Highest quality film holders out there?

[Greg]

Since last year have always just used Riteway of Fidelity film holders. Through this forum purchased some (practically new) Chamonix film holders. I am just amazed by their quality and precision construction. Have never seen nor used Sinar, Linhof, or Toyo film holders but have read that they are superior to Generic brands. Even have slight recollections of either Sinar to Linhof offering vacuum back film holders but may be mistaken on this. In any case vacuum film holders probably are not practical for in-the-field use.

Would love to read of some opinions that Forum members have as to which are the best quality film holders out there.

[Bob Salomon]

Linhof did offer 45 vacuum sheet film holders but they were discontinued after a couple of years. But their regular sheet film holders as well as their glass plate/sheet film holders were superior to the other holders that you mentioned. But you left out the Long Island made Hoffman vacuum sheet film holders. These were also superior quality holders.

[Kevin Crisp]

A decent Riteway is an excellent film holder, so I seriously doubt brand shopping will net you any gain in your images. Of the brands I've used (Kodak, Riteway, Fidelity, Lisco and Toyo) the Toyos seemed to me the best made. But it really doesn't matter in my opinion, I've never had a film holder issues with any of them, including ancient wood ones I had to rehab.

[Leigh]

I have lots of film holders, easily over 100.

When I want to have a permanent record for documentation, I use the latest Riteway holders with the two number discs that imprint in the image area of the film, so there's no question which image is which.

As to quality, I just bought another two dozen TOYO holders from Kumar in Japan.
I think they're the best holders made.

- Leigh

[Ari]

I've never had a reject out of the hundreds of Toyo holders that have passed through my possession. They are/were all great, not a flaw to be found.
I can't say the same about Riteway/Fidelity/Graflex, and the larger the holder, the worse the problems.
I've heard only good things about Chamonix holders, but I wouldn't use holders that were made of wood, even partially so.

[JMO]

+1 for the Toyo 4x5 film holders, which are the best I've used. However, I agree that if examples of the more common brands mentioned are in good condition they won't vary significantly in the results you'll achieve. That said, if I were to buy some more new holders, I'd go for Toyo. ...

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

No one remembers the Hoffman holders that were sold 15 to 20 years ago ! All metal and without the end flipper !

[dodphotography]

I've never had a reject out of the hundreds of Toyo holders that have passed through my possession. They are/were all great, not a flaw to be found.
I can't say the same about Riteway/Fidelity/Graflex, and the larger the holder, the worse the problems.
I've heard only good things about Chamonix holders, but I wouldn't use holders that were made of wood, even partially so.

Why no wood?

I've handled a friends Lotus holder before, wow.... but at like 350 euros a whack, too much for me

[Bill_1856]

I'm a big fan of the Graflex multiple-shot holders which use septums to hold individual films, such as the 6-shot Grafmatics and the old "bag-mags."
I also have a bunch of 9x12 Linhof holders, and it seems too me that the extra complexity doesn't mean that they're any better than my Riteway holders.

[Bob Salomon]

I'm a big fan of the Graflex multiple-shot holders which use septums to hold individual films, such as the 6-shot Grafmatics and the old "bag-mags."
I also have a bunch of 9x12 Linhof holders, and it seems too me that the extra complexity doesn't mean that they're any better than my Riteway holders.

Bill, Linhof sheet film holders are anything but complex. They have a dark slide, a flip down entrance slot and that's it, unless you have the ones that numbered the film, then each one has a permanently attached numbered friskit.

Perhaps you are confused by the difference between the Linhof sheet film holders for film and the thicker Linhof Glass Plate/Sheet Film Holders which added a spring loaded internal plate to adjust for the difference in thickness between a glass plate and a piece of sheet film. The only difference otherwise between these two different types of holders is the glass plate/sheet film ejector lever as it would otherwise be almost impossible to pull a glass plate out of the holder without putting your fingerprints all over the end that you try to remove from the holder.

[Alan Gales]

I've got 5 Toyo 4x5 holders which I purchased slightly used off Ebay. I wish I could afford 5 Toyo 8x10 holders. The Toyo holders are the nicest I have used.

I've never used wooden holders but if someone wants to buy me some Chamonix 8x10 holders for Christmas, I'll give them a try. :) Stone raves about his Chamonix 8x10 holders and they do really look nice but too pricey for this po boy!

