4x5 Vacuum Film Holder "RW Institute"

[konakoa]

I wonder if anyone here has ever seen one of these. It's a Fidelity film holder, but modified for vacuum by a company called the "RW Institute of Color and Photography". I have not been able to find a thing anywhere about these.

They are pretty dang neat. They do pull film down flat, and I've been using them for astrophtography. These modified film holders are a whole lot lighter and simpler on and off the camera than the Schneider Hi-End back.

Anyone know anything about this RW system?

[Drew Wiley]

No, but I've made my own 8X10 ones starting with conventional holders.

[konakoa]

Me too. https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?100959-Vacuum-Film-Holders-Hole-Diameter-Vacuum-Pumps&p=999505&viewfull=1#post999505 These are just a bit nicer.

[smigol]

I made a couple for my own astro work with an ebay 12V vacuum motor.

[xonefs]

that would be cool. plan to try out some 4x5 astro soon but probably won't have time to make a vacuum back before I leave

[LabRat]

It would help, but sheet film formats will usually buckle a little in damp conditions until emulsion moisture content reaches equilibrium across the entire sheet and releases stresses...

A help is before taking shot, to insert holder into dark camera, pull slide for a few seconds to let the moist air enter holder film area so the process of moisture "exposure" can begin and film can stabilize... Also can work in reverse if film from damp environment is now in very dry environment and needs to release humidity bulges...

But the longer the better for acclimating a film's moisture content into a different environment (if possible)...

Steve K

[xonefs]

Well I don't plan to use it in humid conditions at first so I guess it might be fine.

[Peter De Smidt]

Looks like a good system.