What is it?

This is a film holder (negative carrier) for making traditional darkroom prints from 35mm panoramic negatives. It fits the Omega B66, a common enlarger, and is made from aluminum. Instead of the standard 24x36mm "full frame" format, this fits negatives up to 24x60mm.

There is some variation in 35mm panoramic formats - the Hasselblad XPan, Fujifilm TX-1 and TX-2 shoot 24x65mm negatives while KMZ Horizon cameras shoot 24x58mm. I decided to make the holder 24x60mm since 60mm is the maximum the B66 is capable of. This means XPan shots will be printed with a slight crop on the ends.

The holder comes in two pieces and the film is placed between them. Guides hold the film in position and tabs keep the two halves aligned as it slides into the enlarger. The notches on the holder align the holder correctly within the enlarger.

Please be aware that your enlarger needs a lens with a wide image circle for these wide images. If you can make 6x6 enlargements or if your enlarger produces a square of light when focused and the holder removed it should work, but some lenses designed for 35mm enlargements only will vignette severely.

Why did you make it?

When I got my Horizon S3 I had lots of fun taking pictures and scanning them into the computer. There is something magic about the panoramic format. But I wanted to make prints I could touch, hold and hang on the wall. Since I could not find any existing holder, I decided to make one. After several prototypes I came up with this design which works quite well. I use a homemade wooden easel and cut printing paper in half lengthwise to make panoramic prints.

What makes it special?

As far as I know, there is no other 35mm panoramic film holder (either from Omega or aftermarket) for the B66 for sale. There are 3D printed holders for other formats still being made by hobbyists (they work great!) but this one is made of aluminum for added durability. The holder comes ready-to-go, painted black on one side for easy handling under safelight.