Matériel · 2026-09-17

Beseler and Omega: the used North American enlargers beginners keep overlooking

A previous Focusia article covered the European and Japanese used enlarger market: Durst, Meopta, LPL, Kaiser. All solid machines, and they earned their place. But if you're shopping on eBay, Kijiji, or Facebook Marketplace in Canada or the US, what you'll actually run into, over and over, is Beseler and Omega. These are the two American brands that stocked virtually every school, community, and amateur darkroom on the continent for decades. They're everywhere, often cheap, and beginners consistently walk past them because they don't know which models are worth buying or what to check before handing over the cash.

This isn't a theoretical overview. It's about what's actually out there, what's worth your time, and what can bite you.

Beseler: the brand that stocked American schools

Beseler Photo was a New Jersey company. From the 1960s through the 1990s, their enlargers dominated school darkrooms across the US and English Canada. The practical result today: dozens sell every week on eBay, and estate sales keep turning them up regularly.

The Beseler 23C (and 23C III)

This is the model you'll encounter most often, and the one North American forums consistently recommend to beginners. With good reason.

The 23C handles 35mm through 6×9cm. Its twin-girder construction (two steel rails) gives it a rigidity that holds up after 40 years of use. The head rides on a rack-and-pinion that usually stays smooth even on older examples. And the heads are interchangeable, which matters: condenser, dichroic color, variable contrast, they all mount on the same chassis. Buy a 23C with a basic condenser head now, add a color or VC head later if your work changes.

The 23C III (or 23C III-XL) is the extended-column variant. The taller column lets you make bigger prints without flipping the head or projecting onto the floor. For someone starting out and printing 8×10 or 11×14 from 35mm, the standard version is fine. The XL becomes relevant if you're thinking about large prints or regularly working with 6×7 or 6×9 negatives.

Schematic comparison of the Beseler 23C (standard) and 23C III-XL (extended column). Proportions are illustrative only.

What to check before buying: how smoothly the head travels on the rails (it should glide with no lateral play), the condition of the bellows (hold a light inside and look for pinholes in a dark room), and whether a negative carrier for your format is included. Beseler carriers are still reasonably easy to find new or used, which is a genuine advantage. Check the lamp too. The original bulbs are cheap enough, but it's worth knowing upfront whether it needs replacing. The lensboard is standard Beseler, and common enlarging lenses from Rodenstock, Schneider, or Nikkor mount without issue with the right board.

What they go for: a complete 23C with lens runs roughly $50 to $200 USD on eBay, sometimes less locally. Condition varies a lot. A unit listed without a lens or negative carrier can look like a bargain, but the cost of accessories can quickly exceed what a complete kit would have cost you.

The Beseler 45MX (and 45MXT)

The 45MX is the large-format end of the Beseler line, covering up to 4×5". The build is even more substantial than the 23C. The head alone weighs around 15 to 16kg (33 to 35 lbs), which is why the motorized version, the 45MXT, exists. On a manual 45MX, the counterweight is essential and needs to be properly set.

If you're just starting out in the darkroom with 35mm or medium format, the 45MX is overkill: heavy, awkward in a small space, and harder to find accessories for. But if you're printing 4×5" negatives, it's a genuinely solid platform, and used examples turn up at reasonable prices, especially in the northeastern US where school photo labs closed en masse during the 2000s and 2010s. In Quebec it's less common, but they do surface.

Omega: the other giant, with a wider range

Omega (originally Simmons Brothers, later Berkey Photo) produced an even broader lineup than Beseler, from small 35mm machines up to professional lab equipment. The models you'll actually find on the North American used market are mostly the B-22, the D-2, and the D-5.

The Omega B-22

The B-22 is the entry-level Omega: a dual-format enlarger designed for 35mm and 6×6cm, black-and-white only. The head sits on a rear column, height adjustment is straightforward, and the whole unit stays compact.

It's a functional machine, but a limited one. It's strictly a B&W enlarger with no practical path to adding a color head. The negative carriers are B-22-specific, and depending on the example you find, it may be configured for 35mm, 127, or 6×6, but not necessarily with the condensers you need for your format. That's the first thing to verify: do the condensers match the format you want to print? If the seller set their B-22 up for 6×6 and you're shooting 35mm, you'll be missing a condenser, and they're not always easy to track down.

