Quality 8x10 gear...how much does it matter?

[adam satushek]

Cool! thanks Drew, ill look it up! Glad to hear you have had success in various temperatures and the tape not releasing. You think there might be any way to use this method without cutting out the channels that hold the film? That is the only thing that makes me nervous, id like the extra protection just in case the adhesive does release.....but it sounds like you have never had issues....so maybe Im worrying too much.

Thanks,
Adam

[adam satushek]

Oh, and I also tend to load up my holders to have them ready, and they may sit for several weeks or longer before I find something worthy of shooting. Do you think this would be a problem, or does the ATG hold the film secure for long periods of time?

[Drew Wiley]

It wouldn't work in this version without permanently modifying the holder. You won't get
the film to slip past the adhesive. I has to be laid down upon it. Quite easy. I still haven't
determined the life of the adhesive. I just shot some holders I forgot to rotate which had
film on the adhesive for over a year. Worked fine. The important thing in the long run is
to keep the adhesive clean and dust-free. So I blow off any potential dust from the outside of the holder before I open it up in the darkroom to remove exposed film. Just good
practice anyway.

[adam satushek]

Great, sounds good, i think ill give it a shot. Thanks!

[Nathan Potter]

Drew, I used that tape without modifying the holder.

I used two half inch strips of tape one on each side of the center (sometimes two on each side), running long ways. Before inserting the film I slipped a long and narrow piece of mat board along the untaped center of the holder with a bit of a tab sticking out the pull end that could be grabbed for removal. Then the film is slipped into the grooves and moved in. The mat board bows the film so it doesn't touch the tape. Once the film is inserted I grab the tab and slide out the mat board strip. Then I use a lint free wipe to gently press the film onto the tape. All a bit fussy but it works. I only do this for real critical work with 8 X 10 and almost never for field use.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Drew Wiley]

That sounds like an interesting trick, Nathan. I personally like the film very flat, so for a test will put a voided piece of film in the holder and view it minus darkslide with the reflection of something rectangular, like a bank of fluorescent tubes. Any waviness in the
film is easily detected. I did this to fine-tune my own Readload holder when I found the
factory ones to be too uneven. But with 8x10 adhesive holders I like the system I now use.
I do enough stupid things already when I'm tired without adding any more complications.
If I get ahold of some old junk holders I'd be willing to experiment some more.

[rdenney]

I've read all seven pages, and didn't see anyone point this out: A 64" printer can produce an 8x enlargement from 8x10 film. Anything that works at 8x for other formats should provide the same quality here. So, whatever one does to achieve a good 32x40 print from 4x5, or a good 16x20 from 6x7, or a good 8x10 from 35mm, should work, with all at the same viewing distance. All of these will need the same circle of confusion definition.

Longer lenses are scaled-up versions of shorter lenses, and, as Kingslake said it, the flaws of a given design scale up with everything else. When we hold the enlargement ratio constant, those flaws become more significant. If we think we need 80 lines/mm to allow an 8x enlargement, then we have to realize that lenses with focal lengths of 300mm and up that perform that well really are more rare than lenses of 50-150mm. That said, I'm not sure any modern lens is the reason we can't make superbly sharp 8x enlargements.

Rick "noting that DOF programs and stated circles of confusion usually assume a constant print size across formats and are not appropriate here" Denney

[Drew Wiley]

Chris - yeah, that's it. 3M 928. But they also offer it 3/4-inch wide, which might be more
practical.

[Chris Strobel]

Chris - yeah, that's it. 3M 928. But they also offer it 3/4-inch wide, which might be more
practical.

Ok found it in 3/4" https://www.bindingsource.com/produc...34%3B+x+18+yds

It says "2.0 mil double coated white tissue with acrylic adhesive 1000 on one side and acrylic adhesive 400 on the opposite side, on a polycoated kraft paper liner - For use in the ATG 700 Applicator." Which side sticks to the film, and can it be applied without the applicator gun?

[adam satushek]

Thanks ya'll! I ordered 2 rolls of the ATG 928 3/4" and am excited to try it out.