Newbee question about 4x5

[Laurent Laval]

Hello all,
I purchase a lot of very old Kodak film in 4 X 5 inches just to play with
I have somewhere a Graflex Pacemaker Speed Graphic, but I really don't know how to use this film , I never used such format.
Can someone tell (show) me how to use those 4X5 films. maybe a link or a vidéo, I guess I will have to put these films in complete darkness in a kind of holder to attack at the back of the camera, but what do I need ?
It is a complete new world for me.
regards

190327

[Louis Pacilla]

Hi Laurent & welcome to the Large Format Forum!

I would start here at our Home Page https://www.largeformatphotography.info/

[Jac@stafford.net]

This is a good video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdWK8varqDo) showing the 4x5" film holder and loading it.
Of course the loading must be done in absolute darkness.

[Laurent Laval]

thank you both, I will have a look
can you recommend me a film holder

[Pere Casals]

thank you both, I will have a look
can you recommend me a film holder

fidelity and lisco were popular brands , see this ebay search : https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=4x5+%28fidelity%2C+lisco%29&_sacat=0

You may overexpose a bit, say 1/2 to 1 stop, for the initial start point, ancient film may loss some speed.

You may use a low fog developer like HC-110, as ancient film is prone to deliver extensive fog. If emulsion softens too much you may lower a lot processing temperature while exending (a lot) development time.

A lot of info in the net... just Google: Developing Ancient Expired Film HC-100

[Laurent Laval]

well I used to process expired films with good result with Rodinal 1+100 for 1 hour or more.

[Pere Casals]

expired films

Yes, but this one it's very, very expired film. You may develop a small unexposed strip and then measuring desinty, if fog is too high then you may want to lower it. Another choice would be adding some benzotriazole to the developer you use.

[Leigh]

Hi Laurent,

I shot tons of 4x5 Super-XX in the early 1960s (55+ years ago).

Developed in Acufine, I achieved an actual speed well over 1000 ASA (=ISO 1000).
I was shooting basketball games and other sports without flash.
Folks couldn't figure out how I was doing it.

It was a bit grainy, but I was reduce-printing to sizes appropriate for newspaper
so the grain in the negative did not matter.

- Leigh

[Dan O'Farrell]

thank you both, I will have a look
can you recommend me a film holder

You may want to look at our "For Sale" page here on LFP, there are some listings right now.