Now that I've finally moved darkrooms, I'm returning to this 2x3 cut-film project which
I've been thinking about over the past year.

Many of the forum members suggested buying standard Ilford 2x3 film (which is virtually impossible to source in the UK):

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/page.asp?n=11


And although J&C Photo (USA) stock this size, it isn't economical to import back to England, leaving Adox as the most easily available choice in England.

Here's the other dilemma for 2x3" cut-film users:

1. The 2x3" Graflex double dark slides
measure: 8.2 x 5.6cm

2. The Graflex Graflok for the Century
Graflex has an aperture for a sheet of
film of: 6.2cm x 9.0cm (minimum)

3. To add to the confusion, I use a Plaubel
Makina cut-film holder which requires
6.7cm x 8.3cm


The three different sizes aren't catered for by any current manufacturer, which leaves the option of cutting down stock roll film.

I can't see myself cutting down to such accurate tolerances. Does anyone know how to accomplish this?


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: R_J on 2006-12-29 08:03 ]</font>

You might try to find if Fomapan can be found in 2x3 over there first. I buy it as Arista.Edu Ultra from Freestyle, but if Foma is cutting it for them it might be easier to get it from them rather than cutting down something else. I find it a very nice film, though obviously, YMWV.

William

Quote:

On 2006-12-29 08:03, R_J wrote: Now that I've finally moved darkrooms, I'm returning to this 2x3 cut-film project which I've been thinking about over the past year. Many of the forum members suggested buying standard Ilford 2x3 film (which is virtually impossible to source in the UK): http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/page.asp?n=11 And although J&C Photo (USA) stock this size, it isn't economical to import back to England, leaving Adox as the most easily available choice in England. Here's the other dilemma for 2x3" cut-film users: 1. The 2x3" Graflex double dark slides measure: 8.2 x 5.6cm 2. The Graflex Graflok for the Century Graflex has an aperture for a sheet of film of: 6.2cm x 9.0cm (minimum) 3. To add to the confusion, I use a Plaubel Makina cut-film holder which requires 6.7cm x 8.3cm The three different sizes aren't catered for by any current manufacturer, which leaves the option of cutting down stock roll film. I can't see myself cutting down to such accurate tolerances. Does anyone know how to accomplish this? <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: R_J on 2006-12-29 08:03 ]</font>

R_J, are you quoting the gate sizes or the sizes of the sheets? I ask because 56x82 sounds more like a gate than a sheet. Your Makina holder is probably for nominal 6.5 x 9.

Suggest you ask J&C or one of Foma's other dealers what size 2x3 sheets actually are. I b'lieve there's only one size.

Cheers,

Dan

Take a bad/poor 4x5 negative, something that you don't want; and cut it in half.

Check out loading these into the 2x3 holders. See how it makes two perfect sheets of 2x3 film?

I use my knife/shear paper cutter to cut my film. I set the stops for size and hold the film down with a rigid piece of cardboard.

You can't rush cutting film and you can't let your fingers get anywhere near the blade.

I usually cut 2 - 3 sheets at a time. If you try to cut more then the cuts start to get sloppy.

The advantage of cutting 4x5 is the film options. I like to shoot Kodak Ektachrome in my 2x3 Crown.

Many thanks for your reply Jeff. That was very helpful.

Please excuse my delay in replying - the forum board went into locked mode for some time.

I've resolved the cut film issue and I've also standardised the film size. A lot of the cut sheet film holders actually require glass inserts to protect from scratching.

Some Kodak P.1200 Super Panchro-press plates came my way (2 1/2 x 3 1/2) - I'll try these out and use these as a template for the film.

Kind regards,

RJ


P.S. - Dan - you're right (as usual!). I was quoting the gate size. Standardised film actually works perfectly for whatever gate size I was measuring. How ingenius of the manufacturers to standardise film format.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: R_J on 2007-03-22 16:13 ]</font>

It's been a year, and I never thought I'd return to this thread with a surprise:

http://www.unicircuits.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=113

Fuji Acros is now available in 2"x3" sheet format as a Japanese import.

Kind regards,

RJ

I live in the USA, so I usually order the Ilford FP5+ from B&H photo (www.bhphoto.com) in NY (Im on the east coast so shipping is cheap and quite fast). This film is a very nice quality, with a good base, excellent for general purpose shooting. I highly reccomend it. It is more than the Efke (also availible from B&H). I have never used Efke but I suspect the base is quite crappy compared to Ilford. If I could find TXP320 in 2.25"x3.25" sizes (6x9 cm) then i would use it, but I am not about to go cutting down 4x5 film as I also have a 4x5 camera.

AFAIK, Kodak discontinued TXP (Tri-X pan) in 2x3 some years ago. I managed to buy a box of it before it went, but only used a few sheets, as I found sheet film that small to be a major PITA. 120 roll film is the choice for my purposes.

EASmithV wrote:

I live in the USA, so I usually order the Ilford FP5+ from B&H photo (www.bhphoto.com) in NY (Im on the east coast so shipping is cheap and quite fast). This film is a very nice quality, with a good base, excellent for general purpose shooting. I highly reccomend it. It is more than the Efke (also availible from B&H). I have never used Efke but I suspect the base is quite crappy compared to Ilford. If I could find TXP320 in 2.25"x3.25" sizes (6x9 cm) then i would use it, but I am not about to go cutting down 4x5 film as I also have a 4x5 camera.

FP5+? I'd like to try some of this new emulsion too

I like FP4+ in whole plate size - it seems very suited for contact printing. One advance of the Fuji Acros over the FP4+ is its finer grain and stable emulsion base. The Adox/Efke base is workable if only scratch-prone.

I know how daunting it can seem cutting film, but the technique is not difficult at all.

I'm finding it easier to cut sheet film now that I have cut-glass to 6x9cm proportion. Sandwich 3 sheets of 4x5 film between a sheet of 6x9cm paper and the glass sheet on top. Against an L-bracket on a cutting mat, it's possible to cut precise measurements down to the millimetre. With this method, I'm finding a better success rate than trying to fit manufactured BFP200 into 4x5" DDS holders

Kind regards,

RJ