4x5 Film Holders

[HughC]

Getting back into 4x5 and would like recommendation on where and what brand of film holder to purchase.
Should I by new or used.
Thanks

[HughC]

Getting back into 4x5 photography and would like to know whether I should buy new or used, brand and source.
On the waiting list for a Chamonix 45F2 and can’t wait to get started again.

[Tin Can]

Buy the best you can afford

eBay

[HughC]

That’s what I’m thinking.
Being I’m starting over with a new camera might as well get new holders and put the odds in my favor.
Thank for the reply.

[Dugan]

Toyo holders are highly recommended.

[Drew Wiley]

Traditional Lisco or Riteway are just fine unless abused. Try to find the cleanest ones possible, if "pre-owned". 4X5 holders are still common.

[Lachlan 717]

Used Toyo.

[darr]

Several years ago, I bought a small stash of 4x5 holders from KEH (www.keh.com).
They were a mix of new-looking ones (they had film in them!) and a few older, used, but not abused holders.
They were cheap (about $5-$7 each) and are still working fine for a few years and many shoots later.
When I travel, I store them in Stone Photo cases to save some bruising because my 4x5 bag can sometimes get bumped :( around.

[Oren Grad]

Threads merged.

[Vaughan]

My experience: avoid older wooden holders. Buy a job-lot of 10 or more for a discount and expect that 2 or 3 will be leaky. I believe that later Lisco and Riteway were made by the same company. Note that 9x12cm and 4x5inch holders have the same external dimensions, check if buying from Europe.

(If you ever get into 5x7, the 5x7inch, 8x13 cm and 4¾x6½ half-plate holders all have the same external size.)

[Alan Klein]

That’s what I’m thinking.
Being I’m starting over with a new camera might as well get new holders and put the odds in my favor.
Thank for the reply.

I started 4x5 LF photography three years ago with a new Chamonix 45H-1. I bought their new lens boards figuring I deserve theirs since I bought the camera new. Why screw around with other people's problems, light leaks, ill-fitting, etc. I have enough problems learning a view camera. Good luck on whatever you decide.
https://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/accessories/lensboards

[Alan Klein]

Traditional Lisco or Riteway are just fine unless abused. Try to find the cleanest ones possible, if "pre-owned". 4X5 holders are still common.

How would he know what's abused? Especially before buying them?

[Alan Klein]

Several years ago, I bought a small stash of 4x5 holders from KEH (www.keh.com).
They were a mix of new-looking ones (they had film in them!) and a few older, used, but not abused holders.
They were cheap (about $5-$7 each) and are still working fine for a few years and many shoots later.
When I travel, I store them in Stone Photo cases to save some bruising because my 4x5 bag can sometimes get bumped :( around.

Penny wise, pound foolish. He's going to spend thousands on new camera equipment and go cheap on lens boards. Should he use expired film too?

[Alan Klein]

I said lens boards but it also goes for film holders. The Chamonix wood ones are a work of art. They also make plastic. Both types come with carbon fiber dark boards.
https://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/accessories/filmholders

[darr]

Penny wise, pound foolish. He's going to spend thousands on new camera equipment and go cheap on lens boards. Should he use expired film too?

To each their own. I saw students go hungry because they could not afford gear, props, film, etc., and would cut out lunch.
I refuse to buy new lensboards when there is an abundance on the used market that work just as well on my cameras.
The cost of 4x5 holders has gotten ridiculous. I remember when $50 bought me 4 new film holders (2 boxes of 2 Fidelity), which was not that long ago.

[Conrad . Marvin]

Buy used from a reputable camera store not a “dealer”. Or pay for the new ones that you will know the history of as you make it.
Some used holders might have been through a flood or worse…

[Alan Klein]

To each their own. I saw students go hungry because they could not afford gear, props, film, etc., and would cut out lunch.
I refuse to buy new lensboards when there is an abundance on the used market that work just as well on my cameras.
The cost of 4x5 holders has gotten ridiculous. I remember when $50 bought me 4 new film holders (2 boxes of 2 Fidelity), which was not that long ago.

The OP is not a starving student. He said he's buying a new Chamonix camera that costs around $1500 without lenses or film holders. Of course, if someone is on a budget, then sure, their options change and your suggestions make more sense.