[tgtaylor]

I wish I could afford 5 Toyo 8x10 holders.

I bought one new one each payday until I had 5.

Thomas

[Bill_1856]

I was referring to 4x5 (or smaller). It didn't occur to me at the time how much more difficult it would be to hold 8x10 film.
Actually, I now wonder about my full-plate holders.

[John Kasaian]

It is interesting nobody has cautioned about the run of odoriferous Toyos.
For older film holders I like Riteways and Bacos. For 8x10, Graflex "made for Eastman Kodak" and Lisco Regals have worked well for me.

[jp]

Why no wood?

I've handled a friends Lotus holder before, wow.... but at like 350 euros a whack, too much for me

I don't use wooden film holders because of high humidity here in the summer. I'm sure they'd warp or split somehow.

[Leigh]

It is interesting nobody has cautioned about the run of odoriferous Toyos.
I started an entire thread on that exact subject 9 days ago:
"TOYO doesn't stink"
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?135542-TOYO-doesn-t-stink&highlight=toyo

- Leigh

[John Kasaian]

I started an entire thread on that exact subject 9 days ago:
"TOYO doesn't stink"
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?135542-TOYO-doesn-t-stink&highlight=toyo

- Leigh
I don't shoot enough 4x5 to have an opinion or even 4x5 Toyo film holders, but they have received many complaints here regarding smell. That posters were quick to criticize Toyo because of that made me wonder where are the critics now?
At the very least such holders should be considered on a holder by holder basis. My understanding is that the OP desired comments on available high end brands and the odor (or not) has been certainly noted as a concern.

[Alan Gales]

I don't shoot enough 4x5 to have an opinion or even 4x5 Toyo film holders, but they have received many complaints here regarding smell. That posters were quick to criticize Toyo because of that made me wonder where are the critics now?
At the very least such holders should be considered on a holder by holder basis. My understanding is that the OP desired comments on available high end brands and the odor (or not) has been certainly noted as a concern.

It's just off gassing of the plastic. I purchased a set of Klein screwdrivers with plastic handles. When I opened the package it smelled so bad that my wife told me to get rid of them. I just took them outside for a few hours and the smell was gone.

People seem to like that smell when it's a new car! :) When I bought my Jeep new I put the top down and drove around like that for several days to get rid of the new car smell.

[Jim Andrada]

We just put two Great Danes (since departed) in the back of our Land Rover for a couple of outings and bingo, if there had been a new car smell you wouldn't have noticed it any more.

(The male was 230 pounds and 41 inches tall at the shoulder, the "little girl" a mere 190. Dumbest animals we'd ever seen, but we loved them dearly and really miss them)

[Cor]

For the sake of completeness on the Toyo holders, you are aware of the latest glitch by Toyo, the NOT opaque darkslides (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?131636-Blotchy-pattern-on-4x5-negatives&p=1337728&viewfull=1#post1337728) ?

Best,

Cor

[Leigh]

For the sake of completeness on the Toyo holders, you are aware of the latest glitch by Toyo, the NOT opaque darkslides?

That appears to have been corrected by making the darkslides out of aluminum.

The last Toyo holders I got from Japan have a white sticker on the box with the letters Al.

- Leigh

[Alan Gales]

That appears to have been corrected by making the darkslides out of aluminum.

The last Toyo holders I got from Japan have a white sticker on the box with the letters Al.

- Leigh


Al is short for Alan, Leigh. You need to mail me my Toyo film holders! ;)

[Leigh]

Al is short for Alan, Leigh. You need to mail me my Toyo film holders! ;)
That's on my To-Do list, just below bathing in a live volcano. :cool:

- Leigh

[Alan Gales]

That's on my To-Do list, just below bathing in a live volcano. :cool:

- Leigh

I think our friend, Drew, did that once! :)

[Thalmees]

Hello,
Lisco Mark II.
It's better than Regal and Fedility.
I used the three brands.
Toyo, is the best practical I think. Do not have experience with this brand.
But, reputation is superior, plus the price, compared with others.
Lisco Mark II, has a locker for the dark slide, instead of taps.
Dark slide can not be pulled without pushing a white button on each side below the rib.
When engaged correctly in the camera back, the front side of the focusing screen of the camera apply pressure on that button, making the dark slide pullable and returnable.
Thanks.

