Best negative holder ever

I am doing some research on negative holders because I am interested in making my own negative holder. I remember reading once that there was a very advanced enlarger with a negative holder that was glassless, but enforced flatness by "pulling" the negative flat but I can't remember the name of it or any other details. Can anyone around here fill me in and tell me how that worked? Any other ideas for making the perfect holder? I am currently thinking of trying to implement the pulling idea if I can figure it out, or alternatively an anti-newton glass bottom layer followed by a mask made from metal, clipped on with binder clips.

You're probably referring to the Beseler Negaflat (4x5).

https://www.largeformatphotography....FS-Beseler-4x5-Negative-Carrier-Negaflat-8340 (not my ad)

Everything depends on the enlarger you plan to use. And then the film format . . . Without knowing which enlarger it is not very possible to answer your question. I would always first look into what the company that made your enlarger has produced. And then modify their design

Anti Newton glass is meant to touch the upper glossy side of the negative . . .

I have a 5X7 Negaflat carrier which works well.
Zone VI manufactured a carrier which appears to use a sort of toggle actuated stretcher but having never seen one in person, I'm unfamiliar with the details.

I use AN glass on BOTH sides of the carrier; and I have a variety of precision carriers. There is no such thing as precision if you go glassless.

As noted, answer to question posed depends upon enlarger. Negative holder for my Leitz Ic is a simple frame that presses film against Newton glass resting against condenser, so film is pressed flat. Also have a glass sandwich holder used for subminiature formats. Use Beseler 4x5 for MF and LF, along with negative carriers with glass. Sometimes keeping glass clean can be a PITA, and just use regular glassless negative carriers.
I sometimes have the urge to shoot and contact print 5x7 but the urge passes before laying out any money. (I normally like to print small...my best friend prints gigantic poster size...to each his own)
I admire the OP’s quest for perfection. It’s what makes life interesting.

Hilo said:

Everything depends on the enlarger you plan to use. And then the film format . . . Without knowing which enlarger it is not very possible to answer your question. I would always first look into what the company that made your enlarger has produced. And then modify their design
Anti Newton glass is meant to touch the upper glossy side of the negative . . .

Click to expand...

+1

choiliefan said:

I have a 5X7 Negaflat carrier which works well.
Zone VI manufactured a carrier which appears to use a sort of toggle actuated stretcher but having never seen one in person, I'm unfamiliar with the details.

Click to expand...

I have an 8x10 version of the Zone VI carrier as described. It works very well. It doesn't pull with much force. It's so much easier than a glass carrier.

I have a 4x5 Beseler Negaflat, I've always suspected these carriers were more widely used with thin based pack films. I've not had issues with standard sheet film (4×5) in a standard Beseler holder.

Unfortunately, the question had the word "best" in it, and so far there have been a few Consumer Reports style comparisons between different types of scooters versus skateboards etc. Take a look at any serious commercial enlarger and its carrier options, like the Durst L series, and you'll get an idea of real machine-shop quality.

DREW WILEY said:

Unfortunately, the question had the word "best" in it, and so far there have been a few Consumer Reports style comparisons between different types of scooters versus skateboards etc. Take a look at any serious commercial enlarger and its carrier options, like the Durst L series, and you'll get an idea of real machine-shop quality.

Click to expand...

Very true ! I have the Durst L1000 wall mounted, and I use the Leitz enlargers. Incredible negative carriers. And still, over the years, I have modified some carriers. Or filed them out. Or cut inserts from black carton, or from black pvc sheets.

I find the post of our ghost poster very nice because it is great when people make their own stuff.

I sometimes make my own specialized carriers. It's not too difficult in a basic shop if one thinks things through first. But any competent machinist could come up with something custom for a reasonable price, especially in the current era of CNC milling.