Omega D3 focusing track........

[John Wiegerink]

I have two Omega D3's and really like them. One has has the Super Chromega Dichroic head and the other has the Variable Condenser head. My problem is I need a focus track for my 105mm lens and one for my 80mm lens. I was wondering if anyone out there could trace the focusing track for the 80mm and 105mm for me. I have and extra 35mm track, 90mm track and some flat stock aluminum to make what I need. I can easily trim the 35mm and 90mm tracks to work, but need a template(tracing). The D2's were better since you didn't have to worry about a focus track, but the D3's are pretty darn handy. If anyone can help me out I'd greatly appreciate it. JohnW

[ic-racer]

Harry has posted on his forum that he has patterns for all the tracks. http://www.classic-enlargers.com/omega_d3_enlarger.htm

[John Wiegerink]

ic-racer,
Harry has the patterns to make tracks, but they are his patterns and from what I can gather he uses them to make tracks to sell. He sells tracks for $70.00 a piece, but I have a 50mm and 90mm spare tracks that can be contoured into 80mm and 105mm tracks and they don't cost me anything. I just need a tracing of each to get the right contour. I just can't see spending $140.00 when I already have to two tracks to use. Plus, I can get by with the tracks I have at the moment, but the auto-focus function won't be operational. JohnW

[leicam5]

There is a simple way to avoid the hassle of the D3 focussing tracks.
I bought two used Omegas, a D3 and a D4, one without lenses and one with the ‘wrong’ lens, and ended up with 6 tracks I cold’n use.
So, when closely looking how the autofocusing system worked, I saw that, actually, the lens-plate is pivoting up and down due to the ‘pushing/pulling’ of a wheel on a track that is correctable by turning a knob with a concentric wheel on it. The simplest and surely the smartest way to do!
Then I figured out that, perhaps, this pushing/pulling—pivoting thing could be replaced by a screw driven—pivoting system. After some trial and error, I came out on a simple and cheap system. I first dismantled the whole tracking system as it was useless. Than I made a new ‘thing‘ made of two brass blocks with some threaded holes in it, a handful of nuts and bolts, a threaded rod, a knob (recycled from an old lawn-machine), a spring and lots of imagination.
To make things simple, look at the attached picture…

Note that the brass blocks can be substituted by something else, use your imagination.

One might need to ‘modify’ the lens-mont plate/tube too, and have it adapted to the focal length of the lens, see the picture.

This works as simple, perfect and issueless as possible for years now.

Philippe

[John Wiegerink]

leicam5,
That's the route I was going to take if I can't come up with the tracks I need. I really don't need auto-focus and even when I do use it I still end up fine-focusing with the grain focuser. If you were running a production printing set up for odd size picture packages then auto-focus might be the cats meow. JohnW