I recently bought some Toyo-View 4x5 filmholders. Unfortunately they have changed their design and now use a plastic darkslide. Worse than that, they absolutely reeked, a kind of aromatic benzene odor that didn't go away despite two weeks in the open air. I returned them. What's the next best 4x5 filmholder? I have had problems with Rite-Way filmholders scratching the back side of the film sheet. Also, anyone else had a negative experience with the new Toyo film holders?
No problems with the plastic dark slides (or odors) to report with my Toyo 4x5 holders
I have 32 Toyo holders (all purchased new over several years) and after your post I went and gave them a good "sniffing". No odor at all. Something must have been spilled on yours and the plastic soaked it up.
YES!!!
I recieved last week, 4 new toyo holders from B&H. (2 packs) and a box of new tri-x 320. It was sent UPS and was on my front porch (outside) when I got home.
I could smell it as soon as I walked up to the house. And this was in a sealed box! UPS guy must be wondering what's going on at my house. I don't think anything was spilled on the holders, or that anything is wrong with them. The boxes were unopened and the holders were in plastic bags inside. I think maybe they may be making these at a different factory and thats the way the factory smells. I just hope that it dosen't affect the film in them. I've developed 2 sheets so far and they look OK.
I special ordered a Browning shotgun once that came from Japan and it had a unique smell to it, (though different), that hung around for months.
dee
When I ordered the holders and film, I also ordered an extra dark slide to cut down so I could make panoramic formats on 4x5... well It arrived today and no smell at all!
The more more I smell the original holders, the more I think they smell a little like fire or smoke or something like that. Maybe an industrial fire near by kind of thing. Dosen't seem to affect picture quality, That already was disturbing.
dee
Maybe it was a blast of Godzilla fire breath? That would make them smell that way....
I have 14 Toyo holders (10 4x5 and 4 8x10), all purchased new around 5 years ago. They precisely position the film, are extremely smooth in operation and don't cause fogging even if direct sunlight falls on a dark slide slot with the slide removed. A pleasure to own and use.
Several months ago I decided it might be nice to buy a few more 8x10 holders. They weren't available from any of the usual places; Jeff at Badger said "they're hard to come by." I submitted a "notify me when available" request to B&H, and recently received email from them indicating that one piece was in stock. I ordered it and, when it arrived, experienced the same stench noted above by others more than a year ago. The holder was perfectly new, factory packed and with Mamiya America Corporation's sticker/part number on the box. There was no evidence to indicate this item had been manufactured more than a very short time ago.
I was unable to tolerate the smell, and concerned about what the fumes might do to film even if my olfactory system could put up with them. I've returned the holder (B&H already credited my account for it) and resigned myself to having only the number of Toyo holders currently in my posession.
Surprised to read the posting regarding smell from the Toyo holders. I have more than 40 toyo holders - all purchased new within the last 5 yrs. and I never experienced any smell.
Got 10 new 8x10 holders from the same batch as Sal (mentioned above) - the entire shipment to Mamiya consisted of 11 holders - dident take the last one - I know it went to B&H (I also got the same notify me when available message shortly after). So I guess is it was the one holder Sal got. None of mine smelled and all 10 holders works flawlesly.
Here's a thought - at least two of the folks above got their holders from B&H in New York. A couple of weeks ago, B&H had a fire in one of their warehouses - maybe those holders were in that warehouse? Could that be the stench?
Juergen
Juergen
The fire at B&H, which occurred within the last month or so, cannot possibly explain this smell. Holders in question (starting with Phil's post up top) were purchased between October 2003 and December 2004.
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