Film packs details

[yeolde]

Hello!
Here I just want to ask some older folks how the film is folded in the film packs. That s because I found a film pack adapter and now want to cut and fold a photo paper fo shoot it from the film pack adapter.

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[Jim Noel]

That would be difficult. If you only have the adapter, you do not have the light tight pack. A piece of strong, thin paper is attached to the edge of the film. This goes around the roller at the bottom of the pack and out the back side. It is pulled to move the exposed film to the rear. Oh! I almost forgot, the film area is slightly larger and and is on the same base as roll film.

[yeolde]

OK, I thinked so. Do you have an older pack to make measurements how it is made?

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[Gord Robinson]

You would needed an older empty film pack if you were going to try and replicate a film pack for use. Firstly what size of film pack are you going to use. The most common standard sizes were 5x7, 4x5, 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 and 2 1/4 x 3 1/4. The film used in the packs was roll film. The 2x3 packs were made up from the same stock as 120 roll film but the film was a bit larger than 120 film requiring film tanks that could be adjusted to accommodate the slightly larger film. This system allowed the Film Pack to be removed from the camera in the dark and the exposed films removed (or robbed) from the pack for processing. The remaining unexposed films in the pack could be exposed as required. One caution when trying to rob the film pack of an exposed sheet is that the packs were made of thin metal (tin?) and have very sharp edges. The film was attached to a numbered sheet of black paper that allowed the user to pull the numbered tab after an exposure was made and the film would be stored at the back of the pack. The user would pull off the tab and then be ready to use the next sheet.

If you are going to try and rebuild a film pack you should seek out the actual film pack that held the film in the film pack adapter. The rumor was that the film packs were loaded in the dark by technicians by hand and when they ultimately retired the film packs were no longer made available. The productions of the film packs ended about 1992.

Gord

[Mark Sampson]

per Bob Shanebrook's "Making Kodak Film", the last film pack, 4x5 Tri-X 320, was discontinued in about 1992 when the last person who could assemble them retired. Obviously the market for film pack had shrunk considerably from the days when so many sizes were available. (I'm sure that it was an unprofitable product by then, but Kodak kept quite a few money-losing items in the catalog when the river of profit from film was still flowing.)
I only discovered it in 1989 and was happy to use them until they were gone. Film pack then cost about 50% more than sheet film in the same size, but it was worth it to me, as I worked in the field with a lightweight kit.
yeolde, I wish you luck in your quest. But I think using regular holders (or a Grafmatic) will be much more practical.

[LabRat]

The film pack film was very thin to fit and bend around, so thin your new material must be...

Steve K