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Sheet film holders for dummies

 
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Padeye



Joined: 30 Jan 2002
Posts: 21
Location: Phoenix, AZ

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 3:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I now have all the bits and pieces I need to start using my Crown. I got a new Fidelity film holder and managed to load a sheet of hp5 emulsion side up on the first try. Naturally I ruined it so I could check but I figure my first box of film is pretty much doomed anyway.

I think I'm ready to start taking pictures but what I need to know is what are the accepted practices for organizing sheet film holders so I don't double expose, forget to expose, etc. Should I put the dark slides in backwards after exposure?

BTW what is everyone's preferred film holder? Is a Toyo really worth more than a Fidelity as the salesman says?
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 4:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you notice that the dark slides are white with dots on one side only? Choose your own system, black unesposed/esposed
and white the other. Stay consistent! Load in total darkness or just get a good film changing tent about $65 to $150 new. I don't know about the second question, but I use Fedility and grafmatics and a Photoflex changing room which is barely big enough for my grafmatics.
Charles

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[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2002-02-22 20:10 ]
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Les



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
Location: Detroit, MI

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 6:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been an LF photographer for 15 years, 10 of them professionally, I don't own any Toyo film holders. fidelity & Lisco are tied in my opinion. Old Riteways in great shape are better, New Riteways are better still but too expensive.

Old wood filmholders are iffy. I use them in places where if a holder gets trashed from sand or water or ??? I won't mind too much.
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hartwell_a_m



Joined: 04 Jun 2001
Posts: 84
Location: Northern California

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most photographers who use large format cameras use the white side of the dark slide to indecate unexposed film, that way if you end up using LF profesionaly anny asistants you hire will allready know whats what with the film holders.
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Padeye



Joined: 30 Jan 2002
Posts: 21
Location: Phoenix, AZ

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks all, that seemed the most intuitive way, I just didn't want to make sure I was doing it backwards from everyone else or something. I've learned an awful lot from this site and all the contibutors but I'm flying by the seat of my pants a bit.
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dkt



Joined: 26 Feb 2002
Posts: 32
Location: se usa

PostPosted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 10:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

white or silver out= unexposed
black=exposed

I use the liscos, and fidelity holders...if you can find them, try to use modern holders...old, ratty holders can lead to problems. I'll plaster my holders with tape or little stickers saying what the film is...or what exposures are in which holders. To keep it simple (and to give me spare sheets in case I--or the lab--mess up), I double up on my exposures...shoot 2 of the same on each holder--process only one. The second is your safety...you can either run it later or toss it after you get the film processed. Make sure the little safety clasp things slide over the darkslides & hold them in place too....it's a drag to accidentally expose a sheet of film when you reach to pick up the holder....on location, I tape the slides in place with a little piece of masking/gaffer tape...Murphy always lurks.

hope this helps

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Frank_E



Joined: 04 Mar 2002
Posts: 1
Location: Western Wisconsin

PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2002 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK folks, have a little mercy. This is my first foray into medium format, at least with the Graflex type cameras.

I've got the 4x5 sheet film holders (Riteway) and didn't have much trouble loading them in my darkroom and getting the dark slides in place. The question is how do you securely attach them to the Graflok back? I've tried sliding the shiny metal grips to the right and although they hold, it sure doesn't take much effort to pop them off. Looking at the edge of the Riteways, there are three raised ridges on each edge with a smooth place in the middle. The metal grips do fit into that smooth space, but boy the film holders can pop out much too easily for my taste.

Do some of the other sheet film holders have actual grooves where the grips fit into? The Graflok back works great with the ground glass back for focusing, but the sheet film holders make me a little nervous.

A new Graflex owner, obviously.........
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Henry



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 1636
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2002 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The film holder slides in behind the ground glass frame, i.e., between the frame and the back of the camera. Sounds like either you don't have a ground glass frame (unlikely) or you removed it and are trying to attach the film holder by the Graflok slide locks. This won't work (obviously!). The ground glass frame is hinged to allow it to be pulled part-way open from the right side (as you look at the camera from the back). Into this opening insert the film holder with the dark slide on the right and push the holder firmly to the left until it is seated. Spring pressure on the frame will keep the holder in place as you pull the dark slide, make the exposure, and replace the dark slide.
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alecj



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 853
Location: Alabama

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2002 1:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paul Butzi has some great articles on LF techniques, and they are illustrated with pictures. Maybe they will help those who can't visualize the process.

http://www.butzi.net/articles/articles.htm
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2002 5:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When looking at the gg, rotate the camera 90 degrees right. The gg frame should be rounded from the center of the back. Lift up or push left. Once open enough to insert the flap end of the film holder, do so. Push the film holder in until you hear it snap into place. That will be the ridge below the dark slide mating into its grove.

To remove the film holder, pull back toward rear of camera enough to disenguage the ridge then pull out.
Charles

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Padeye



Joined: 30 Jan 2002
Posts: 21
Location: Phoenix, AZ

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2002 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

On 2002-03-04 21:07, 45PSS wrote:
When looking at the gg, rotate the camera 90 degrees right.


Lol, when I read that and visualized it I rotated the camera to portrait orientation and couldn't figure out what you meant. I guess I've been around airplanes too much and translated rotate to roll. May be more clear to say "pan the camera in its vertical yaw axis"

Don't feel bad Frank. I wouldn't have had any better idea about that if I had never seen someone use one of these cameras before. You shouolld have seen how long it took me to find the secret button to open the front when I first got mine
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2002 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps I should have said "turn (horizional axis)". And maybe learn to spell also..

So, Frank, are you inserting and removing film holders like a pro yet??

Charles

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While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a photograph is worth a million.

[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2002-03-05 23:04 ]
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