I just purchased the Omega C-700 dichroic enlarger and have started enlarging a few b&w 6×6 negatives this weekend. I also bought a Rodenstock 80mm f5.6 enlarging lens to go with it. All-in-all, I’m very happy with the setup. I still need to get an enlarger timer to trigger the enlarger lamp for specific lengths of time. I may just rig a light switch for now.

I’m currently using Ilford multigrade paper and need to figure out a method for holding the paper flat. I could put it behind glass but don’t want added reflections or newton rings. I’ll likely need to acquire a printing frame.

The Omega C-700 Dichroic Enlarger: A Medium Format Workhorse

The Omega C-700 represents a sweet spot in the enlarger market—robust enough for serious darkroom work, compact enough for a home setup, and versatile enough to handle everything from 35mm to 6×7 negatives with ease. For photographers working in medium format, it offers professional-grade results without the bulk or expense of larger commercial units.

What Makes the C-700 Stand Out

The C-700’s dichroic color head is its defining feature. Unlike condenser enlargers that use a single light source and focusing lenses, or older color heads that rely on acetate filters, the dichroic system uses interference filters—thin glass coated with metallic layers that reflect unwanted wavelengths while transmitting others. This produces remarkably consistent, even illumination across the negative stage.

For black-and-white printing with multigrade papers, this matters enormously. The cyan, magenta, and yellow dichroic filters allow precise contrast control without swapping filter sets. Dial in your magenta for higher contrast, add yellow to soften things, and you have repeatable, fine-tuned control that filter drawers simply can’t match.

The diffused light source also treats negatives more gently than condensers. Dust and scratches become less pronounced, and the tonal gradation tends toward smoother transitions—a characteristic some printers prefer, particularly for portraits and landscapes where harsh grain accentuation isn’t desirable.

The 6×7 Sweet Spot

Medium format enlarging demands different considerations than 35mm. You’re projecting a larger negative, which means less magnification for equivalent print sizes and therefore less strain on lens performance. But you also need even illumination across a bigger area, and this is where cheaper enlargers often fall short.

The C-700’s light mixing chamber handles 6×7 negatives without the corner falloff that plagues undersized heads. Whether you’re printing from a Pentax 67, Mamiya RB67, or Hasselblad 500 series with the appropriate negative carrier, the illumination stays consistent edge to edge.

For anyone shooting 6×6 or 645, the C-700 handles these formats with room to spare. It’s essentially future-proofed for the most popular medium format frame sizes.

Essential Accessories

The enlarger head and chassis are just the starting point. A functional setup requires several additions.

Negative carriers are format-specific, and you’ll want glass or glassless versions depending on your preference. Glassless carriers mean fewer surfaces to clean and no Newton rings, but very flat negatives are essential. Glass carriers hold film perfectly flat but introduce four additional surfaces that attract dust.

A quality enlarging lens makes or breaks your prints. The C-700 accepts standard 39mm Leica-thread lenses. For 6×7 negatives, an 80mm or 90mm lens is standard—the Rodenstock Rodagon and Schneider Componon-S lines are proven performers. Match your lens focal length to your negative size: 50mm for 35mm film, 80mm for 6×6 and 645, 90mm or 105mm for 6×7.

A sturdy enlarger timer with foot switch capability keeps your hands free for dodging and burning. Analog timers work fine; digital models with programmable sequences add convenience.

A grain focuser is non-negotiable for critical work. The Micromega or Peak models let you nail focus on the film grain itself rather than guessing at image sharpness.

An easel holds your paper flat and provides consistent borders. Four-blade adjustable easels offer the most flexibility for varying print sizes and aspect ratios.

Practical Considerations

The C-700 runs relatively cool compared to older tungsten-halogen designs, reducing heat damage to negatives during long exposures. The dichroic filters don’t fade or deteriorate like acetate filters, so your contrast settings remain consistent over years of use.

Footprint matters in a home darkroom. The C-700’s column height accommodates moderate enlargements—you can produce 11×14 prints without difficulty, and larger with baseboard extensions or wall mounting. For contact printing your 6×7 negatives before deciding what to enlarge, the same setup works fine.

Parts availability remains reasonable for Omega equipment. Lamp replacements, condensers, and carriers turn up regularly on the used market, and the mechanical simplicity means most repairs are straightforward.

Why It Works for Medium Format Printing

The combination of diffused dichroic light, adequate coverage for 6×7, and solid mechanical construction makes the C-700 a practical choice for anyone serious about printing medium format negatives. It lacks the industrial heft of an Omega D-series or a Durst 138, but it also doesn’t demand the space, wiring, or investment those units require.

For a photographer building out a home darkroom around 6×6 or 6×7 work, the C-700 hits the right balance. It’s a tool that won’t limit your printing as your skills develop, and it’s refined enough that technique—not equipment—becomes the determining factor in your results.

It also may serve a dual purpose for camera scanning negatives. If you’ve read my other post on Dynamic range of film scanning, you might know that I’m considering a move to camera scanning. The table from the C-700 may be perfect for holding my GFX 100s, and that gives me height adjustments as well. If I can create bracket for holding the camera, I just might get a dual use of the C-700 platform. The condenser itself is very easy to remove from the sled, not sure if that’s the right word.

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