buying Ilford gels to put in that top drawer.

[johannes_geenen]

The Meopta web site

 

http://www.meopta.cz/products/

 

offers a manual (in english).

 

To your questions:

 

1. Yes, the front tray holds the filters.

2. Yes, the side tray holds the condensor lens. No, you do not have to remove the condensor (in fact, it is designed for those kind of negs). If using 35mm negs with 50mm lens, you should add a special condensor lens (a Magnifax option).

3. Many people say, below-the-lens grade filters may affect print quality. But nobody was able to prove that.

[david_f._stein]

Greg, how do you like the enlarger? Freestyle sold them for a while and I believe

JandC Photo will start offering them soon. THANKS///////////

[greg choong]

Thanks all.. I guess I'd try out the Ilford filters first, they seem pretty decent glass.

 

David, I haven't had a chance to try it. I haven't bought my 105mm lens! I have a 50mm Rodagon on my DURST though but I'm more eager to see the prints from my 645/690 negs. I didn't know it's a new model? I bought it used here in Singapore. It's much sturdier compared to the optimus. I'll post some results here soon.

[elliot_n]

I used to have a Magnifax. It's well built, but I found that it wasn't bright enough. I

also found that the light coverage was rather uneven.

 

To get more light out of it I tried higher wattage bulbs, but the whole unit became

burning hot. I ended up lining the light chamber with tin foil - I think this gave a

little boost.

 

I was using a 50mm lens for 35mm and an 80mm lens for 6x6.

 

I suspect your exposures will be painfully long with a 105mm lens.