Want an Instant film holder like a Polaroid 405 for 3 1/4" X 4 1/4" Cameras?

[alpenhause]

I am kind of doing a survey a "Show Of Hands" so to speak about those who would like an instant film holder like a Polaroid 405 for their Graflex, Linhof and other rangefinder 3 1/4" X 4 1/4" format cameras, even the few models of view cameras in that format.

I am going to post a "WillItFit" tutuorial guide to take away the mysteries of whether or not this new type of holder will work on your particular camera.

I am hoping to produce just one version that will fit a lot of cameras without one needing to cut or modify the holder or the camera but may also produce ones for certain rare cameras as well.

This new type of instant film holder for the Fuji Pack films I am going to call the Polaroid 304 holder.

Research is under way and drawings being made for my machinist to produce a proper interface plate to be fitted to the Polaroid CB-103 holder.

If interested, I need photos of your particular 3x4 format camera's rear opening plate with the ground glass spring back removed.

At this time the new Polaroid 304 film holder does not look like it will be "Graflockable", will need to be slipped under the spring back or other method of holding it in place.

Would like to get $175 each for these backs if indeed I see enough interest in this new product idea.

[DrTang]

how many 3x4 camera users are there out there?




I actually have a 405 holder that someone had machined an adapter to use on a 3x4 R.B. Graphic - trouble is there is no provision for a darkslide..so once you put it on and stick film in it - it becomes a gigantic polaroid 180 camera (with interchangable lenses)/... or you lose a sheet every time you take it off for sheet film use

[Tracy Storer]

Have you looked at a Graflok 3.25"x4.25" Speed Graphic back yet? Do you know whether it fits and if the film / GroundGlass planes will be coincident, or need to be adjusted ?

[alpenhause]

Have you looked at a Graflok 3.25"x4.25" Speed Graphic back yet? Do you know whether it fits and if the film / GroundGlass planes will be coincident, or need to be adjusted ?

I have ordered a film holder in that size, the film holder will provide a lot of measurements for film plane, etc

Hopefully people on this forum could provide me with photos of a graflok and some measurements.

[Tracy Storer]

I'll be happy to. Please PM me your email address and I'll get to it....

[alpenhause]

how many 3x4 camera users are there out there?




I actually have a 405 holder that someone had machined an adapter to use on a 3x4 R.B. Graphic - trouble is there is no provision for a darkslide..so once you put it on and stick film in it - it becomes a gigantic polaroid 180 camera (with interchangable lenses)/... or you lose a sheet every time you take it off for sheet film use

I am hoping to make a holder that will have a darkslide, seeing that you have a "Custom" type 405 this may prove to be something that can be done, can you send me some photos of it?

[Michael Cienfuegos]

I have a few 3x4 Graflex SLR's, with the paucity of available films for this camera I could live without a darkslide if I had to.

[DrTang]

I am hoping to make a holder that will have a darkslide, seeing that you have a "Custom" type 405 this may prove to be something that can be done, can you send me some photos of it?

kinda..it's on the camera now with film - -but I'll take some from the outside

[EdSawyer]

I have a 3x4 film pack holder... seems like something like that could be adapted to become a base for a polaroid CB-103 back. It's almost the same concept (except without the rollers).

My main use for my 3x4 graflex SLR was to convert/adapt it to a 4x5 graflok back, ala john minnicks aero liberator project. So the original 3x4 parts of it (focus hood, top cover, original back and parts, original lens board, etc.) were superfluous to that project.

-Ed

[Vincent Pidone]

Ed Sawyer, do you have an extra Graflex "E" lensboard that you might sell me?

Alpenhause, do you have a use for a 3x4 Graflex with a broken shutter? You can "borrow" it for shipping costs and return later, or buy it or credit against the holder, etc.? PM me if interested.

[alpenhause]

Well....You know.....I am thinking of buying a broken 3 1/4" X 4 1/4" double dark film holder that is broken on ebay for 8 bucks for research.

Somehow at this time I don't see much point in investing 8 bucks for this broken film holder to use for research to produce the "304" film back.

Perhaps you folks on this forum could show a bit more enthusiasm toward a project like this???

[Tracy Storer]

Did you get the photos I emailed you ?

[alpenhause]

New Findings..... Anyone?

I have an old Zeiss Ikon 3 1/4" X 4 1/4" pack film holder, rather sure it is of the 3 1/4" X 4 1/4" format, it measures exactly 3 15/16" wide, is that the correct width for this format's film holders?

The actual Polaroid CB-103 plastic pack film holder is wider than the old Zeiss Ikon film holder I have, it is 4 1/4" wide.

The proposed 304 holder looks to be one that will never slip under the ground glass spring back but be "grafloked" on to the camera.

