Omega Photo Enlarger

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Does Anyone Know Where I Can Get An Instruction Manual For My Photo Enlarger?

I got an Omega Pro Lab B66 photo enlarger from my aunts boyfriend. He explained to me how to use it but I don't really remember. Does anyone know where I can get a free copy of an instruction manual? Or can someone explain to me in detail how to use it and how to turn the reflected picture of the negative into a positive (with fixer and HC110 developer)?

I don't think you really need the manual for the enlarger. There are a couple of dials that you use, one is for contrast, you will start with a contrast of 2 or 2.5. The other dial is the aperture and you can start at about f/8. Then there is a crank to raise and lower the head which enlarges the image. And you will find a knob which focuses the image. Basically that is all you have to know. There may be a red filter that swings around to cover the light as B&W paper is not sensitive to red light and allows you to see how much of the image is going to show on the paper. And there should be a cartricge that you pull out and slide your negative strip into and replace it in the enlarger. Never do that with the enlarger light on if you have unfixed and unexposed paper out or it will ruin it all.

You first make a test strip to determine how long to expose the paper to the light. Set the timer for 5 seconds. Cut a strip of paper about 1-1 1/2 inches wide. You cover all but about 1/2 to 3/4 inch and press the button on the timer. Once the light shuts off, you slide the cover another 1/2 to 3/4 inch and press the button again. Repeat until you have gotten to the other edge of the paper.

After you have fixed the test strip for 1 minute (you have to follow the same steps as when you develop an actualy print) you look and count from the light end in 5 second increments until you get to the section that is correctly exposed. That is going to be your initial exposure time. So you take maybe half a sheet of paper if you don't want to waste paper and you reset the timer and expose for that amount of time.

After you have exposed the paper you have to develop it. You first immerse it in the developer and agitate it. Using multi-contrast resin coated paper we do 1 minute in the developer. Then 15-30 seconds in the stop-bath. Then 5 minutes in the fixer. And another 5 minutes in the wash. Then dry. You will probably be hanging to air dry and than takes a while. You can take the print into the light after a minute of fixing to see what you think and then put it back into the fixer to finish the full five minutes. You may want to do some burning and dodging or adjust the contrast or exposure time.

A class would be really helpful, especially with learning burning and dodging. But a book can be helpful too. My textbook does have a few chapters on processing film and working in the darkroom. The book is Photography: The Concise Guide by Bruce Warren.