I've just received my order of Wess AHX500k 35mm slide mounts, after
considerable delay: the order was made in late August, through
Adorama. The price for a box of 50 was $14.95US. And of course, the
price was eclipsed by the shipping charge. (I've got to quit ordering
single items.) A current search of the Adorama site for "ahx500"
returned no hits. A search for "wess" returned a few hits, but not
these mounts. The same applied on the B&H site.
The box indicates manufacture date 05/13/05. Also on the box, the
website: "www.wessmounts.net" is noted. This site has some further
contact info, for direct ordering. It also indicates the slides were
made in Ronkonkoma, New York. Inside the mounts is the embossed
statement "MADE IN USA BY WESS PLASTIC TEL 516 231-6300".
Some description and initial impressions of the mounts, scanning with
Minolta Scan Elite 5400 (first generation):
(In all descriptions the mount is landscape oriented, hinge at top,
open to receive a slide chip.)
The mounts are a one-piece design, hinged at the top, clasp at the
bottom. The opening appears to be exactly 36mm by 24mm. I don't have
an inside caliper to verify, just careful measure with a ruler. The
opening is slightly larger than the Gepe "full frame" mounts. The
closed thickness is slightly under 2.5mm, micrometer measured at
several points.
On the bottom half of the mount, behind the top edge of the 24x36
opening, is a row of (roughly) square pegs, one for each film
sprocket hole. There is a similar row of pegs along the bottom edge
of the opening. The latter, however, are rectangular, and snug fit
for the corresponding film sprocket holes. The outside face-to-face
of these two rows of pegs is such that when the film chip is pressed
down onto the pegs, it is positively pulled into tension. On the top
half of the mounts, flats and depressions dovetail with the pegs
opposite them.
There is also a small round pin, halfway up each side on the bottom
half, with corresponding holes on top half.
I have been placing the chip loosely in the bottom half, pressing it
onto a central peg or two on both rows, just sufficiently to hold it
in position, then pressing the mount shut.
At this point, the slide chip is like a miniature drum. The
topography of the film from center of bottom edge, across the middle,
to center of top edge, is virtually level, as measured with Vuescan
manual focus. As are all the edges. The weak link is a bit of doming
at the left and right edges, but very subdued. Also, I suspect my
slide holder's platen is slightly off perpendicular from the
scanner's lens, but close enough that shimming is not practical or
needed.
My usual last step before feeding in my Elite 5400's slide holder is
to give both sides a blow with a bulb blower. With these mounts, the
blower creates is distinctly different sound. There is a "thrumming"
tone, similar the resonance you get by lightly tapping a drum skin.
Here's my results of doing a few Vuescan manual focus measurements
(positioned per their location on the landscape oriented image):
-.623*********-.564*********-.594
-.641***-.652**-.558**-.658***-.641
-.644*********-.658*********-.670
The scans reflect these numbers. The edges and center are usually
equally sharp. Any "errant focus" areas are typically near the left
or right edges, in the corner as often as not, minor, and small in
area.
With the Gepe mounts I tried previously, I could do my best to focus
manually, bring the bar display of focus so that both were extended
equally, then wait 30 seconds, and see the black bar fall back,
apparently indicating the slide is flexing as it warmed. With the
Wess mount, this does not happen.
Getting the slide chip out of the holder is moderately difficult, but
get's easier with practice. The first hurdle is unlatching the bottom
center edge. A little flexing of the edge helps with this. Then the
film itself is locked, solidly, on the posts. I've found a thin
needle slipped under a lower left corner, then pushed along at
shallow angle, breaks it loose, one post at time. The whole chip can
then be broken loose from the top row of posts in one movement with
the use of tweezers.
Before using the mount, a close look-over is worthwhile. There are
occasional little extra flaps of plastic at mold lines. My main
concerns are any on the backside, which might throw the slide of-
level in the platen,, and the occasional "blip" in the 24x36 opening.
Both are easily removed with an exacto knife.
Well, I'm going to continue to test these. Also of great interest to
me, someone has generously scanned a couple of my slides with a
Coolscan 5000. They should be back to me in the next few days, and
I'm looking forward to the results, and comparing to my efforts with
the 5400. If the quality and depth of focus look good, I might take
the plunge. One nagging concern is the large quantity of Kodachrome
in my collection, and how the Coolscan would handle them. Perhaps
different horses for different courses?
, Oct 22, 2005; 05:11 p.m.