Zone VI "Out Straight" 4x5 Negative Carrier

Calumet is advetising in their current catalogue this really neat-looking 4x5 negative carrier that is suppose to slightly pull and make perfectly flat 4x5 negs. It is adjustable in size to accomodate slight larger Polaroid negatives. Sounds like a good alternative to the annoying Newton rings I have been getting with my glass carrier despite use of ant-Newton top glass.

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Does Anyone have experience with this negtaive carrier? If so, do you know if will work on an Omega 4x5 Prolab enlarger (ie, D5 negative stage compatible?) Thanks for any info. Andre

Andre my post may seem a little crazy but bear with me. Are you using film with a "shiney" emulsion like T-Max or Delta if so this could be the problem re.Newton rings. I use Delta and was still getting N.rings despite the use of anti-Newton ring top plate. I solved the problem by using another anti-N. ring as the bottom plate as well. However there is the risk of the pattern of the etch being projected, it depends on the type of etched glass. I use a DeVere enlarger and I've had no problems here. It certainly solved a headache.

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It may be worth a go, at worse you'll have a spare anti-N.ring glass.

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Good luck,

From your description, it sounds simlar to a Beseler Negaflat.

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I've used the Negaflats and like them quite a bit. I don't know

whether the Calumet carrier will fit an Omega.

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They could probably tell you. I've been pleased with my interactions

with their customer service.

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Dave

Trevor, I will probably end up doing that as soon as B&H has the anti

newton glass for omega d5 carriers back in stock.

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Dave, I walked into Calumet here in Los Angeles today, and the

darkroom guy didn't have the Zone VI "Out Straight" 4x5 Negative

Carrier in stock to look at or an answer to this question one way or

the other.

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Anyone out there using this who could chime in? Thanks. Andre

THe Negaflat by Besseler is actually different. Similar idea, and

Besseler made a thorough and serious holder. IMHO I might invest in

a used one of those first, assuming I could find a used one.

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Despite Fred's, or maybe Calumets, clucking about how unique and

amazing it is, I have one made for a 5 X 7 Elwood that has got to be

40 years old and have seen other versions for 8 X 10. I think I paud

all of $10.00 for mine

Sean, Fred NEVER said it was unique. He stated clearly when it came

out that it was based on an example of an older one given him by

someone. Get your facts straight.

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It is based on rubber traction, not puncturing the negative like the

Beseler one does. Seems like a better idea than the Beseler to me.

Little touchy there Alec? Allow me to quote Mr. Picker, or whomever

wrote using his name:

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"He sent not only the suggestion, he sent the part itself! It's a

marvelous negative carrier. It had obviously been a custom one-off,

probably made in a machine shop, possibly in the 30's. It was for an

8 X 10 enlarger and it did something no carrier we had ever seen or

heard of could do; it could stretch out the negative absolutely flat

without ruining it."

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Regardless of how the Zone VI incarnation works, or how well it

works, my point is that the one sent by Mr. Houlihan is far from

unique. If you visit great stores like the sadly defunct "Darkroom

Aids" in Chicago often enough, you begin to realize that there really

is very little that is new, under the sun.

Old editions of Jacobson's 'Enlarging' have a diagram of just such a

carrier. Clearly showing, in a profile cutaway drawing, how a

compressed rubber rib pushes outward on the sides of the negative to

tension it.<br>I really don't know what all the fuss is about for 5x4

though. Normal thickness 5x4 is fairly rigid stuff, and any glassless

negative carrier that clamps down on the neg all round the edges does

a perfectly good job of holding the film flat.<br>I haven't worked in

any commercial darkroom that uses glass carriers, they're just more

trouble than they're worth.

O.K. Mr. Andrews, you may be right afterall. I'll try your's (and

Trevor's idea too). And out of one of those, a solution should be

found. Thanks for bringing it up.

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I use very long exposures, particularly for burning in (the flashed

diffuse opal glass I use for diffusion necessitates long exposures,

even with the 250 watt tungsten bulbs I'm using) I worry about

possible negative shift.

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Anyways, very sensible idea, worth a shot. Andre

So you admit you were wrong, Sean? BTW, I note Calumet didn't use

the language you stated either. So, calling an error of yours is

now "touchy"? Just the facts, Sean. Just the facts please.

Ahha! A 250W bulb coupled with long exposures puts a bit of a

different complexion on things Andre. The negative may well 'pop'

under those circumstances.<br>Ever considered that a cold-cathode head

might be a good investment?

So you admit you were wrong, Sean?

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Re-read the quote Alec: "It had obviously been a custom one-off,

probably made in a machine shop, possibly in the 30's."

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I quoted directly from the opening letter in the Zone VI catalog

for '95 - '96. Whether Fred or an employee of Calumet wrote it I

don't know, but it is signed "Fred Picker"

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Pointing out an error is not "touchy", but the tone of your reactions

indicates you are. I have quoted the article directly. How is that

not factual?

So petty, master sean. Quite beneath you. Have a good day. Hope I

contributed to it!

BTW, I have the Beseler 4X5 Negaflat. It does not put little holes

in the negative. It has two clamps on opposite sides of the negative

and the user gently applies tension on the negative via a lever. The

amount of tension applied is up to the user. IMHO the best carrier

for 4X5 negatives. Negatives are easy to clean when held in the

carrier and even easier to remove dust particles.

Andre: In a noble effort to get this back on topic, may I suggest

you post your question to Harry Taylor's site:

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http://classic-enlargers.com/omega_toc.htm

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He knows more about Omega enlargers than all the rest of us put

together! Good source for all Omega users.

Alec,

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How is it that I qualify as petty when you accuse me of lying and

threaten me that you "will be watching" me?

Mr. Andrews, yes that's one future possibility. But it's like, one

has to face the reality that in 10-15 years, there will probably be

irresistible digital capture and printing advances in the larger

format that will make such an investment seem short sighted.

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With the diffused tungsten lighting in my set-up, I have printed some

silky B&W images as well an initial impressive batch of 8x10

Cibachromes using color Ilford sheet filters.

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If I'm going to make a commitment further than a sheet of Anti Newton

glass or perhaps a glassless neg carrier, yes, I would go all the way

and consider what you're suggesting and/or do the quixotic thing and

get a full Durst color 4x5.

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Time for me to stop typing and get in the darkroom. Andre