[Greg]

Thanks for all the responses to my post. So in the end... Had a line on some Linhof 4x5 holders, but fell through cause of an exorbitant asking price. So bought six 4x5 Toyo film holders in excellent plus condition for a third of the current new prices that they are going for at B&H.

My collection of 4x5 Riteways dated back to acquisition in the 1970s. After all those years of constant use, they were physically worn down beyond being able to be refurbished, and I was really tired of discovering the failure of a film holder only after after processing exposed film.

[Bob Salomon]

Hello,
Lisco Mark II.
It's better than Regal and Fedility.
I used the three brands.
Toyo, is the best practical I think. Do not have experience with this brand.
But, reputation is superior, plus the price, compared with others.
Lisco Mark II, has a locker for the dark slide, instead of taps.
Dark slide can not be pulled without pushing a white button on each side below the rib.
When engaged correctly in the camera back, the front side of the focusing screen of the camera apply pressure on that button, making the dark slide pullable and returnable.
Thanks.

Except in a Linhof camera. That lock never worked.

[Thalmees]

Quote Originally Posted by Thalmees:
Hello,
Lisco Mark II.
It's better than Regal and Fedility.
I used the three brands.
Toyo, is the best practical I think. Do not have experience with this brand.
But, reputation is superior, plus the price, compared with others.
Lisco Mark II, has a locker for the dark slide, instead of taps.
Dark slide can not be pulled without pushing a white button on each side below the rib.
When engaged correctly in the camera back, the front side of the focusing screen of the camera apply pressure on that button, making the dark slide pullable and returnable.
Thanks.


Except in a Linhof camera. That lock never worked.

Thanks Bob for the correction.

[Professional]

So, now i have Fedility holders as brand new and Toyo [i think you mean Toyo View?] holders less also brand new, if i still remember they are 6 holders with 4 for Fediliy and 2 of Toyo, i didn't use them yet except 2 for first test, i felt as first impression that Fedility is better design or use than Toyo, but i think from what i rad here that Toyo is more sturdy and more precise and somehow heavier, so that i felt i didn't like it, but maybe this is what it should be and i should give it more use to compare and see.

I am planning in this year to start film, and i really plan to go with 4x5 more now than MF[120], and 6 holders are enough, but i may end up shooting more that may need me to buy more holders, and i will only buy brand new, i forgot that i already have several used holders just as backup, but i always like to be the first user and have brand new, now i saw Toyo and i saw Chamonix wood holders, i think i also saw Fedility somewhere as brand new, if i want to buy little more, which one to go with?

If i won't shoot too much, but i want to have enough holders just in case if i go out shooting more sheets, say up to 15-20 at most, then how many holders i should carry? 6 brand new means 12 sheets, if i should add the used one then i will have more, buy i am planning to sell my Crown Graphic body with the lens it came with [Wollensack 165mm] and my Shen Hao with those used holders to get more funds to buy new LF camera, so i may left with those brand new ones only.

[Leigh]

I bought 24 new 4x5 TOYO filmholders from Kumar in the past two months. These have the aluminum darkslides.

I'm quite happy, and will likely order more.

- Leigh

[Professional]

Sounds Toyo is really the voted one here as available current ones, so maybe i should get more of this then.

[Michael Gaillard]

The Toyo film holders, as many are saying, are IMO the best by far. I never regretted replacing my array of Lisco and Fidelity for a collection of new Toyo's. Worth the money.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I love my Lotus 8x20 film holders. They are awesome.

[JMO]

I've tried most of the brands of 4x5 film holders (Fidelity, Lisco, Riteway, Linhof and Toyo) and definitely prefer the Toyo holders. I have several different versions that Toyo has made over the years, and all are well made and reliable in my experience. When I first started in LF photography several years ago I was advised by nearby LFers to prefer Toyo holders, and purchased maybe 10-15 new ones (at basically $100 per two) of the current version that has the blue print across the top. Subsequently, I have been purchasing Toyo holders in VG to EXC condition from Kumar, the LF Forum member in Japan who offers items For Sale (FS) on this Forum. After several purchases, I have found Kumar's descriptions of the condition of the used holders he offers very honest and reliable, and he gives good service by sending them to me in the US via Japan Post (they arrive in less than a week). I feel his asking prices for such excellent film holders, in like condition, is very fair.