Film Holders

Jul

2012

A 4X10 TREASURE

There are times when things fall into place. . . then there are those times when everything seems to just fall apart. My Mother used to say, “even a blind hog will pickup an acorn every now and then.” We struck on some good fortune recently and found something extremely rare. I found six, in-the-box, never-used, Lisco Regal 4×10 medical film holders. In case you didn’t know, Wisner designed his 4×10 camera around these extremely rare and difficult to find film holders.

Susan started out with the Wisner 4×10 camera and a handful of holders, since we have forever been searching for more holders. She has found Wisner-style holders off and on and has collected a good assortment, but we are still on the lookout for more.

This group popped up on one of the photo chat sites and I couldn’t resist asking questions. The seller said he purchased them from another person that acquired them from a medical supply house and they were pristine. Pristine is an understatement! I still can’t get over how these holders look. The boxes were shelf worn, but the holders were absolutely un-used and still had the warranty cards.

It is strange how things sometimes happen, and here is one of those times I stumbled upon an acorn. These holders have found a good home and will be well cared for and put into service doing what they do best. . . holding film!

Happy hunting everyone!

JB

PS Just in case anyone asks, NO these 4×10 holders are not for sale. . . But. . . we do have some new, in-the-box, Fidelity Elite 4×5 holders and some lightly used, with-the-box, Toyo 4×5 holders for sale. Drop by our For Sale area to take a look. Thanks!

Jan

2012

CLEANING FILM HOLDERS

Dust is forever the biggest enemy of the large format shooter. Seems that no matter how meticulous you are, that one little speck of dust sneaks in and plants itself right in the middle of some nice smooth area. . . like the sky. It is a never-ending battle and requires continuous attention.

It is obvious that you need to keep your camera clean and it is imperative that you vacuum out all of your film bags and equipment cases. Dust gets everywhere, and it is good practice to vacuum everything before you go out to photograph. But, there is one area we have found to be extremely important for dust control, and that is keeping your film holders clean.

We have found that a thorough cleaning of every holder just prior to loading film keeps the dust problem to a minimum. If the inside of the holder is clean, then the outside is the only place where dust resides. Realize that the most critical time is before and during exposure. If a dust speck gets on your film after exposure, at least it is no longer a threat for making the dreaded pinhole which leads to the black spot on the print. After exposure, the worst a dust speck can do is possibly scratch the film during handling.

Everyone has their own methods for cleaning and loading film holders, and here are my main concerns and how we prepare our holders for loading. I will begin by saying that every holder is cleaned and inspected just prior to every loading session. Even on the road, we never load a holder with fresh film without cleaning. My biggest concern is dust inside the holder. I want the inside to be as clean, and dust free as possible. No matter how clean your film bags and cameras are, dust will always settle on the outside of the holders. If you thoroughly clean the inside of the holder, you will have a better chance of keeping the film dust free. I begin by cleaning the work surface with a damp towel and after dry I vacuum the area just to be sure. I always use the round brush on the end of the vacuum hose and before attaching I vacuum it well to make sure the bristles are free of dust.

I work each holder individually and begin by vacuuming the entire outer surface of the holder with the dark slide still in place. I pay particular attention to the entire area around the parameter of the holder where the slide meets the holder. I want the exterior of the holder as dust free as possible before I remove the slide.

One area that collects dust is the light trap area. Any dust on the dark slide will be wiped off by the felt in the trap. It is imperative that the dark slide be completely removed and the light trap vacuumed thoroughly. Also, while the dark slide is out of the holder, I vacuum the inside of the holder and the entire parameter, paying special attention to the film hold down and dark slide slots along the sides. I open the loading flap and vacuum under it also. The last thing I do before reinserting the dark slide is vacuum both sides of the slide and inspect it for dust or any possible damage. Each dark slide is removed, one-at-a-time, and always replaced in the same side of the holder. I never mix up slides, they always go back into the same holder and same side. . . always!

Once the holders are cleaned we immediately load them with fresh film and place them into their film bag. It is a good idea to vacuum the film bag before placing newly loaded film holders back inside. This is a good idea, especially if you have been in a particularly dusty area.

This is the ritual we go through every time we load film and we have little problems with dust on our film. Everyone has their own way of doing things and this is the procedure we use when loading film. There are a few things that we have found that greatly improve the odds of keeping your film clean. Remember, the vacuum is your best friend when it comes to dust. See my previous post titled “DUST. . . A Four Letter Word!” for more information.

