4x5 Chromega Neg Carrier Question

[HT Finley]

I am deciding whether to just fabricate my own 4x5 negative carrier for my late 60's non-dichro Chromega, presumably built on a D2 chassis. Or to just buy one I can get cheap enough. But I have a question (see photo). Does this particular carrier crop the negative, or does it allow the negative actual picture area? I've owned a Graflarger, for instance, and that carrier would eat in quite a bit to the actual image area. Thank you.

[Mark Sampson]

Yes indeed, that carrier will crop your neg. It can be milled out to print the full image, if not the rebate area(black edges). The Omega light sources aren't that big anyway... When I worked for Kodak I had the maintenance shop do all our Omega carriers, and they did my personal one as a favor; so I can't tell you exactly how to do it. But someone on the forum will have a procedure for you.

[Mark Sampson]

Oh, and that is a 'later' version carrier, as supplied with Super-Chromegas; it has the frame around the bottom half to allow rotating the carrier. The earlier ones, 'D-II' style, relied on the two notches for location and don't work quite as easily on the later machines (although they do work).

[HT Finley]

Thanks friend. I believe I'll just fabricate my own out of hobby plywood, just like the other carriers I've made. I'm not going to have one that crops like that. I kinda figured it was going to be this way.

[AtlantaTerry]

Mark, if you want to buy an Omega 4x5 carrier, get in touch with Wing's Camera in Atlanta.
The last time I was in there, they had a couple. I bought one for about $10.

http://www.wingscamera.com/
3100 Briarcliff Road, NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30329
(404) 636-4406

Terry

[Jon Shiu]

If you want to print the whole negative, or even just the image area, best to use a glass negative carrier. Or make one from sheets of glass.

Jon

[Mark Sampson]

AtlantaTerry, I still have and use my milled-out carrier, thanks. Jon, you suggestion about using a sheet of glass (carefully masked off of course) is a good one. The Omega glass carrier crops even more than the glassless ones do. I'm not a full-frame guy, far from it, but sometimes you have to work right up to the edge of the neg.

[AtlantaTerry]

Sorry, Mark I should have said HT, not you.

›

When I got out of the US Air Force in 1968, I had a darkroom in the basement of my parents' house. My father had a buddy who was a machinist who milled out my Omega 35mm negative carrier so I could print full frame. Therefore I am aware of the benefits.

I wish manufacturers of film carriers offered models that had edges around the opening which were beveled instead of square cut. Yes, I know that would be more expensive but in the long run the resulting photographs would look better.

[Drew Wiley]

You can simply file or jigsaw the opening in the carrier to allow the full image to show, uncropped. But don't overdo it - you still need the carrier glass to overlap a
bit.

[ic-racer]

When Omega upgraded the system to the D5500 they enlarged the dimensions of the "D" glass carrier and "D" diffusion box to just allow printing the rebate with a black border around a 4x5 negative. The older mixing boxes might not cover (but it depends on your lens focal length and degree of enlargement). Another problem with increasing the opening on a glassless carrier for 4x5 sheet film is the potential to lose the purchase area around the perimeter that holds the negative in place.

One of my pet peeves is seeing all the nice 5x7 enlargers (sometimes offered for free) passed up by the "I'm only doing 4x5" crowd. I think the best way to print full frame 4x5 with rebate is a 5x7 enlarger.