What can you use to view old photo negatives?

Question

When I was in college my roomate was a photo major and had this handy light box thing that sat on the desk that you could look at old photo negatives with. What are they called, and where can I find one to buy?

Answer 1

You're referring to a light box, and it would also help if you had a fairly good lupe, too. I made my own with a piece of 1/4" white translucent Plexiglas mounted on a small box I made with 2x2s and the sides covered with 1/8" thin plywood boards I picked up out of the garbage, and a small compact fluorescent bulb inside (less than $1.50). Works like a charm and because the bulb is so small, I don't suffer from eye-fatigue, and there's NO heat build-up inside the make-shift light box.

There is a device that I saw a while ago and I considered buying but... at about $75... vs the small box I made for under $3? Well, check this out and decide:
http://porters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=520150&Category_Code=S1E&Product_Count=5

Good luck and best wishes!

Answer 2

They're light boxes, but they can get to be really expensive if you buy them from a photo shop. If you don't want to spend so much money you can look into art shops or craft stores (look for light boxes for tracing, they're the same thing), I know that Dick Blick has one for around $20. I would also look on sites like craigslist, or a recycling site, and you may be able to find a high quality one for cheap. Good luck!

Answer 3

They are called light boxes. :-) You might check B&H Photo...they have most things photographical in stock. Also, if you are looking at slides, you can pick up little hand held viewers for like 5.00 at your friendly, local camera store. If a light box isn't available then you can just use a window! That's how I got through my life as a photography major. :D

Answer 4

They are called light box. They sell them at professional photo stores. You can make a mickey mouse one yourself with a piece of frosted plastic and some light.

Answer 5

That could be a Negative Light Box : http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/pho/294202166.html

Or a Slide Viewer/Sorter : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180075338845&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX&refitem=170095405037&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330104542158&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX&refitem=170095405037&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget

http://porters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=520150&Category_Code=S1E&Product_Count=5

And some photography shops had negative viewers that with a systems of mirrors could show a positive image. But I can't recall what they were called. A quick google gave no results.