printing polaroid type 55 negs w/borders

[Raymond Bleesz]

i have an interest in perhaps printing type 55 negs with the bounding borders sh owing in the final print & not cropping the negative to exlude them. what are y our suggestions for portraiture (waist level & up) with this in mind

[Tony Brent]

I believe there are neg carriers available for most enlargers that are opened up to show the borders. Columbus Camera ought to have them. As to suggestions about portraiture, I'm not sure what you are looking for. Can you be more specific?

[Mike Kravit]

You really need a glass negative carrier to print the fill frame Type 55 negative. These are great negatives and print real well. Just as a side bar, I expose Type 55 at EI 32 not ISO 50 as Polaroid suggests.

I would think that you want the persons body out of the borders. But then again you are the artist.

Good luck. Mike

[mark_1038]

My printer prints mine in a 5x7 holder with adjustable masks.....this works really well! Also, if you like 55 p/n, you should try 665 p/n pack film with an old polaroid land camera like a polaroid 180 or even a more modern mamiya press-type camera (the name escapes me) - for the type of portraiture you are talking about this combo is great, especially on location. I have shot some fashion work like this with outstanding results, the only drawback with 665 p/n is that you have to process it straight away, as opposed to the option with 55 of processing back in the office later. If your interested, email me and I'll send you some low-res jpegs of some 665 work I shot recently for an annual report. G

[Don Tremain]

I bought an antique Elwood 5x7 enlarger. One of the major suppliers builds a 5x7 cold light head I used on it. The original head looks like "Buck Rogers" and is really impractical to use. It has a glass carrier that works fine on the whole 4x5 polaroid negative (and more). Add a schneider lens and it work beautifully.