What is this equipment?

[Cyrus]

I know that this is a 'digital' based forum and not film but i have a question that I was hoping somebody could help me with. I recently had somebody give me this after his father had moved on, it's some type of film based photographic equipment but i'm not exactly sure what it is.

After doing some research on the net it seems to be some kind of negative scanner that produces colour photos from black and white negs, but i could be wrong. Are they worth anything $$$ wise or even just fun to play with?

The first image is the overall view and the second is a closer view of the main parts. I apologize for the poor quality of shots, they were taken very quickly on my small P&S camera but i can get better shots later if required.

The only branding on it is Opemus and it's made in Czechoslovakia, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cyrus

[Naturalist]

Oh My Gawd!!!!!!!!

Do you realize how OLD you have made me feel?????????:rolleyes:

This is an enlarger. You put the negative between the light and the lens and make a print.




Thanks Pal!;)

[Cyrus]

no worries, thanks for your help grandpa lol

Cheers

[Naturalist]

HAHA

Thanks....damned punk! :lol:

[tracknut]

That piece of equipment was replaced by the image->image size function in Photoshop :)

Dave

[ifonline]

That piece of equipment was replaced by the image->image size function in Photoshop :)

Dave

Ha! Nice... I remember using enlargers in high school, and haven't used one since. What's depressing is that I expect we have reached a time (as indicated by the OP) where people into photography won't even know or understand enlargers, film processing, etc. Isn't it amazing how technology moves forward... :(

Almost makes me want to get into a darkroom to see if I remember how to do it. Eh... on second thought, I think I'll just fire up Photoshop and "develop" my image there. :D

[neumanns]

An Enlarger huh...Is that anything like the BiCubic upsize in CS2???

[bbulldog]

It looks a lot like the Russian Zenith UPA5M Enlarger, i had one and it folds down into a briefcase which is used as the base

http://www.submin.com/general/manuals/zenith/zenith_upa5m.htm

http://www.submin.com/general/collection/accessories/zenith/upa5m_inside.jpg

The company that made the Opemus is Meopta which is still going today by the looks of this
http://www.meopta.com/index.php?id=117&lang=en

[LBaldwin]

Actually I think it is the Czechk made Optimus, but either way it was never a very good enlarger by western standards!!. It is missing some parts including the box it came in that reverts to a stage to mount the enlarger on. It is portable and should have had a whole set of neg carriers, and a lens or two as well. They all fit into the box with the enlarger once it is broken down. It did not render great images, with iffy lenses and a 25watt lightbulb.

There was a better version from the same group that had a geared head instead of a friction lock. BTW this is a poorly done dupe of the Nikon enlarger kit that was built in the 50's. It was not so great either!!. The best of this type of kit was actually a combo enlarger - copy stand built by Nikon in the 60's. It had a great wooden case, lenses, carriers as well as really cool filters that all came with it. It broke down and went inside the case along with lights and chemistry. primarily used by gov't agencies and PJ's on the road.

This would make a great boat anchor!! but not much else...

[yogestee]

Its an enlarger made by the Czech company Meopta,,the model is the Opemus..

I had an Opemus 6 in the late '70s through to the early '90s equipped with Nikkor and Rodenstock lenses and colour head.. Nice 6X6 enlarger..

[Cyrus]

so i guess this means i've not got a very weirdly shaped paper weight!

[bbulldog]

looking at its condition yes you have :-)

[Derbyshire Weddings]

.........I can't believe anyone interested in photography could ask that question. It's like a car enthusiast not knowing what a Model T was!

[yogestee]

.........I can't believe anyone interested in photography could ask that question. It's like a car enthusiast not knowing what a Model T was!

I suppose thats where digital has lead us..

[LBaldwin]

Send it home...
http://www.meopta.com/index.php?lang=en

[rebecca12]

You could try adapting it into a fishing rod. :)