Omega/LPL 670XL

Darkroom check

Light, carriers, bellows and lens

Light source and lamp

The 670MXL head is dichroic, lit by a 100W 12V quartz-halogen lamp from a separate power supply, with a small panel lamp in the head. The 670VCCE uses the same lamp, and the condenser version takes a 75W 120V PH140 opal lamp. KHB Photografix in Canada still stocks the 100W 12V lamp and the PH140, so ask which head is fitted and for a photo of it lit.

Carriers and condensers

It takes LPL's hinged glassless carriers for 35mm, 6x4.5, 6x6 and 6x7, plus the universal glass carrier with masking blades, and the same carriers fit the LPL 6700s. The dichroic and VCCE heads are mixing boxes, so there are no condensers to change. Count the carriers in the photos, since new LPL 7700s in Canada shipped without any.

Column and bellows

The column is a 110 cm aluminum girder with a counterbalanced, twist-to-lock carriage, and it turns around for floor projection. KHB sells replacement bellows for 670XLs whose bellows have cracked, split, torn or developed pin holes. Ask for a photo of the bellows racked out with a light inside.

Alignment

The lens stage tilts and shifts for distortion control and the carriage tilts for wall projection, so both need to sit at zero for square prints. Ask whether the seller has checked them with a level, and look for the locks in the photos.

Lens

It takes LPL's reversible, rotating 39mm threaded lensboard, and KHB also lists 25mm and 32.5mm boards. One 39mm board came with it new, but no lens, so check the listing for one.

Timer and power

The dichroic and VCCE heads need LPL's external power supply, 120V in North America, and KHB's used one ships at about 3 kg. Make sure it's in the photos with its cord, since the head won't light without it. Run it through your own enlarging timer.

Shipping and pickup

The matching LPL 7700MX is listed at about 16 kg on a 45x60 cm baseboard, and KHB ships new ones in two cartons. Ask the seller to box the head, power supply and baseboard apart from the column, or pick it up.

Should come with it

• The head, with its power supply and cord on dichroic and VCCE units
• A 39mm threaded lensboard
• Carriers for your formats
• Baseboard and column
• The red safety filter

Hard to find if missing

• The external power supply for the dichroic or VCCE head
• Carriers KHB lists as discontinued, such as 126, disc and 4x4 cm
• Replacement bellows (KHB had one in stock when we checked)

Check the listing photos against these lists, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing carrier, condenser or lens board should come off the price.