One measurement that would really be good to have is the actual depth from the camera's back surface to where the film sits, could it be the same depth as a normal 4x5 film holder? this depth is easily sorted out by measuring a 3 1/4 X 4 1/4 double dark sheet film holder, measure from the face to the film plane, that is the depth measurement I need for now, hopefully the Polaroid Cb-103 being 4 1/4" wide it will still clear and be set back far enough to clear the grafloking tabs and mechanism to fit and such that the grafloking tabs can hold the 304 in place securely.

I am thinking of buying a 3 1/4 X 4 1/4 double dark sheet film holder off ebay for research.

Some how this project looks like the 304 holder may have to be made on a "Case by Case" basis if the concept will work at all, locating and using a darkslide could be problematical in that one may not be able to insert the darkslide in and out while the 304 is on the camera.

let me know what you think.

Regards, Steve I AKW

[bonze]

Hello,

I know that, this topic is kinda old.
But i'm interested in.
I have a speedgraphic 3x4 and i would love to use easily with a polaroid holder.

Some friend of mine made me a new back of the camera to use with my polaroid holder, But it's not a good solution. (not made to last)

I am now searching for the right hack to make it work.
So if you want to make one on your own, if i can help !

I have a few idea of making it work with my camera (but i'm no good with my hands), maybe it can helps you.

(Sorry for my poor english)

[StoneNYC]

I apologize if I'm not understanding, and I don't mean to throw a wrench into your deal, the price seems very accurate and fair, however I'm not sure if you're aware but Fuji still makes their version of the 3.25x4.25 back, "PA-145" it has a dark slide and I believe is "graphlockable" as you say.

I use mine in my Chamonix8x10 with custom 4x5 reducing back, it slides right under the glass like any other holder.

Am I missing something?

I think the problem is that those who are using this type of film probably already have a holder and so it wouldn't really need a second one, but you never know. I'll raise my hand and say I do use one, but I've already got a holder so I'm not interested in buying another. I already sold my PA-45 back and when I run out of polaroid pack films I may sell this back too! Not sure yet however.

[Will Frostmill]

I'm kinda curious about Stone's question too.
Also, I'm curious in the feasibility of using Fuji's Instax film packs. I've never gotten a good feel for how complex those things are.

[Bill_1856]

Lens and Repro used to make then for the 34 Graflex, but I understood that it ruined them for regular DD holders.

[jbenedict]

3.25x4.25 film is pretty easy to make from 4x5.

A Graflex or a Speed/Crown with a rangefinder would not necessarily need a ground glass back to use a Polaroid back.

Not sure if it is much of a solution to convert to Polaroid. Fuji seems to blow back and forth like the wind if they are going to continue production. The Impossible project has not been focused on getting 3.25x4.25 pack film out.

[bonze]

Stone NYC, maybe i'd missunderstood what this topic is about, but to me, the idea is to use Pack100 on a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 camera, not to use it on bigger camera.
Maybe i'm wrong but the PA-145 holder is to use Pack100 on a 4x5 camera, isn't it ?

[Tin Can]

405's are expensive, but lightweight, however anything will need modification.

Here's a Polaroid Land Camera Pack 100 film back that uses current Fujiroid. It's heavy, and mostly metal. They were converted for many uses. This one fits a Polaroid MP3 copy camera.

Note this back is screwed on. Plenty of meat for modification. It measures 110 mm wide. A 3-1/4X4-1/4 back for Graflex brand cameras is 111mm wide. A close start. Some milling away of the mating surface and it will Grafloc right in place. Adjust your RF to match. Forget GG. I will never forget 'Gigi' the movie...:)

However I use 6x9 Horseman VH with Horseman Pack 100 back and Fujiroid. I also shoot Mamiya RB with the same film, until it's gone...

I cut Ektascan to use in 3x4.

Alpenhaus may do film plane measurements.

130576130577130578

[StoneNYC]

Stone NYC, maybe i'd missunderstood what this topic is about, but to me, the idea is to use Pack100 on a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 camera, not to use it on bigger camera.
Maybe i'm wrong but the PA-145 holder is to use Pack100 on a 4x5 camera, isn't it ?

OH!!! I see, gotcha, sorry I totally did not get that part, hmmm did NPC make a 3.25x4.25 adapter back? They made them for so many other formats (canon, nikon, Hassleblad, Mamiya (RZ67,RB67, Mamiya7) and a few others?).

[StoneNYC]

3.25x4.25 film is pretty easy to make from 4x5.

A Graflex or a Speed/Crown with a rangefinder would not necessarily need a ground glass back to use a Polaroid back.

Not sure if it is much of a solution to convert to Polaroid. Fuji seems to blow back and forth like the wind if they are going to continue production. The Impossible project has not been focused on getting 3.25x4.25 pack film out.

