Vivitar 356 for 6x6 enlarging

[nickandre]

Last year I set up a color darkroom at home using a Vivitar 356 enlarger and tray developing at room temp because my highschool does not do RA-4, they scan. My efforts have been met with great success, and I hate all the people who told me I would get cancer.

However, after much time printing 100 speed 35mm negs, I have finally come to agree with what I've been told: 35mm doesn't have enough surface area. Short of a large supply of Ektar 25, I want to set up for 120 6x6 printing. I know my enlarger is capable, I can find lenses for MF and boards for different sized lenses, but no neg holders. Anyone know where I might look? Ebay hasn't proved useful as of yet.

It's a wierd carrier. It's plastic and it fills a half inch gap in between the head and the bellows below it. The circular head fits into it. (see pics)

 

[J Ollinger]

Try this guy: http://www.russcamera.com/useddkrm.html#Vivitar

The Vivitar VI and the 356 use the same carrier and lens mount, to the best of my knowledge.

I have a 356 and love it. I feel your pain about the negative carriers. I couldn't find one when I was looking for one many years ago. I ended up buying another enlarger. (But I kept the Vivitar for 35mm.)

 

[ic-racer]

Its hard to tell from the pictures, but is here foam or rubber in the head that presses on the carrier?

I also have an 'orphan' enlarger that the kids use. Its a Minolta Mod III and I searched for years for the glass carrier to no avail. It turned out on my enlarger, two pieces of optical glass, taped together at the back, made a perfect glass carrier. But my enlarger presses on the negative carrier with foam rubber from above.

 

[nickandre]

It's a plastic "head" which is seperate and rests there. When you insert the carrier it rests on that, blocking the light.