Devere 504 negative carrier

[Doc W]

Ian, can you elaborate a little? I can't get the knack of getting the knack. It seems no matter where I hold this thing, it causes the other side or the middle to open up, releasing its grip on the negative. I am used to holding the carrier firmly to either brush or blow dust off and examing it via a light. With this carrier, it is a bit like holding a fish. I can't imagine doing it with an 8x10 holder! Any tips?

[Ian Grant]

I have to scratch my head and think, I'm not back in the darkroom for a week or two, it's a few thousand miles away, and it was early December when I last printed :D

When I started using the carrier I had many negs shift, fall partly out etc, and it was frustrating. It's 5x4 & b10x8 where I had the problem, I don't think there's any thing special, rather just the care you use to close and then raise the carrier up and into the enlarger, I really can't describe it without being there and doing it.

What I do remember though is grasping by the front opens the carrier because the 5x4 frames are cause a gap in the main frame and it's hinge on the back is very flexible, so it pivots on the font edges of the 5x4 frames opening at the back, so you need to hold by the two sides. about midway back, a bit like carrying a tray of drinks with 2 hands :D That analogy isn't bad.

Ian

[Doc W]

Ian, ok I got it. Put it in the context of a pub ("tray of drinks") and I understand right away. :D

I have been doing what you describe, but here is the problem, which brings me back to my original post: if I need to clean the negative while in the holder, I can't do it. I only have two hands. If I use only one to hold the carrier, it falls out or gets easily knocked out by either the brush or the compressed air.

What do you do in that situation?

[DAP]

Talk about being late to the party...

I don't know if this would work or not, but maybe try replacing the plastic hinges w/ some thin spring steel that has been drilled to match the hole pattern of the plastic hinges. Depending on the thinkness of the spring steel this mod should allow some flex, but not as much as the plastic (the big question is whether or not spring steel would allow the amount of flex required for this carrier). It might be worth experimenting with the idea.

[murnau]

Hi I would like to ask a question about the de vere 504 master negative carrier:
Is the model that DOC W has fitting ALL the 504 de vere enlargers or not? This carrier
43204

My 504 is like this


Thanx a lot!
43203

[murnau]

nobody? :)

[eclarke]

I have a 504 and also an 8x10 DeVere. I made my own holders from a sheet of plain glass and a sheet of non glare framing glass for the top glass, hinged with tape...Cheap and very effective..Evan Clarke

[murnau]

ok thanx
but still??

[Bob Carnie]

I use a 11x14 Deveere for my work.

The enlarger is IMO a wonderful piece of equipment. first rate....but the negative stage is the poorest design I have ever seen in any enlarger I have used. total crap.
Having the head rest on the negative stage is poor design and for an enlarger that cost over 50k I am wondering what the hell were the designers thinking.

But getting over the neg stage issue,the 11x14 is easier to use with its drop table than all other enlargers .

[Jerevan]

The DeVere 507 neg carriers I had looked the same as the 504 one you got, murnau. I cannot be 100% sure but I think any 504 carrier is going to fit any DeVere 504 head. I had a factory neg carrier and one home-made, which was made out of sheet metal and had hinges out of some plastic.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Just practice, I am sure you will get the hang of it without messing around with tape etc

I have used DeVere enlargers professionally since 1972, and currently use the 10x8" with 5x4" and smaller inserts for smaller formats - The only trouble I have ever had is accurately locating 35mm negs for making large prints

However, I am shocked at the price, My current DV 5108E was Au$500 complete with lenses from 300mm to 50mm and all carriers, although I have replaced the 10x8" and 5x7" glasses, but normally I use the glassless carriers - In future I recommend you shop around and look at non-American countries where smaller formats are the norm

[murnau]

Thanx
I am asking this because it seems I have an older chassis de vere and I am not sure if the carrier I have shown will fit my de vere enlarger.
For now I have this one
43276
and I want to buy the other one called master negative carrier...

[Jerevan]

Sorry for a bit late reply, but looking at the neg carrier you are showing - I have to say I am unsure. I assumed that the neg carriers for all the DeVere were of the same construction, two flat boards with a hinge in the back.

Possibly, if you can get hold of the people who run Odyssey Sales: http://www.odyssey-sales.co.uk/ they might have a straight answer.

I have tried, several times, to get in contact with them by mail, no answers at all. I don't know if they need a "I am gonna buy fifteen of your enlargers" sort of request to wake up. Maybe you have better luck with them, I hope so.

[murnau]

I have tried, several times, to get in contact with them by mail, no answers at all

same here
but finally I measured both carriers and they seem to have the same sizes for the glasses so I think the latest version of the carrier fits the older deveres