Filing a negative carrier?

[jnanian]

chris

you can also custom make easels that have
an edge ... its much easier with 2 or 4ply board
to make an edge than it is with metal and a carrier ..

have fun!
john

[tkamiya]

I actually bought one already done for 50 cents at a local second hand camera store. Yup, the idea is to file the opening of negative carrier slightly larger than the image area of the negative. Then slowly smooth out the rough edges.

Be careful and go slowly.... you'll have to do this perfectly imperfect for the best result. Once you get close, print one to see what you get - noting the orientation. Then make adjustments.

[Bill Burk]

Here's a fairly thorough thread on the topic...
http://www.apug.org/forums/showthrea...ferrerid=38808

My post on the topic needs an update...

http://www.apug.org/forums/viewpost.php?p=1009193

Since that post I filed my 4x5 carrier (using the jeweler's saw). After sawing, I used pin files to "break" the sharp edges. Then I used steel wool to ensure the area in contact with film is absolutely smooth. I painted the edges with matt black model paint.


I didn't plan to reveal this publicly, but sometimes facts are important to illustrate a disputed concept. Though the borders can be faked, they can also be honest.

I dated the carrier after I cut it. A year later I made another very slight cut and marked the the carrier with the date of the cut. Anyone who inherits my equipment and prints will be able to verify vintage of any of my 4x5 prints by looking at the negative carrier. In the galleries "Dad and the twins, Laguna" shows the current cut, it's upper right near the trees. "Soccer Parade" is obviously older vintage. Though I could make more prints, I cannot fake that vintage.

[jon koss]

Shucks, you ought to trademark that one - a classic!

Use of my carrier in someone els's digital catastrophe is not only unethical it is fraud...

[perkeleellinen]

I like to have a bigger aperture on my carrier. Just enough to see the rebate, I then use the easel to either remove the rebate all together or to leave a thin black line. I don't like that carriers often crop 1mm from the neg and I've always had Newton's Rings issues with universal carriers.

I use a Swiss file, go slow, keep checking against a negative to see your progress. Put the carrier in a vice rather than holding it in your hand.

[Worker 11811]

I use a Swiss file, go slow, keep checking against a negative to see your progress.

A Swiss file with a safe edge so you can get into the corners and make them square without blowing them out.

[Bill Burk]

Some like it though Gerald and don't want to use Photoshop, it's a gimmick and I'd agree detracts from the image.

Ian

I talked it over with a friend, how we have this disagreement about print borders.

My friend commented that in common, we all have high regard for the continuous tone printed image.

With this perspective, I acknowledge we can't accept the other position for ourselves. But I don't mind explaining myself - so ChristopherCoy, you can see both sides and make a decision for yourself.

Black borders are a constraint which makes my portfolio consistent since I started doing it. Consistent in the sense that I was all over the place before - and now I have made a decision. I tried borderless, 1/4-inch borders, 1/2-inch borders, full frame but with sharp borders... I want to make the "largest" prints possible on the paper, but I want some border to protect the image from dog-ears.

Second-best, I like wide clean borders. But my urge to "show everything" pushed me to illogical uneven borders. Something like 1-inch top and bottom and 3/8-inch left and right from 35mm on 11x14. Still it looks nice, but I didn't stick to any particular measure.

Limitations I acknowledge, but accept...

These creative, image improving measures are taken away from you if you do black borders: Flashing (pictorial dramatic flashing of corners). Cropping (omitting the image elements on negative that do not contribute to the image).

This problem is exacerbated: Flare (the white light all around the image adds flare almost as badly as taking a picture into the light)

[paul ron]

It's not a big deal. Just scribe finish lines in with a sharp instrument so you know exaclty where to stop. I generally stop just short of the finish line and then go to a finner file to neatten up teh edges. Paint it flat black n you are good to go.

[ChristopherCoy]

Can someone who's done this post a pic if the finished product? That way I can get an idea of how much you took off.