Advantages of 5x7 over 4x5 - flexability?

[robc]

just to add a couple of things not mentioned.

A 5x7 camera allows use of 6x17 roll film back such as the canham.

A major consideration for the future is film availability. How many quickloads are there in 5x7? none. Why? Because the market is too small. Which manufacturers are still producing 5x7 film holders? I heard that Fidelity stopped manufacture.

Which film format will disappear next? My guess is 5x7. For black and white I think there will be no problem, but for colour watch out. Fuji stopped selling 5x7 film in the uk a long time ago. If its B+W you want to use it for then I wouldn't worry about it. If you use colour then just maybe its not the best option unless you want 6x17 with movements available.

[Ted Harris]

With due respect I think that the last post is crying "wolf" a bit too loudly. 1) Quickloads are not available in any sheet size EXCEPT 4x5 so 5x7 is in good company. 2) Both Fuji and Kodak manufacture a wide variety of color emulsions in 5x7 and the metric equivelent 13x18. Most of these films are available in Europe and Japan. From many conversations with Fuji US reps it seems that the rationale for NOT distributing the films in the US or UK has nothing to do with demand but everything to do with internal company politics. Too see all the emulsions currently available you can check the file here http://www.viewcamera.com/archives.html or download the pdf I have attached. 3) The information on the street is that Calumet, the owner of Fidelity, has already ceased the production of holders in all sizes but that they have a vast supply of parts and will be assembling holders from the parts supply for several years. The info is that they have no intention of going back into production and that the company MIGHT be up for sale. None of this has been confirmed by Calumet but the same information comes from a variety of very reliable sources indicating it has at least some validity. However, again it is not specific to 5x7.

[robc]

Crying wolf? I think not. I have merely pointed out that colour 5x7 is not as freely available as B+W. The fact all Fuji 5x7 has to be directly imported, i.e. Fuji do not sell it in the US(or UK), bears that out. Whether the reason is politics or insufficient sales is irrelevant just as any reasons a rep gives are irrelevant. Fact is that, if they don't sell it, then they don't sell it. It's as simple as that. The PDF confirms that. So its Kodak unless you can find a supplier willing to import direct or you are willing to import your own Fuji 5x7.

In a nutshell, supply of 5x7 colour is not what it could be and relies on suppliers making direct imports of Fuji. I don't want to start another argument over this but being in denial over availabilty of film is not constructive. Those suppliers will drop it as soon as it is not profitable for them. So I stand by my original post which suggests that if you are looking at 5X7 for colour sheet film then be warned.

N.B. we are not talking about B+W where the story seems to be different with other suppliers apart from Fuji and Kodak in the market.

[Tim Hyde]

Thanks, Ted. I agree with your observation. My impression is that the popularity of 5x7 is GROWING not declining. I have no trouble buying color print and slide film for my 5x7, including Fuji Velvia (50 and 100) and Provia--and if that ever did go away, I could always cut down 8x10 (the way Tuan, the founder of this forum does) or use the metric equivalents. Film availability is a problem, but it is a profession-wide problem not a format problem.

[Gordon Coale]

Can 13x18 film be used in 5x7 film holders?

[Rick Moore]

The longer bellows of an 8x10 camera will come in very handy for your macro work, and eliminate the possibility of bellows flare.

The reduction in bellows flare can result in noticable improvements in exposure range. I had an opportunity to take the same shot with my Canham 8x10 with the 4x5 reducing back and my Tachihara 4x5 using the same lens and film/developer combination. Upon examining the negatives (TMY developed in Rollo Pyro), the ones taken with the 8x10 had considerably more detail in the deep shadows.

[Ron Marshall]

Can 13x18 film be used in 5x7 film holders?

No, but the reverse is possible.

[Ole Tjugen]

No, but the reverse is possible.

Sometimes possible, please. 13x18 in 5x7" holders is also sometimes possible.

The 13x18 film has a nominal size of 12.7x17.8cm, which coincidentally is equal to 5x7 inches. 5x7" film is a few mm smaller along both sides.

The holders are made to fit those sizes, with a little tolerance. There is also a little tolerance on the actual size of the film sheets.

So there are a few cases where a sheet of 13x18cm film will fit in a 5x7" holder without bowing out too much. Most of them will bow out so much that you won't be able to insert the dark slide after shooting, if you manage to squeeze the film in at all.

Conversely there are a few cases where a 5x7" film will be just large enough to stay in place in a 13x18 holder. Many of them, however, will flop out and land in the bellows when you pull the dark slide.

SOmetimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have two sets of holders - one set 5x7", one set 13x18cm. It's cheaper than all the wasted film would be.

[Ted Harris]

I agree with Ole and have the same setup ..... one set of each flavor holder. BTW, the OUTSIDE dimensions of the holders are the same.

[cotdt]

5x7 enlargers are hard to find, and they would be even bigger than 4x5 enlargers! If not enlarger, I don't see the point in making 5x7 contact prints neither. There is simply no difference between enlarged 35mm and contact printed 5x7, in part due to the resolution limitations of paper relative to film. And if you are scanning, the 4x5 might actually give you more resolution as it allows for more movements and you don't have to stop down as much. And movements are one of the key advantages of large format.

4x5 is also far cheaper. 5x7 makes no technical sense other than the aspect ratio. With 5x7 you'll probably be shooting B&W since it's hard to find color 5x7 films. If you can find them they will be expensive, and I bet such things will be discontinued eventually anyway.