Size of Fidelity cut film holders

[Marko Trebusak]

Hi LF folks!

My Arca Swiss set up is now complete. For now, I borrowed a couple of film holders for playing, but I'm on the market for my own ones. I have an eye on couple of Fidelities. The trouble is that the seller is German, and of course, they market them as 9x12, the metric version of 4x5. Now to my question: do anybody know, if Fidelity made any 9x12 film holders, or are all of them 4x5 inch version? I'm asking because it seems that metric size film is imposible to get.

Marko

[Armin Seeholzer]

Hi Marko

I think every producer of filmholders made in the past also 9x12 because it is the old german standard. So make sure you get really 4x5 inch ones!
Good luck!

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Marko. Fidelity-USA fabricates all sizes either metric or inches. The rules are simple.
In 6x9 or 2"x3" there are two film sizes, the US 2-1-4x3-1/4 and 2-1/2x3-1/2 = 6.5x9 cm, but both holders can be used on the same camera.
In 9x12-4"x5" again two sizes and two different holders but outside measurements are the same. 9x12 is 9x12cm ;-) and 4"x5" is... 10x12.7cm as expected
I have : Fidelity 4"x5", Fidelity 9x12 and Linhof 9x12 holders all fit the International sprinback system.
In 13x18-5"x7" same story with an additional exceptional feature : 5"x7" cut film can go (loosely) inside a 13x18 holder, not the reverse, it is a question of one millimetre, but again outside dimensions of 5"x7"-13x18 holders are identical.
Same in 18x24 - 8"x10" ; 18x24 cm is now hard to find but still on catalog for black and white from certain european suppliers.

From 6x9cm to 8"x10", metric and inch holders of similar size place the film at the same distance so there is no need to correct focusing when you mix 5"x7" and 13x18 holders in the same session ;-)
In Europe 9x12 B&W film is still easy to find and Rollei-Maco with their R3 film announce that they will suport all sizes. 13x18 is easier to find in Europe than 5"x7" but with the Internet as a global world supplier of film, you have all freedom of choice.