Old newbie

[picker77]

Hi: I'm an "older" newbie, been shooting 35mm and MF for many years, finally retired and have time to dip my toe into LF. I've wanted to do this for years, and am looking forward to a lot of fun with this format. For a beginner camera I have purchased a decent-looking Super Speed Graphic that I don't even have in hand yet. It will arrive with a sticky shutter, but since I work on my own MF folders all the time I think that's something I can deal with.

I will be using two types of film backs for starters, a standard Grafmatic for 4x5 film and a Graflex RH-8 to learn with. The reason for the roll film back is I already have a refrigerator full of 120 film to play with, and I didn't want to start out experimenting/learning (ruining!) a batch of expensive 4x5 sheet film while I learn to use this camera.
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Processing and handling of the roll film is self explanatory, but I have a question about the 4x5: At least at first, I will be having a local lab process my 4x5 film. Once I've shot six frames with the Grafmatic holder, what is the logical method to safely extract and store exposed film sheets until I build up enough to make a trip to the lab worthwhile? Are there small "lightproof envelopes" or boxes made for this purpose, or do I just have to replace the exposed sheets under the unexposed stack in the original 25-sheet film box with some sort of divider between the exposed/unexposed sheets? And, once I'm ready to haul a couple of dozen sheets to the lab, what light-safe method is normally used to transport and hand over the exposed film sheets? I can't just carry them in a shirt pocket, yet I haven't seen any reference to how this is normally done, unless it is expected a customer will always turn in a full box of exposed film sheets in the original box for processing.

Sorry for the dumb questions, but at the moment any sheet film to me is like fire to the natives. I'll ask more questions as I learn, but with any luck they will diminish in dumbness as time goes by.
Jerry

[Gem Singer]

Hi Jerry,

Un-load the film from the Grafmatic septums. Place the exposed film in an empty 3-piece film box (you can obtain a box by asking for one on this forum). Seal the box with tape so that it does not get opened by mistake. Send, or take the exposed film to the lab.

Be sure you do this in a dark environment, same as when you loaded the septums.

You're not the only retired old geezer on this forum. Welcome aboard.

BTW if you have the facility to develop 120 roll film, you can also develop your 4X5 sheet film.

[picker77]

Thanks, Gem Singer. Before I go begging on the forum I'll grab my lab guys by the throat and try to extract a few empty boxes from them. When starting from scratch like me, I guess this is kind of a chicken and egg problem.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I was going to suggest that...ask your local lab for an empty film box or two. Soon, you will have more boxes than you'll know what to do with them!

[picker77]

Matt Osborne of Newlabs in San Francisco was kind enough to donate a batch of empty film boxes to get me started, and I received them today. He wouldn't even accept payment for postage. Unfortunately I deleted the post reply that had his PM address on it, so I'm unable to thank him directly. So:

Matt, they came today, and were very much appreciated--Thanks!
Jerry

[Mark Barendt]

I had the same issue, them I remembered that I can develop it myself. Doh.

I just moved the film strait to the tank and poured in the chemicals.

[picker77]

That's my next step. Once I'm convinced I should stick with LF, then I'll look into developing my own b&w at home. In the meantime I have a good lab handy that does nice work on all kinds of MF, and LF b&w. Sadly, they don't do E6 transparencies, and neither does anyone else in my area, so if I eventually branch out into color I'll have to start using a mail-order lab. That might not happen for a long time, though. I really like LF b&w.