Question about Kodak 5x7 holder

[SParis]

I bought 4 used Kodak 5x7 film holders on eBay, and I think they're a little odd.
In the attached picture, the Kodak is the wooden one on the right.
As you can see, it's about half an inch shorter than the Lisco on the left.
The locking rib is in the right place, and the holder inserts and locks almost correctly in the camera. The face of the holder fits firmly against the camera, but the bottom of the holder (i.e. the edge at the bottom of the picture) does not. If I grasp the top of the holder, I can rock it from side to side, maybe as much a 3/8 of an inch. None of my other holders do this.
I don't think this would matter for picture-taking as long as I'm sure that the holder is straight before shooting, because the face appears to be correctly placed and light-tight.
So, my question is are all Kodak 5x7 holders like this? (These four are unlike any of my Lisco, Ansco, Fidelity holders.)
Or are these some kind of antique or special purpose holders?

[Mark Sampson]

I've run across a few 8x10 holders made the same way. I think that your Kodak holders were just made to an older design standard.
They might be well over 100 years old, after all. The 8x10 holders that I had worked fine, just more difficult to remove from the camera.
Perhaps one of our experts on the pre-WWII gear (that wouldn't be me) will speak up.

[Jim Noel]

They are much older than WWII, possibly even 19ty century. I have many 5x7 holders which are similar in that they are shorter at the dark slide end, but otherwise the same as current ones. They work fine. The standard was established I believe in the 1920's or early 30's. I Am not positive of the date.

[SParis]

Soooo, I could re-sell them as "rare valuable antique film holders?"

[Jim Galli]

Soooo, I could re-sell them as "rare valuable antique film holders?"Neither rare or particularly valuable. What they're good for is making pictures. What I like about having older holders is I use them with non-standard film. So I know my newer plastic ones are FP4 or whatever my current norm in the ISO 100 range is and I use the old (antique) ones for whatever oddball I happen to be playing with. These days it's 5" Aerial Recon Panatomic X cut to 7" and loaded. I don't have to make a bunch of labels, I just stay consistent. So the lovely old wood finish holders I know have my special slow contrasty film in them.

[Ironage]

I believe this is a plate holder not a film holder. There were inserts to adapt them for film use.


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[SParis]

I haven't used them yet, but I have loaded one (in daylight) with a sheet of dead film.
They're definitely 5x7 sheet film holders.

[SParis]

Mr Galli: Good idea. I mostly use HP5, but I have some odd film that I'd like to try.

Also, of course, most of the stuff listed on eBay as "rare and valuable" is neither. So these would fit right in. But I'm keeping them.

[Jim Noel]

I believe this is a plate holder not a film holder. There were inserts to adapt them for film use.


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That is true for some, but not all.

[revdoc]

I have an old 5x7 Kodak film holder, and it's not only shorter than my Lisco holders, it's slightly thicker, too. That said, it's an excellent film holder.

[SParis]

Interesting Post Script: I opened these up to clean them, and discovered that the inside of the holder, the part that actually holds the film, comes right out. The inserts are nicely lacquered sheet metal. They fit so well that I didn't realize they were removable when I test-loaded them.
So maybe they are usable for glass plates, too.
Apologies to Ironage. You were right.