[Leica] Re: Beseler Negatrans experiences?

[George Huczek <ghuczek@sk.sympatico.ca>]

At 11:33 AM 30/01/2000 -0600, you wrote:
>Does anyone have experience using the Beseler Negatrans with Leica
>negatives (on topic)?  It sounds awfully convenient, but I have to
>wonder about film flatness and possible scratching.  Obviously, it can't
>hold film as flat as two sheets of glass, but I tend not to print to the
>corners of the negative, and to use smaller enlarger lens apertures, so
>I'm wondering what others have found with this device.

It doesn't scratch the negatives.  The negatives run down two rails which
only hold the film where the perforations are.
   The film remains flat.  For very large enlargements, (over 8x10") I use
a different negative carrier though, not so much for film flatness, but for
printing borders full-frame.
   The Negatrans is very convenient.  When printing a batch of prints the
same size, once you have your exposure and filtration worked out, just
slide the film through the Negatrans, and print one after the other.  There
is no need to refocus.  Sometimes I get a _very slight_ focusing shift, but
it isn't noticeable in 4x5" prints.
   One tip which helps, is that after you have cut your film into strips,
cut the corners with a small diagonal cut, and it keeps the corners from
jamming when you move them through the negatrans. Don't cut these diagonals
through the perforations.
   The end of the film would look something like this (as best as I can
show here):

- ------------------------\
o o o o o o o o o o o o |
                        |
                        |
                        |
o o o o o o o o o o o o |
- ------------------------/