I've spoken to impossible about this, what I learned is that basically they were not able to snag one of the original machines before they were completely destroyed, disassembled, and thrown in the dumpster, whereas they were able to snag an 8x10 machine, so the investment cost in simply getting the current working machine up to snuff for their new film was a lot less, so they do not plan to ever come out with a 3.25x4.25 or 4x5 pack film, because the investment cost in building an entirely new machine from scratch is very high, unless they are somehow able to snag the fuji machine should that go out of production, we won't be seeing Impossible making these sizes unfortunately...

[Tin Can]

I have been looking at my Polaroid MP3 Fujiroid holder and it will be very easy on a precision milling machine to remove just enough of existing metal to make a 3x4 Pack 100 holder, and no need to add metal!

If you want to..

I measured my 3x4 riblock holders FP distance and it is just within these published specs. http://home.earthlink.net/~eahoo/page8/filmhold.html

My older 3x4 slotted holders have a deeper FP and I have no idea on their spec.

he Fujiroid holder I refer to is usually very cheap to buy.

Here's a site with more camera info. http://filmphotographyproject.com/store/instant-film/polaroid-type-100-pack-film

I also use a Swinger and a Big Shot.

[photonsoup]

Also, I'm curious in the feasibility of using Fuji's Instax film packs. I've never gotten a good feel for how complex those things are.

I shoot Instax wide in a Polaroid 545 in any of my 4x5 cameras. I'm sure that holder is to large to fit in a 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" camera back.
I load it one shot at a time in the darkroom, but i've somehow wound up with several of these otherwise useless (for now) Polaroid holders. If I was so inclined, I could put a package of Instax sheets in 10 holders and then go shoot them!

[StoneNYC]

I shoot Instax wide in a Polaroid 545 in any of my 4x5 cameras. I'm sure that holder is to large to fit in a 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" camera back.
I load it one shot at a time in the darkroom, but i've somehow wound up with several of these otherwise useless (for now) Polaroid holders. If I was so inclined, I could put a package of Instax sheets in 10 holders and then go shoot them!

I thought they don't have a darkslide? I'm confused...

[photonsoup]

I thought they don't have a darkslide? I'm confused...

Heh heh, a sneaky hack such as myself uses a piece of card stock for a darkslide! I guess I should do a demo online, its quite simple, but i'm such a slow typist it takes me forever to explain how!

I've toyed with making up envelopes like quickloads/readyloads that I could put Instax in and reuse over again. But it's not very high on my project priority list. If they discontinue FP100c, that would definatly bump it up. But with them costing about the same per shot I prefer the 100 speed because it's closer to the film I actually use. The Instax is better of course in low light handheld situations, but I've still got a stash of FP3000b that I love for that purpose.

[StoneNYC]

Heh heh, a sneaky hack such as myself uses a piece of card stock for a darkslide! I guess I should do a demo online, its quite simple, but i'm such a slow typist it takes me forever to explain how!

I've toyed with making up envelopes like quickloads/readyloads that I could put Instax in and reuse over again. But it's not very high on my project priority list. If they discontinue FP100c, that would definatly bump it up. But with them costing about the same per shot I prefer the 100 speed because it's closer to the film I actually use. The Instax is better of course in low light handheld situations, but I've still got a stash of FP3000b that I love for that purpose.

So the cardboard goes through the rollers? Since there's no actual Darkslide track. I think I understand assuming what I just said is correct, clever.

[Michael Cienfuegos]

Heh heh, a sneaky hack such as myself uses a piece of card stock for a darkslide! I guess I should do a demo online, its quite simple, but i'm such a slow typist it takes me forever to explain how!

I've toyed with making up envelopes like quickloads/readyloads that I could put Instax in and reuse over again. But it's not very high on my project priority list. If they discontinue FP100c, that would definatly bump it up. But with them costing about the same per shot I prefer the 100 speed because it's closer to the film I actually use. The Instax is better of course in low light handheld situations, but I've still got a stash of FP3000b that I love for that purpose.

Please explain! I have a 545 holder I could put to good use. I'm still trying to figure out how to adapt the Lomography Instax back onto one of my Graflex 3x4 SLR's. I have some Instax film and Quickload film envelopes.

m

[photonsoup]

Please explain! I have a 545 holder I could put to good use. I'm still trying to figure out how to adapt the Lomography Instax back onto one of my Graflex 3x4 SLR's. I have some Instax film and Quickload film envelopes.

m


Oops I lied, In the video I said 4 3/4" wide x 10" long. That should be 4 1/4" wide x 10" long. Its 4 3/4" from the end to the line where you tape the film.

http://youtu.be/UFWBez5g5qk