JB

Oct

2010

TRAVELING WITH FILM

I have received several inquiries as to how we handle film when traveling. Our photographic outings typically last anywhere from two weeks to well over a month. We each shoot several different formats and we usually shoot a lot of film. We do not process film on the road since it is not practical to work with LF and ULF film anywhere but in our darkroom. So the question comes up, how do you handle several hundred sheets of exposed film when traveling?

First I have to say we keep meticulous notes on every negative we make. Everything from exposure, to location, to time of day is recorded on a small digital voice recorder. Every sheet of film gets an entry detailing all pertinent information. Search here on the jbhphoto.com BLOG for previous posts about our record keeping in these entries; “KEEPING NOTES” and “PRINTING NOTES & CATALOG.”

We only have room to haul just so many film holders in each format. So it is always necessary to carry fresh film and to reload holders on the road. Depending on how much we shoot on any particular day, we may reload every evening, or we could go several days before having to reload. Obviously we carry fresh film and empty boxes. How much film? The rule of thumb is to carry twice what you think you will shoot in any format. How do you know? Experience is the only answer to that question. If in doubt, throw in another box just in case. All I can say is we have never ran out of film on any trip. We always come home with unexposed film.

When reloading becomes necessary it is important to be able to sort the exposed film into groups that require the same developing time. We have printed sheets for unloading film. When it comes time to reload, we go through our audio notes and record the film holder numbers into columns that denote the development of each sheet of film. Once we have the sheet filled out, it is just a matter of locating the holders and arranging them in piles before unloading.

We do not practice anything very exotic when it comes to film development. We expose with the intention of one of three development times for any particular situation. Each sheet of film is exposed to be processed either Normal, Normal +1 ½, or Normal -1 ½. That is it. . . we need three sets of empty film boxes for each format, each labeled for the appropriate developing time. As we load more film we empty more boxes that are then used to unload more exposed film. We carry labels that we print off before we leave and affix them to the boxes as needed. The labels denote film developing time and that the box contains exposed film.

We also carry a handful of large rubber bands. All boxes, whether exposed or unexposed are held closed with two rubber bands. This is insurance against a box coming open or accidentally opening the wrong box. In our scheme, any box with rubber bands on it contains film. . . Do Not Open!

We carry a large Harrison tent, but I hate using it. So, we also carry spring clips, small nails, a hammer, tape and blackout material to cover windows as needed. We can nearly always find a bathroom or other room that is easily transformed into the temporary darkroom for film handling. We also carry a small folding table which comes in handy at times. Dust is always a problem when loading film. We carry a small field service vacuum, see the BLOG entry titled “DUST. . . A Four Letter Word!” Every holder is vacuumed, inside and out, every time we reload.

When traveling and shooting LF and ULF you have to be creative and prepared. This entire process is much more difficult to explain than it is to put into use. You just need a little forethought and planning. Traveling with film is not that difficult.

JB

Mar

2009

IS THAT A FENDER THIN?

Unless you play guitar, you probably have never heard of a Fender Thin. If you are not a guitar connoisseur, it is a guitar pick. Now why on earth would someone that shoots LF and ULF be interested in a guitar pick, you ask?

Ever try to unload a sheet film holder while wearing Nitrile gloves? Or ever had a sheet of film that has a slight rearward curl. Then you know how difficult it is sometimes to get your finger under the sheet to remove it from the film holder. Now do you see the value of a thin guitar pick?

I keep a small container of thin guitar picks near the back of the enlarger baseboard where I normally unload film. I can locate my stash of picks in the dark and they are invaluable sometimes to get that stubborn sheet of film coaxed out of the film holder without excessive handling or damage. A thin guitar pick can easily be slipped under the film to allow you to get your finger under the film edge.

The next time you see a music store, stop in and purchase a few thin guitar picks. They could save you a lot of frustration. Who knows, you might want to take up the guitar!

Finally, just for the record, I really don’t use a Fender Thin. I prefer the super thin nylon 0.46mm pick sold under the Jim Dunlop name. In case anyone is really interested.

JB

Mar

2009

SHEET FILM NUMBERING

How do you identify sheet film? You put unique numbers on the film holder, but how can you identify which sheet of film came from any particular holder? You may be able to identify the film by taking notes and knowing the subject. But, what if you make several exposures of the same scene, say using different filters? How do you know which filter was used on each sheet?

We hit this impasse many years ago and I came up with a simple solution that has worked for us for years. All you have to do is file a notch code into the film loading flap. We have used this system to number over one hundred 4×5 holders. Want to learn how to modify your film holders? Take a look at “A QUICK & EASY SHEET FILM NUMBERING SYSTEM” for the details.

Hope you find this helpful. . .