Meopta Opemus missing piece?

Buset · Oct 5, 2019

Hi, I have this old Meopta Opemus that I would like to use to start printing in my darkroom. I think its one of the earliest models because I can’t seem to find one thats exact the same. But I have some questions regarding it:
1) Is there a missing piece between the lamp and the lens (or whatever it’s called. Will link a picture)
2) Why did my grandfather put on this extra piece before the enlarger and the plate or whatever (second image in the link)? Is it a fix to the missing piece or was he thinking something else?

LINK: Imgur

I’m very new to printing images in a darkroom so I’m looking forward to some answers.

chris · Oct 5, 2019

I’m not familiar with this enlarger but there should be a negative holder in the gap between the lamp house and the bellows. The carrier may be one with adjustable blades to accommodate various film formats or you may be able to get ones with a fixed aperture for specific formats.
The cylindrical piece of wood raises the enlarger head and will allow greater enlargement of the image.

webestang64 · Oct 5, 2019

Looks like yours can handle negs up to 6x6 cm and was made between 1940-45...

Click here.... Enlargers | Meopta

Derrel · Oct 5, 2019

Yes, your enlarger is missing the negative carrier. It is not that difficult to make one using an exacto knife, and some type of hardish material, either plastic or metal or wood, or even cardboard / pasteboard. Years ago I used to use an enlarger that had a negative carrier which was made out of two pieces of rather stiff matt board.

Buset · Oct 6, 2019

Thanks for all the replies!

Derrel said:
Yes, your enlarger is missing the negative carrier. It is not that difficult to make one using an exacto knife, and some type of hardish material, either plastic or metal or wood, or even cardboard / pasteboard. Years ago I used to use an enlarger that had a negative carrier which was made out of two pieces of rather stiff matt board.

I found this one on EBay: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/252803336207 . I dont think it would be too hard to make neither.