[AeroTechnika]

Good point about the European sizes, however the 5x7-inch and 13 x 18cm are close enough to be effectively interchangable.
The 13 x 18cm size is "slightly" larger in both dimensions, but by so little a 5 x 7" film will fit and be held in the 13x18cm holder.
Obviously the same is NOT true for 4 x 5", which often translates to 9 x 12cm, which is not only far off the physical dimensions, but a completely different image aspect ratio, and exactly the same thing applies to 8 x 10" compared with 18 x 24cm.
These holders have the same external dimensions, in compliance with international standard, but very different film sizes. Only the 5x7/13x18cm are close enough as to be essentially interchangable.
It is interesting to note that the European film standards were slightly more "rectangular" at 1.33:1 than the "boxier" American standards at 1.25:1 aspect ratio.
In terms of absolute quality, LINHOF went a great leap beyond all the others in developing an industrial-standard film-holder, replete with a metal numerotation die and an ejection lever, serving not only to easily remove a film for processing, bbut also as a check to see whetehr a film is actually loaded in that slot. Expect to pay a lot more and to carry a lot more weight for those super-duty LINHOF holders.

[John Kasaian]

FWIW, my favorite used 4x5 film holders are the old school Graphic Riteway----not the newer version.
I've gotten mine off eBay, but I'd prefer to buy through a brick & mortar.
YMMV of course.

[HughC]

Thanks for all the feedback I really appreciate it. Spending money for a new beautiful camera, it doesn’t seen right using a second hand film holder. Will be buying new. Really looking forward to slowing down and shooting 4x5.

[HughC]

Probably get one of Chamonix wooded lens boards if any are available when the time comes and the rest plastic. What would be really cool is if they would include a wood film holder with every camera. Would pay a little extra if they did.

[Eric Leppanen]

To my knowledge Toyo makes the best new 4x5 plastic holders (with metal septums, which reduce the potential for light leaks), and Chamonix makes the best lightweight holders. Some years ago I bought some very nice new Toyo 4x5 holders from Kumar (posts on this forum as B.S. Kumar) who sources the holders directly in Japan. If you wish to investigate this I suggest you PM him for a quote.

[B.S.Kumar]

For the OP, (and anyone else looking for them) the current pricing for new Toyo 4x5 film holders is 10.800 JPY per twin pack. 8x10 film holders are 15,930 JPY each. Shipping is additional, and depends on your location and the number of holders you order. Do note that film holders are made in batches, and there can be occasional delays.

Kumar

[Per Madsen]

Toyo holders are highly recommended.

Agree, I have only Toyo holders and no problems for 25 years.

[Paul Ron]

keep an eye on the classifieds!

used is not bad at all. there are good deals on them for about $7-$12 each. i bought many assorted brands and out of 100, i have about 5 bad ones in the past 20 years of using them.

ask if the hinge is in good shape and stipulate a return if they have light leaks.

.

[Greg Bliss]

Getting back into 4x5 photography and would like to know whether I should buy new or used, brand and source.
On the waiting list for a Chamonix 45F2 and can’t wait to get started again.

I like used with history (avoid wood holders) many good deals available. How long is the waiting list for the Chamonix? for about $500 you could buy vintage set up with holders and start tomorrow. Just a thought. then again my cameras date from 1880 to late 1970's
When your new stuff is delivered you will have a back up for poor weather shooting

[Michael Graves]

One brand I don't see mentioned anywhere here is Studio Pro. These holders pop up now and again. I stupidly sold some of the ones I had and wish I had 'em back. They are constructed almost identically to the Toyo film holders, with the riveted bodies and metal cores. But they have brushed aluminum dark slides. One of the things I discovered by accident is that the Toyo and Studio Pro dark slides are interchangeable. Perhaps made in the same facility? Who knows? I sure don't. But those and Toyo are the only film holders I'm currently using. I still have a few Fidelities and Liscoes that once I empty them, I'll probably sell them. Or not. Doesn't everybody need 48 4x5 film holders?

[Fred L]

Started off with the usual Fidelity/Lisco/Riteway. Fav holders now are the Riteway with the locking dark slides. Camera rib lock presses down on a button which frees the slide. They also have number wheels on the flap end (great for coding holders). I think I removed the numbers on some of the holders though cuz I wanted a cleaner looking negative. ymmv