Sivoma, Sixma, Sivogla, confusion...

[kdanks]

Dear all

I bought the Sivopar 45 metal inserts for use in my Durst M370. I see that in the package I've got a Sivoma 45 and a Sixma 45. I've already got the Sivogla anti-Newton glass, and my question is what goes where.

I assume that the glass goes on the top, but does it then matter whether the Sivoma or the Sixma goes on the bottom? I can see they are slightly different sizes. What if I want to have no glass at all and just use the inserts? Finally, I would have thought that the completely flat side of the inserts (which has the name printed on it) would face towards the negative. Is that right?

Sorry for all the questions...!

Many thanks

Kevin

 

[rbarker]

With a two-glass carrier, the smooth, clear glass usually goes on the bottom and the anti-Newton glass on top, with the slightly frosted side facing the neg. The emulsion side of the negative being down, that is usually enough surface variation to prevent N-rings on that side. The AN glass on top faces the smooth side of the neg, and is more prone to N-rings.

 

[kdanks]

Thanks Ralph. I've only got one piece of glass, the slightly frosted one. I used it on the bottom, not knowing any better, and got some interesting texture effects. I want to try without any glass as well.

Kevin

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

Hello Kevin,

Durst negative carriers are a modular system which the end user can "customize", as you've already find out.

When you're using both metal masks, the "Sivoma" goes on top and the "Sixma" is the lower one. But remember that they're supposed to be mounted with writings OUTSIDE the negative (flat side OUT). You'll see that it makes sense as there's a retaining clip which holds them on the edge, and it wouldn't work if the writings were toward the negative.

The glass/metal combination is a Durst classic. The suffix "Sivo" suggests you that the glass shoud replace the UPPER mask. You can then leave the Sixma mask below. That's what Durst suggests, but if you want you can as well experiment a bit by swapping the metal mask and the glass and see if you like better to have the glass in lower position.

 

[kdanks]

Excellent Marco, thank you! I can't wait for the weekend to try it out.

Kevin

 

[kraker]

Thanks Marco!

When you're using both metal masks, the "Sivoma" goes on top and the "Sixma" is the lower one. But remember that they're supposed to be mounted with writings OUTSIDE the negative (flat side OUT). You'll see that it makes sense as there's a retaining clip which holds them on the edge, and it wouldn't work if the writings were toward the negative.

Wow, this is really helpful, thanks! Just yesterday I ordered Sixma an Sivoma 66; my Durst only came with the masks for 35 mm and for 6x6 I am until now improvising with a home-made mask, which is really pretty bad.

Hm, I'm going to check whether I'm using them correctly, I think I have the writings towards the negative... And indeed, the clip doesn't make any sense in that case. I just thought that was a case of "Italian design" (<-- No offence meant), but instead it must be a case of user error.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

I just thought that was a case of "Italian design"

However: no way! Durst is near Bolzano: they consider themselves german and behave as such (with some good cultural and historical reasons, I have to admit). And thanks goodness: their enlargers have little or no competitors, if you ask me!