8x10 film holders

[Joan Girdler]

Am brand new to large format of any kind and am having trouble with film falling out of
the film holder when the dark slide is either removed or being replaced. How do I fix this expensive problem? thank you:

[Kent Berquist]

I suspect that you are loading the film above the film guide rather than below it. The darklide then catches the film and disloges it. Take a look at your filmholder in the light of day and you will see a film guide (for lack of a better term) an inch or so in up the holder. Be sure to feel for this guide in the dark when you are loading your film.
Regards,
Kent

[Don7x17]

Am brand new to large format of any kind and am having trouble with film falling out of
the film holder when the dark slide is either removed or being replaced. How do I fix this expensive problem? thank you:

Joan

I presume that you have the proper sized holder from your film (eg 4x5 inch for 4x5 and not some cm dimensioned holders from Europe that are close but not correctly sized).

You don't mention what type of holders you have. If they are the proper size (you'll usually see them marked somewhere in either plastic or wood holders), and If you have older wooden holders, you may have plate holders, rather than film holders.

Presuming neither is the case, then either

you are missing (during loading) one or both of the tracks to keep the film BELOW the darkslide and next to the inner septum separating the two sides of the holder (and if this were the case you might have troubles inserting the darkslide after pulling it for use in the camera and it would pop the film out into the camera as you pushed it back in)

OR

You have something wrong with the holders....like missing film tracks (maybe someone butchered a film holder by removing the tracks and part of the end flap to form a plate holder...)

Can you post a picture of a piece of scrap film (undeveloped) positioned in the holder if none of these cover the problem?

[eddie]

hi,

i only pull the ds OUT A BIT when i load the holders. this helps. i am attaching two photos to help describe this. you need to be sure the film is below the "guides" i am pointingto one of the guides in the second photo.

in the 1st photo i have pulled the DS out a bit further than i normally do. you can see the (picture/film). you can see the two guides.

you are having your problem most likely cause the film is not under both guides.

you can feel the guides in the dark.

eddie

[Joan Girdler]

Thank you all for helping me. I am going to try loading again following the advise you all have so generously given. Joan

[Frank Petronio]

Take the now-ruined film and practice in the daylight... all the way through pretend shooting and loading the Jobo.

[Ernest Purdum]

One possibility is that you have plate holders. To use film with these you need adapters. These are thin sheet metal pieces with three edges rolled over. You slide the film in from the open end, then put the combination into the plate holder. If you can't find any to buy, a sheet-metal shop can make them fairly easily.

[Frank Bagbey]

Practice loading in the daylight with the film you have already ruined. You will get the hang of it and understand how it works. 8x10 is a bit tricky compared to smaller sizes. Practice, practice, practice if that is what it takes. You will also understand emulsion side, notch in the correct finger, etc.

[Tim Povlick]

Hi Joan,

In 4x5 work I had an intermittent problem where I would take a shot and put the dark slide back in place only to find it would jam and eventually eject the film into the camera. Even though I was quick to move the film back into the holder it was ruined (just joking of course). After several times with this happening, I marked what I thought was the suspect holder and sure enough there was one in particular giving me grief. I could not see anything wrong with it and finally ended up tossing it.

... 8x10 is a bit tricky compared to smaller sizes..... .

Hi Frank,

I am about to start my journey up the 8x10 road (tomorrow in fact). What are some of the tricky things? I am thinking the larger film being so floppy is one.

Tim

[Vaughn]

Tim, one thing that gets tricky as one goes up in size is the film bowing (you are right about it being more "floppy"). So one has to be careful when shooting with the camera pointed down. 11x14 can be a bugger for that.

The film also seems to want to move within the holders more -- I have lost many shots due to the film moving in the holder during long exposures. I think it gets caught slightly at an angle in the holder, and "falls" to the normal position during the exposure...one can see move movement on the neg in one corner more than the opposite corner. I now habitually tap the holder in the palm of my hand a couple times to settle the neg before I load the holder into the camera. I can't recall having this problem with 4x5 or 5x7.

Your problem with the 4x5 holder...some 4x5 holders will allow you to accidently load the film above the inner rails without interfering with the darkslide (not until you use it, anyway), some won't. Don't know if that was your problem.

But I usually feel for the ends of the inner rails with my finger tips, just to make sure the film is loaded right -- even after 30 years of loading holders.

Vaughn