Lobster Holder V2: Because Your Film Deserves More Than Just a Drawer

Tired of the never-ending battles with flatness and the questionable results when scanning your precious films? Welcome to the world of the Lobster Holder. This is our V2, which, as a rocket ship, swats through the waters of subpar or overpriced film holders. The idea stays the same as with the original—we want to give the community a holder that keeps the film flat.

What has changed with V2

The principle is the same—hinge, two magnets, and a button that lifts the upper part just enough to advance the film during your scanning sessions. Everything else is improved or redesigned.

• The hinge is now sturdier and operates smoothly. It feels nice and solid, yet provides enough give.
• That iconic button – the one that lifts the upper part is now way sturdier than the original version. Say goodbye to that pesky weak point.
• No more messing around with bolts when you want to change the film format. Pull one set of masks and slide in another. This has another added benefit: the film path is now completely smooth and uninterrupted, which means zero risk of your film getting stuck when advancing. No gap, no snag.
• The screw-in legs were lovely and made the original holder look like a Nintendo DS on tiny feet, but they were kind of finicky. Also, if you use Cinestill CS-lite as your light source, you had to purchase an adapter separately. Not anymore, we include an adapter with every holder. You want to use something other than CS-lite? No problem, stick the included rubber feet on the bottom part of the adapter.
• We use new material. Still a high-quality PLA, but a new matte black formula that looks and feels so great you'll want to lick it. It's also functional: matte surface = less light reflections.

We absolutely love the new version. We conceived the original Lobster Holder more than three years ago, and learned a ton (about 20 washing machines for the non-metric crowd) about its design and CAD, and it shows. We managed to address every little thing we wanted to fix for some time and are super happy to show it to you, a connoisseur of outdated image-capture media looking for ways to digitize it at home.

What's in the box

• 1× Lobster Holder V2
• 1× CS-Lite adapter / stand
• At least 1× frame mask based on your choice (please pick which version you want)
• Optional: Scanning hood, other frame masks (please see our product catalog)

Available also in a kit with the CS-Lite light source and scanning hood.

Key holder features

• Flawless Flatness: That whole setup – new flat masks, a sturdy hinge, and a pair of confident magnets – is making sure your film is perfectly behaved and absolutely refuses to curl up on the job
• Multi-Format Compatibility: It is a versatile, multi-format holder that supports a wide range of film types via interchangeable Film Masks. Supported formats include: 35mm, various 120 frame sizes (645, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8 and 6x9), slides, 110 film, Half-Frame and obscure formats like 127, Horizon 202, 828, Widelux / Noblex, 126 and even Hasselblad XPan. Custom masks can be requested for unlisted formats, please hit us a message
• Effortless Operation: Film format changes are quick and easy—simply pull out and slide in new masks without the need for bolts. The film path is completely smooth to prevent snagging. And the button? That iconic button? Yeah, that makes life… ehm moving the film… much easier
• Durable Design: Constructed from a new matte black, high-quality PLA material, the holder features a sturdy hinge and a highly robust, redesigned advance-film button. The matte surface also minimizes light reflections
• Included Adapter: An adapter is included with every holder for direct placement onto a CS-Lite light source. Silicone feet are also included for using the holder as a standalone unit on any light table
• Optional Lens Hood: Available to eliminate unwanted stray light and ensure the cleanest possible digital scan

FAQ

Q: What film formats does the Lobster Holder V2 support?
A: The Lobster Holder V2 is a multi-format holder that supports a wide variety of film types through its interchangeable Film Masks. This includes standard 35mm (two versions), various 120 film frame formats (645, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8 and 6x9), slides, 110 film, Half-Frame and obscure formats like 127, Horizon 202, 828, Widelux / Noblex, 126 and even Hasselblad XPan.

Q: Is the Stand / CS-Lite Adapter included with the V2?
A: Yes, unlike the V1, the adapter is now included with every Lobster Holder V2. It is designed to be placed directly onto a CS-Lite light source. If you want to use it as a standalone unit on a light table, little silicone feet are also included.

Q: Is there any compatibility between V1 and V2?
The Lobster Holder V2 is very much redesigned so that means most of the accessories are incompatible. But there is one exception that we were able to make. The original scanning hood from V1 is compatible and can be used with the V2.

Q: Was the advance-film button a problem in V1, and how is it improved in V2?
A: The button on the V1 was a bit fragile, which is why a spare was included. In V2, the button has been completely redesigned for extreme durability. It is described as "so robust that we tried to break it and failed," eliminating the previous weak point.

Q: What is the optional Lens Hood for?
A: The optional Lens Hood helps to banish stray light by eliminating any unwanted light that might leak in from the sides, ensuring your focus is only on the film itself for the cleanest possible digital scan.

Q: I have a film format that is not on the list of supported for Lobster Holder V2. Does it mean I cannot use the holder for it?
A: If you have a film format that is not listed, please hit us with a message specifying which film format you have. We will check the properties and if it is possible, we will make you a custom mask for it.

Q: Is the Lobster Holder V2 still naturally capable of holding a 120 film without a mask?
A: Because of the redesign this feature had to go, unfortunately. But simply choose the 6x9 frame mask (one frame mask is included in the base price) while ordering and you will get the same functionality.