a little 8x10 help please

[Bruce Watson]

I shoot 4x5; I don't have any 8x10 film available. So... would one of you kind 8x10 shooters please measure your 8x10 film for me -- what size is it really? And while you are there, what size is the image itself?

[Gene McCluney]

As you know all sheet film is "undersize" for the stated size. This was due to the film needing to fit into sleeve adaptors for Plate holders. Glass plates were actually true size.

The actual "image" area of a piece of sheet film is determined by the film holder, and since film holders have been made for over 75 years, the image size varies quite a lot, and varies between brands of holders and even different vintages of the same brand of holder. One could only give you an approximate measurement, and that would only hold true if you had an identical film holder.

[Eric Leppanen]

Looking at one of my 8x10 TMY-2 contact prints, it looks like the film itself is roughly 7 15/16 x 9 15/16 inches. The image area itself is roughly 7 11/16 x 9 11/16 inches. I use Fidelity Elite or Lisco Regal II film holders. These are just ballpark measurements made with a ruler.

[Bruce Watson]

As you know all sheet film is "undersize" for the stated size. This was due to the film needing to fit into sleeve adaptors for Plate holders. Glass plates were actually true size.

Yup. That's why I'm asking for the help. I need someone to measure a real piece of film so I'll know the definition of "undersize" for 8x10.


The actual "image" area of a piece of sheet film is determined by the film holder, and since film holders have been made for over 75 years, the image size varies quite a lot, and varies between brands of holders and even different vintages of the same brand of holder. One could only give you an approximate measurement, and that would only hold true if you had an identical film holder.

I know this too. Still, I'd like for someone to measure their actual image size so I'll have an idea of how much smaller this is than the actual film size.

I'm not looking for a definitive answer for "all" film, just for one or more specific examples (the more the merrier) that will put me in the ball park.

[Oren Grad]

Bruce, I just put a ruler to a sheet of factory-cut 8x10 HP5 Plus exposed in a late-model Fidelity holder. To the nearest half millimeter, I get 202 mm x 253 mm for the sheet, 196 mm x 246 mm for the exposed area (excluding the "ears" at the flap end).

[pkphotog]

I have the exact same outer meaurements as Eric for Kodak TMY 8x10 film. Image size was only a 1/16" different on the short side: 7 3/4" x 9 11/16".