B-22s usually go for $30 to $80 USD. It's a reasonable starting point for 35mm B&W work if the price and condition are right, but in the same budget range a Beseler 23C will generally give you more flexibility.

The Omega D-2

The D-2 is a different proposition entirely. This is a large-format enlarger, built for 4×5", made in the US, and it served professional labs for decades. It's heavy, takes up real space, and often shows up without its full complement of accessories, but the build quality is essentially indestructible.

The D-2s circulating on the used market have usually been worked hard in commercial or school settings. The mechanics hold up well, but the condition of heads and condensers varies. Before buying, confirm exactly which condensers are included. The D-2 accepts different configurations depending on negative format, and it's common for sellers to no longer have the complete set. A good deal can turn into a frustrating puzzle if you end up having to piece together the condenser kit separately.

For someone who wants to print 4×5" negatives without spending hundreds on a newer machine, a complete D-2 in good shape is a serious option.

The Omega D-5 (and D-5XL)

The D-5 is the modernized D-2, with a double-extension bellows that eliminates the need for separate focus cones for each format. It covers everything from Disc format (yes, Disc film) up through 4×5". The XL version adds a taller column, a 22×34-inch baseboard, and a 75W EYA quartz-halogen lamp.

The dichroic color head (the Super Chromega D5XL Dichro) was the top of the Omega line and is still sought after. In practice, though, most D-5s on the used market come with a standard condenser head. That's perfectly adequate for large-format B&W work.

What actually sets the D-5 apart from the D-2 in daily use: the double-extension bellows genuinely simplifies focusing across different magnification levels, and the ergonomics are a bit better overall. If you're choosing between a D-2 and a D-5 at the same price and in comparable condition, take the D-5.

Omega enlarger range at a glance. The D-5 is the recommended choice over the D-2 when both are available at the same price and condition.

Where to find them in Quebec and Canada

The Quebec used market has fewer Beselers and Omegas than American cities, but they're out there. The best sources:

eBay with shipping to Canada is where the inventory is. Shipping can be expensive given the weight (easily 15 to 30kg with the baseboard), but American prices are often low enough to compensate. A Beseler 23C with lens can land for CAD $100 to $150 all-in if you're patient.

Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji: search "agrandisseur", "enlarger", "darkroom", "chambre noire". Quebec listings turn up mostly through estate liquidations or the sale of old photography course equipment. These sometimes include a complete setup: enlarger, trays, timer, lens, for CAD $50 to $150 for the whole lot.

Estate sales: in areas where community photography courses ran through the 1970s and 1980s (and there were many in Quebec), equipment keeps reappearing in liquidations. Often the best value you'll find, but you need to be ready to travel and inspect in person.

What to check before buying, regardless of model

The inspection checklist is essentially the same whether you're looking at a Beseler or an Omega:

Head travel: run the head up and down the full length of the column. It should glide smoothly with no lateral play and no stiff spots. Rack-and-pinion slop can sometimes be corrected, but it's work.
Bellows: in a dark room, switch on the enlarger lamp and look for light leaking through any cracks or pinholes along the bellows folds. A leaking bellows causes fogging on your prints. Replacement is possible but not always straightforward.
Lamp: test it. Bulbs for older models are still findable, but check the type before you buy.
Negative carriers: confirm that a carrier for your format is included. An enlarger without the right carrier is useless until you source one, and some have become genuinely hard to find.
Lens: if one is included, check the glass carefully for fungus, deep scratches, and oil on the aperture blades. A good 50mm or 75mm enlarging lens often represents a significant portion of the value of a used kit.

Going further

If you're ready to buy, a few concrete pointers:

The Rodenstock Rodagon and Schneider Componon-S are the two reliable enlarging lens choices for a Beseler 23C or Omega D-5. The 50mm (for 35mm negatives) and 75mm (for 6×6 or 6×7) versions turn up regularly used, typically between $50 and $150 USD depending on condition.

For a timer, the Gralab 300 or 500 are practically indestructible, common on the North American used market, and compatible with every enlarger here. A Gralab 300 in good condition often goes for under $40 USD.

Sources

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