Sounds good in theory, but seems like it would be even harder to accurately frame and crop the image--I am talking about cropping less than 25% of the negative area, which is about leaves me with a little over 5x5cm for a 6x6 negative. As it is, unless I am making a 16x20" print, I usually use a longer lens than necessary (150mm for 6x6) so think the negative is in the sweet spot regardless.You are better to move the area of the negative to the center of the lens, bulb easel plane . rather than move the easel. Its difficult but insures sharpness of final image.
What type of easel are you struggling with?
What sort of surface is it resting on?
A Beseler 16x20 4-blade on a butcher block table top. The easel is fairly heavy and has rubber feet for stability, but that makes making small, accurate moves difficult. If I use the blades to crop, the margins get uneven. I could always print on larger paper and trim it later, but that seems wasteful and expensive.What type of easel are you struggling with?
What sort of surface is it resting on?
C'mon. If I took a neg to a commercial darkroom with specific cropping instructions, they must have a method.OR you could print the full image and then crop with a mat.
When I worked in a commercial lab, we moved the easel. I don't think there's an easier way to accomplish it.C'mon. If I took a neg to a commercial darkroom with specific cropping instructions, they must have a method.
I realize the solution is moving the easel. I am looking for a precise and convenient way to do so. Ideally, a way to easily position the easel then lock it in place. I guess there might not be such a method. I am starting to think I will try to build something with ball bearing shelf glides if I think it will stay parallel with the negative stage.The problem is really about moving the easel. I am close by in Westwood. PM me and I will come over to see if we can figure out a solution.
sounds a bit OTTNot wanted to start a discussion about the merits or evils of cropping, I sometimes want to crop an image and do not find the practice of moving (more like wrestling) the easel to do so. Is there a device that would allow me to easily and accurately position the easel under the projected image? Possibly a device driven by screw & gear to move along an X-Y axis.
A Beseler 16x20 4-blade on a butcher block table top. The easel is fairly heavy and has rubber feet for stability, but that makes making small, accurate moves difficult. If I use the blades to crop, the margins get uneven. I could always print on larger paper and trim it later, but that seems wasteful and expensive.[/QUO
I think you have come up with the "practical" answer. Unless the cropped area to be enlarged is going to be 16 x 20, a 16 x 20 easel is an example of "over-kill". If the final print will be no larger than 11 x 14, then an easel, no larger than that is needed. The smaller easel would work for 8x10, 5x7, also with less problems than a person encounters with the monster. In my darkroom are several easels for smaller than 11 x 14, one for 11 x 14 borderless (can be used for smaller borderless formats also) and one borderless 16 x 20 (used 3 times in 30 years, I think). This is a time when "Big is not better".........Regards!This all seems pretty complicated. I also have the Beseler 16x20 easel and it is a bit of a monster- not to mention running out of room on the baseboard depending on how you need to crop. I have a set of Speed Ez-els too— are very easy to move around.
I realize the solution is moving the easel. I am looking for a precise and convenient way to do so. Ideally, a way to easily position the easel then lock it in place. I guess there might not be such a method. I am starting to think I will try to build something with ball bearing shelf glides if I think it will stay parallel with the negative stage.
DudeUse a 4"x5" glass carrier and move the negative.
I found a 16x20 sheet of acrylic that I am going to put on the table top below the easel, and will look for something to replace the cork strips that are on the bottom of the easel right now. (BTW, the Omega D5 allows the negative carrier to be rotated easily enough.)I do not wish to even imply that the OP is not having a problem, and I certainly bow to Mr Carnie’s extensive experience in this matter.
However. I have been printing for 49 years, with everything from “toy” Testrite and Lucky enlargers up through big Beselers, Dursts, and Omegas. Most baseboards are a type of formica or melamine material that is fairly smooth. I’ve also used varnished wood countertops with enlargers mounted to the wall. Easels have been SpeedEzels of all sizes and 2 and 4 bladers up through 16 x 20.
I have never encountered the OP’s problem. I crop almost everything to some extent. A negative rarely (if ever) fits the exact aspect ratio of the paper and/or the print size I’m making, and I do not print the rebates. Also, after removing one negative and placing another in the same negative carrier, and then placing the carrier back into the enlarger, it is never in the exact same spot. There always has to be some incremental moving of the easel. Sometimes the horizon needs to be “leveled” a degree or two. Etc.
I suspect that the “butcher block” of the OP is maybe just a bit too rough for his easel to move easily. And/or, the feet or backing on the easel is the wrong material. In any event, I don’t think a mechanism that moves on only two axis (and I gather this is what the OP is considering) will solve the problem. Again, minute variations in where the negative is placed in the carrier and where the carrier seats in the enlarger would require moving the easel not only left to right and up and down, but also rotated clockwise or counter clockwise.
I recommend changing the interaction between the easel and the baseboard surface before attempting to construct some mechanical means to move the easel. Sometimes the simplest approach is the best.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?