Who is shooting what format? Your reply requested.

[tim48v]

We'd like to know just how popular the different "large format" formats are. We'd bet that 4x5 is the big leader but what's next? 5"x7"? 9x12cm?
Please answer our poll. It's not particularly scientific but it's better than just guessing.

[peter schrager]

missed whole plate

[David Karp]

I made my selections. I shoot whole plate in addition to 4x5 and 5x7.

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Although there are still many users of the metric 13x18 cm format, the old European size 18x24 cm is probably hardly ever used today, except with paper negatives.

[Oren Grad]

Left out 4x10, WP, 6x10, 7x11.

[jnantz]

should we just list the formats we use if they aren't in the poll
cause if the poll was edited to contain all the formats between 4x5 and ULF
it would probably be more than 10 checkboxes ( i think that's the limit )
between european and continental (english? ) sizes there are 6 between 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 ..

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Okay, 4x5 doesn't even work for me as I contact print carbon transfer. So 8x10, 8x20, 11x14 and 14x17 work for me. Hope this helps.

[NedL]

7x11

[IanG]

Missing Quarter plate & Half plate, 12x10 and 15x12.

Ian

[Drew Bedo]

I used to shoot in 8x10 but simply cannot afford the hubdreds of dollars for a box of ten.

Love 8x10 transparencies and would use that if ever I could.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Non of these, would be nice if you would ad the older continental formats: 10x15 and 13x18

[StoneNYC]

4x5, 8x10, 14x17 wish we could poll more than 10 sizes, this doesn't help as much with any concrete data if all the sizes aren't accounted for.

Maybe have separate polls for the smaller sizes and then maybe 2 ULF polls?

[Tin Can]

What is almost always needed is a thread to discuss what a Poll should contain.

We continually critique flawed Polls.

I answered with the format I currently favor.

[Oren Grad]

It might help for the OP to tell us why he's interested - that would make clearer whether fussing over the odd formats is useful.

[Steven Tribe]

Like others, none of my current formats are included:

15x12" and 1/1 plate
18x24cm
24x30cm
30x40cm

ANy questionnaire answer would be very misleading.

"fussing over odd formats" - perhaps rarer is a more neutral comment!

I remember seeing a list of active formats being used currently (2012?).

[tim48v]

Per your request:
Now that our SP-445 4"x5" system will be shipping next week (shop.stearmanpress.com), we're looking at the question: "what's next?"
We've had some requests for 9cm x 12cm holders. Of course, people have asked for 5"x7" and 8" x 10".

9x12 holders could be done very easy. Note that "very easily" still will cost upwards of $10K (maybe another Kickstarter?) On the other hand, you could modify the 4x5 holders to take 9x12 with a little scrap plastic and some glue.

We might be able to fit two sheets of 5x7 in the SP-445 tank via a modified "taco" method. Again, it requires a custom mold and everything that goes with it.

Frankly, I'm surprised at the popularity of 5x7 vs 9x12.

No poll is perfect. We just wanted a rough idea of what people are really doing. We also left the Galaxy glass plate option off the poll; figured that was a different subject all together.

[IanG]

Tim, I think you might be able to use some sort of peg system to allow narrower sheets to be used in each film holder, so adapt a normal 5x4 holder to take narrower 9x12 or quarter plate, the same for larger sizes maybe a 10x8 film holder taking 2 7x5 or metric equivalen each side. I can think of a way that would use the same parts to adapt regardless of the size and would be quite inexpensive.


Frankly, I'm surprised at the popularity of 5x7 vs 9x12.

It's a geographic thing, 9x12 is the Continental Europe equivalenet of 5x4 so it's either or, while 7x5 is a US only format, No 7x5 cameras were ever made in the UK/Europe, in the UK we had Half plate instead and Europe 13x18cm.

International backs became standard post WWII and 9x12 & 5x4 DDS have the same outside dimensions, 13x18, Half plate and 7x5 also have the same outside dimensions, it's the same with 18x24 and 10x8 holders as well.

This Forum is largely made up of US members although there's many active members from all around the world, it's also English language. So while 5x4 has always been a UK/US format there are European forums either covering or dedicated to LF in other languages, you'd need to aske French< German etc members about them.

I shoot some 9x12 as I have some pre-WWII German cameras but ironically I'm converting a US post-card format Graflex reflex to shoot modern 9x12 DDS, of course I can use 5x4 DDS but the 9x12 format is less wasteful. All films available on 5x4 are available in 9x12 in Europe.

Ideally you need to be looking at formats available off the shelf, the ones that sell regularly, and maybe where there's a gap in the market that includes the second-hand market. A 10x8 system that could adapt to take 7x5 (13x18).

Ian

[mdarnton]

I'm shooting 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10, but 5x7 is coming around to be my favorite. 4x5 seems like small format now, but sometimes small format is OK. 8x10 makes me stand a bit farther back from the ground glass than I like, but 5x7 seems perfect in that regard.

[pjd]

Although there are still many users of the metric 13x18 cm format, the old European size 18x24 cm is probably hardly ever used today, except with paper negatives.

I use 18x24 mammo film, in 18x24 Elite holders - same external size as 8x10 holders.

[Two23]

Frankly, I'm surprised at the popularity of 5x7 vs 9x12.




Well, I'm not. The 5x7 cameras have been mass produced in the U.S. for over 100 years. Still being made, in fact. They're well built and many are still around. I bought a Gundlach Korona 5x7 made in 1926. It's pretty! It came with a 4x5 back, so there you go. Two for the price of one--right there. I have considered 9x12, but none of them really caught my eye. And, that format has less film choice and is hard to find in U.S. Also not sure how to scan it.


Kent in SD

[Professional]

What should i choose, none or 4x5? i have 3 4x5 cameras and i only used one of them for only 5 sheets so far, 4 came out and 1 was lost because 1 of the 4 is double exposed.

[StoneNYC]

What should i choose, none or 4x5? i have 3 4x5 cameras and i only used one of them for only 5 sheets so far, 4 came out and 1 was lost because 1 of the 4 is double exposed.

So, not so professional? ;)

Just kidding around, but yes put 4x5

[jnantz]

hi tim

i think an 8x10 ( 18x24 ) size that would be convertible ( sides slide in or out in case
it is the bigger size of the 2 like a yankee tank is able to convert down to 110 or 120 size film )
and something similar to a peg or rubber stop like unicolor drums have for stacking 2 sheets of 4x5
in the tank-ribs might be useful, it seems that a lot of folks shooting
larger than 8x10 might be using film that can be processed by inspection with a safelight ( X-ray ), paper or other
( self coated )materials. my formats above 8x10 are 7x11, 11x14, 22x14, 16x20, and 7x21, but i don't bother with film
its not worth the extra $$/sheet when equating the the added hassle of processing it.

good luck with your project!
john