Omega D3: Intersting Beginer Experience

[ic-racer]

I set up my friend with the autofocus Omega D3. He had never shot, processed or enlarged B&W film before. We worked together to put together a good darkroom setup and I taught him how to print.

I recently saw his first prints that he did on his own. What was unique was that every print had perfect razor-sharp grain from edge to edge. It was as if I were there focusing every print for him.

That D3 was essentially 'idiot-proof,' almost impossible to make a blurry print!

Of course that is the paradox of this enlarger. Perfect for a beginner, but nearly impossible for a biginner to set it up if it does not have all the correct matching components :)

[Nicholas Lindan]

That was my experience with a D3 - if one had a matching track and lens the auto focus was almost perfect. Even without a matched track, though, having the enlarger keep 'almost in focus' as magnification changes were made was a great help when doing tight cropping. Omega sold generic tracks along with matched track/lens sets.

[John Wiegerink]

Yup! Darn good enlarger, but she ain't simple. Well, once you get everything matched up it is, but if one component isn't right then you can forget it. Still a darn good enlarger for the money. JohnW