About enlargers

[Rollei12]

I looked online for awhile looking for enlargers and found one at what I could pay. I didn't want to pay too much. Anyway, I got an Omega B600.

If anyone knows any tips and tricks with it, I would appreciate getting some!

The lens I got with it (it was sort of a bundle deal) is a 35 mm lens. Looking through the instruction book, and Adams' book The Print, it became apparent that if I were to print a 35 mm film, I would need a 50 mm lens. What happens to the print if I printed a 35mm film with a 35mm lens? Is that bad or would the final print just need to be small? 4x5 say being the biggest print I could do?

Any other things to know about?

I can't print any time soon, as this is going to take awhile getting stuff together. Safe light, tubs, chemicals and papers have to be had later.

 

[480sparky]

If you went to a 35mm enlarger lens, you'd need to move the rig further down to get the same image. You might start to get soft corners and vignetting.

 

[Dave442]

Never had a 35mm lens, wish I did as it probably would have been good when printing from my 16mm Minolta.
Just pick up a 50mm, it should thread into the same lens holder.

Do you have the 35mm film carrier, contrast filters, grain focuser, paper holder and timer to go with the enlarger? It is often cheaper to pick up a box of darkroom odds and ends and just throw out the broken and duplicate stuff.

 

[compur]

35mm negs are usually printed with a 50mm lens. You can get them at low cost these days. The EL Nikkor lenses are easily found. There are others too. An EL Nikkor 50mm f/4 is a particularly good bargain lens often selling for under $20. The later versions were f/2.8 and usually cost more but both are very good IMO.