# Bucking the trend. Omega C700 enlarger, can I put a 80mm lens on it to work with 4x5, or 6x6?



## Luna44 (Jan 12, 2018)

Hello.  I have experience working in a darkroom.  Granted most my experience is with 35mm.  I recently started shooting 120mm.  I would like to be able to print 6x 6.  I know you need a 75 or 80 mm enlarger lens to do so.  My question is what is required to switch the lens out to a higher mm?  
I've never done this.  Do I need a lens board plus the lens? or a lens mount?  Do all Omega use the same type of lens mount?  I also have a Rollie 6x 7 enlarger that is medium format 6x 7.   The supplies for Rollie enlargers seem limited though?  If anyone can help me understand how all this works I would be thankful.


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## pendennis (Jan 12, 2018)

You'll need a lens which covers the same format as the negative, i.e. a 6x6 negative needs a 80mm lens, and a 6x7 needs a 90mm lens; and of course, the proper negative carriers.


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## Luna44 (Jan 12, 2018)

I assume the Rollie 6 x7 has an 80 mm lens in it. My question is about what you need to change out the lens? It came with what I think are lens boards? Black metal plates with threaded holes in them. Just need some advice on how to shop for enlarger lenses. Found a 6 x 6 negative carriers for the Rollie.


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## webestang64 (Jan 12, 2018)

Luna44 said:


> Black metal plates with threaded holes in them.



All my lenses have a 39mm tread, yours should as well. Some of my lens board have threads and some I use a thread ring. So if you need to change the lens just unscrew one off and screw the other on.
I have a every lens mounted on it's own board to make switching easy.
I have the following lenses sizes (All Rodenstock and a few Nikkor's).
25mm-for half frames or 110, 50mm-for 35mm, 80mm-for 645,6x6, 105mm 6x7,8,9, 135mm-for 4x5.

Omega C700 instructions..... http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/omega/C-700 Condenser and Dichro.pdf


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## 480sparky (Jan 12, 2018)

Rule of thumb:  Whatever is a 'normal' or 'standard' lens for the format of film you're shooting, that's the focal length recommended for use on the enlarger.


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## ac12 (Jan 13, 2018)

Find a manual (paper or PDF) for your enlargers, without a manual you are working blind.
The manual should tell you about mounting the lens.

Many Omegas use a lens board, but I don't know if the C700 does.
If it does, you can either get a board for each lens (what most of us do), or swap the lens on the board (more of a bother and hassle).

The C700 is a 6x7 enlarger, so you cannot enlarge a 4x5 negative with it.


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## webestang64 (Jan 13, 2018)

ac12 said:


> Many Omegas use a lens board, but I don't know if the C700 does.



It does not....   http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/omega/C-700 Condenser and Dichro.pdf


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## ac12 (Jan 13, 2018)

webestang64 said:


> ac12 said:
> 
> 
> > Many Omegas use a lens board, but I don't know if the C700 does.
> ...



Bummer
That makes it more of a hassle to switch formats.


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## compur (Jan 13, 2018)

Luna44 said:


> I recently started shooting 120mm.



Just to help clarify any possible misunderstanding:

120 film is not 120mm film and has no 120mm dimension. The “120” is just a number that Kodak assigned the film when it was introduced. It's closer to 60mm or 61mm in actual width. It's just referred to as "120 film."


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## Luna44 (Jan 14, 2018)

compur said:


> Luna44 said:
> 
> 
> > I recently started shooting 120mm.
> ...


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## Luna44 (Jan 15, 2018)

thank you for the clarification.  I will be more careful about how i describe things.


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