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Daniel Stone
15-Feb-2012, 14:46
hey guys,

I've just been thinking. IF I was to use some of my spare 8x10 holders to shoot cut 4x10 film, how would you recommend I go about afixing the film into the middle of the 8x10 holder? I've considered taking some mat board(2-ply, black) and cutting away one ply, and using gaffers tape to secure the film into the holder's platen on both sides, smack dab in the middle. I know I can "just shoot 8x10 and crop", but I don't wanna :). Why waste the other 1/2 of the sheet on just cutting it away?

This would negate me having to order a 4x10 back from Richard Ritter for my Calumet C-1, as well as remove the need for separate 4x10 holders. Saving me some money(which is always a nice thing to do :)).

Just wondering if anyone else has ever done something like this before.

thanks

-Dan

vinny
15-Feb-2012, 14:51
C'mon, really?
make a splitter board and use tape to label the exposed portion. Less hassle.

Daniel Stone
15-Feb-2012, 14:53
I'm only asking cuz I got a deal on some 4x10 film.

I've been using the split darkslide method , but I keep on having problems with the film shifting just enough for the (2) separate images to sometimes "merge" with each other...

-Dan

Vaughn
15-Feb-2012, 15:09
There was a thread recently showing someone's attempt to do this. Should work just fine (except did you mean using the gaffers tape on the film or to hold the matboard "rails" in the holder?)

And as I have mentioned a few times, I just use a modified darkslide to get two 4x10's on a single sheet of 8x10.

Advantages:

Very little extra weight carried (about half of a darkslide)
One has two formats available all the time
Buy 8x10 film w/o having to cut it, nor buying harder to find 4x10.
Develop two 4x10's at the same time


Dis-advantages:

You have to develop two 4x10's on an 8x10 at the same time/temp.
Centering the image difficult on the 4x10 if one does not have rise/fall, or
Centering with short focal length lenses difficult with too much bellows
People think you are not a serious photographer because you can't make up your mind which format you want to use before you leave the house (I have gotten that comment here!)

Vaughn

Editted -- oh, you know all about this!

Daniel Stone
15-Feb-2012, 15:48
Thanks Vaughn,

I'll give it a shot one one holder, and report back with my results.

Dan

TheDeardorffGuy
15-Feb-2012, 16:49
I have one of 3 4x10 backs Deardorff built to fit a V8. I have half a dozen medical 4x10 holders. these came from a Vet when he went digital about 15 years ago. that said I hate cutting 8x10 film in half. I've built a dandy cutter but is a hassle. Since deardorff have a very tall front standard I can raise and lower the lens to fill two images on one sheet. How do I mask? I cut a dark slide in half except where it goes into the felt trap. I allowed a 1/8 inch lap. That gives me a 1/4 inch boarder down the middle. Easier than cutting the film

vinny
15-Feb-2012, 17:05
Yeah, i have the overlap issue as well. I do love 4x10 though enough to deal with it.

Kimberly Anderson
15-Feb-2012, 17:13
People think you are not a serious photographer because you can't make up your mind which format you want to use before you leave the house (I have gotten that comment here!)

Well I am out shooting right now with my 4x10 and my 8x10. I have a Canham and carry all three of my backs around in a special pouch I had made. I only have 4x10 film and 8x10 Harmon Direct Positive Paper with me. That remark hit me where it hurts Vaughn. :)

Vaughn
15-Feb-2012, 17:21
I do not have the over-lap problem -- perhaps I leave just a bit more on the darkslide.

The actual image area of the resulting contact print is 3 5/8" x 9 5/8". When I slice the 8x10 neg in half, both 4x10 negs have about the same amount of rebate as a regular 8x10 negative.

Vaughn

MS -- when I got that comment on an early 4x10 thread, at first I could not believe someone could be so photographically anal and up-tight. Then I just laughed.

I still need to modify a darkslide for 8x8 negatives -- then I can match your three formats -- why be serious!

The medical holders will sometimes have metal darkslides -- these are nice to use for modification -- less likely to break in the field (BTDT).

Another thought... There are holders that use a slightly sticky surface to hold the film very flat instead of rails. Might be interesting to use for 4x10 (no rebate on the longer sides, though), or for any other odd size one wanted to use.

Kimberly Anderson
15-Feb-2012, 17:32
It is ironic then that I am not satisfied with the 8x10 format most of the time. I am shooting quite a few 3-panel vertical 8x10 triptychs of the landscape. They end up being 10x24. I think that would be a cool size camera to have...

Vaughn
15-Feb-2012, 17:34
Any 8x30's? One would need to buy a roll of paper for those!

Daniel Stone
15-Feb-2012, 18:51
...
Another thought... There are holders that use a slightly sticky surface to hold the film very flat instead of rails. Might be interesting to use for 4x10 (no rebate on the longer sides, though), or for any other odd size one wanted to use.

I've been considering that as an option too :). Decisions decisions...

-Dan

vinny
15-Feb-2012, 18:55
daniel, did you get your atg tape you were inquiring about? I got mine. I spoke with Tom Paiva who has been using it in 8x10 holders for his auto dealership project and he said not to leave the film in the holders any longer than you have to since the tape leaves blemishes on the film that have to be photoshopped out. That's a bummer since I don't want to load/unload holders all the time. Have you tried it?

Daniel Stone
15-Feb-2012, 19:00
Vinny,

not yet. But I'm not inclined to do any more PS work than I already do(and that's too much IMO). I was going to start modification of one of my 8x10 holders this past week, but working on a long job killed that plan.

However, with this "update" about the residue/marking issue, I'm a little worried about doing it now...

When you say "long", is that like hours, days, or weeks? I have some holders I loaded back in early december that still have the film in them(e-6 + b/w), and since I got 20 holders, I can have different holders loaded with different emulsion types so I can "grab and go" if the light is good.

My 8X10 has been only out 2x this year so far, so not much usage I'm afraid. However, this afternoon the sun was out for a bit, so I was inclined to shoot some of the flowers blooming around the neighborhood in between rain storms when the air is nice and clear, and the colors are nice and saturated :p

-Dan

vinny
15-Feb-2012, 19:59
I forget what tom said. I'll ask again. He didn't modify his holders by cutting ou the rails. I know drew wiley has, maybe ask him about the residue issue.