What enlargers handle 127 film?

[wmichaelb]

Folks, I inherited a suitcase full of old 127 negatives from my family that I'd love to try printing. I have a pair of Omega B66 enlargers, but that model doesn't have a negative carrier available for 127 film. Can anyone suggest an enlarger that has (or had) 127 format negative carriers available?

 

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Thanks!

[charlie_strack]

For a modern enlarger, the Saunders/LPL have universal glass carriers

available. The smaller formats include masking blades. For the

4500's, the masking blades are a separate assembly that replaces the

lower plate where negative carriers sit. Other manufacturers offer

the universal carriers, but not too many offer the masking blades.

 

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You should be able to find a used carrier for this format. Try:

http://www.classic-enlargers.com/

 

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You could also try EBay.

 

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For the B22 carriers, though, the negative carriers were quite simple

affairs. A good machinist could cut & form these out of aluminum or

steel plate. I'd recommend anodizing or applying a good finish to

avoid the aluminum from rubbing off onto the negatives.

[ed farmer - mount laurel,]

For 127, you should be able to mask down a 6x6 carrier and use your

Omega.

[samuel_tang1]

A lot depends on the negative format size used on the 127 film; in much

the same way you cannot really say that a certain enlarger can handle

120 negatives.

 

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But then the original format for 127 is nominally 4cmX6.5cm so an

enlarger which can handle 6cmX6cm might not get the whole negative area

in. In the 1930s half-size "16-on-127" became popular: these 4cmX3cm

negatives should be easier to handle but you still need to use either a

glass carrier or improvise, unless you use a first-generation Meopta

Opemus which came with negative carriers for both 24mmX36mm and

4cmX3cm.

[michael_briggs2]

You could buy a negative carrier with a smaller hole and have a

machine shop enlarge the hole to match the negative size.

[christian_harkness]

Mike - for years I have been printing all my enlargements using

a 'home made' negative carrier. I simply took two pieces of 4 ply

mat board, and using a mat cutter, cut the appropriate opening in one

board, then hinged the two boards.

I also glued two little paper strips on the inside of the carrier, to

hold the negatives in place. These carriers have worked better for

me than the metal ones. Contact me off line if you would like more

detail.

 

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chris

[ann_c_lancy2]

I would agree with Chris. My students make negative carriers all the

time, especially when wishing to achieve a full frame effect with raw

edges. No problems at all. just use firm board not something too

thin. Of course machine made is great as well.

[wmichaelb]

Folks, thanks for your responses. I've become convinced that the way

to handle this problem is to build a custom holder, perhaps by

modifying a 6X6 carrier. I'll repost when I get something working,

just as an update.

[samuel_tang1]

The main issue is that the enlarger light source must be able to cover

the entire negative area evenly. Making custom negative carriers is no

big deal, I have made numerous ones for use in various Durst and my old

faithful Wasp 4"X5".