Advice for a 4x5 film holder that takes 120 film

[Rain Dance]

I am currently planning to buy a pinhole camera, but the sizes are only in 4x5 format. What would be a nice 4x5 holder that takes 120 roll film? 6x6, 6x9, or 6x12 is what I want. And what prices do they usually go for?

[Daniel Stone]

if the camera that you're buying has a graflok back, then you can buy a rollfilm back that is designed to lock in with the sliding clips on the back. It makes things very versatile. B/C a pinhole is generally extremely dim, its virtually impossible to focus, or compose on a g/g. However, IF you're able to somewhat point the camera and compose via the g/g, you can make marks on your g/g to mark out your desired format(s)(6x7,6x9,etc...)

However, if the back is only capable of using 4x5 holders, I don't know of any holders that are designed to hold rollfilm(maybe smaller(like 3.25x4.25" cut sheet film, but you might as well shoot 4x5 and crop anyhow at that point, IMO)

-Dan

[Kirk Gittings]

The Calumet C2n holders work in most 4x5 backs-just slide it in like a sheet film holder. They are/were made in 6x7 and 6x9. Cambo who actually made them still sells them.

[rdenney]

The Calumet C2n holders work in most 4x5 backs-just slide it in like a sheet film holder. They are/were made in 6x7 and 6x9. Cambo who actually made them still sells them.

Cambo also made a 6x12.

A cheap alternative for a camera with a Graflok back is a Shen-Hao, which includes masks that can be used to achieve any roll-film format up to 6x12. It's for 120 film only--it uses the red window for gauging the film advance.

By the way, pinhole cameras cannot be focused. Everything in the image is equally out of focus. You only need an accurate way to aim it, which can be done with a wire-frame sport-finder--pictures of a Graflex camera will provide clues. No real need for ground glass, and that also means you can just devise a way to clamp a Shen-Hao holder onto the back of the camera.

But there are pinhole cameras designed for roll film. Here's one:

http://chriskeeney.com/zero-image-612b-6x12-zone-plate-pinhole-camera-economic-version

http://chriskeeney.com/chriskeeney_newsite/sites/default/files/zeroimage-6x12-pinhole-camera-ck.jpeg

Rick "thinking it's easy enough to build the camera around the film holder" Denney

[Oren Grad]

In general you can't assume that a commercial 4x5 pinhole camera will have a Graflok back, or even a plain spring back. I've seen a variety of clip arrangements on these cameras that are designed to secure a standard modern sheet film holder, but may be poorly matched to the shape of a rollholder.

Rain Dance, can you show us which specific camera model you're looking at? That may help in figuring out which, if any, rollholders will work for you. If you want to buy an off-the-shelf product rather than building your own, you may be better off considering a pinhole camera designed specifically for 120 film, as Rick mentions.

[Valdecus]

Here's an image of a roll film back attached to a 4x5 pinhole camera:

http://www.argentumcamera.com/eng/pages/cameras/co_eng.htm

BTW, Argentum also produces pinhole cameras up to 8x10.

I recently bought two Linhof Super Rollex backs for 4x5". The older one (brown leather, 56x72mm, 4x5") went for 60 Euros, the other one (black leather, 6x9cm, 4x5", latest version) in mint condition for 160 Euros.

Cheers,
Andreas

[Roger Cole]

if the camera that you're buying has a graflok back, then you can buy a rollfilm back that is designed to lock in with the sliding clips on the back. It makes things very versatile. B/C a pinhole is generally extremely dim, its virtually impossible to focus, or compose on a g/g. However, IF you're able to somewhat point the camera and compose via the g/g, you can make marks on your g/g to mark out your desired format(s)(6x7,6x9,etc...)

However, if the back is only capable of using 4x5 holders, I don't know of any holders that are designed to hold rollfilm(maybe smaller(like 3.25x4.25" cut sheet film, but you might as well shoot 4x5 and crop anyhow at that point, IMO)

-Dan

If the design allows changing the pinhole you may be able to make a much larger one that will be bright enough to compose with. It would be too fuzzy to photograph with but you could compose then swap it out with the smaller one you're shooting with.


The Calumet C2n holders work in most 4x5 backs-just slide it in like a sheet film holder. They are/were made in 6x7 and 6x9. Cambo who actually made them still sells them.

The C2 was the predecessor. I have a C2. Works fine with my Technika III.

[Rain Dance]

This is the pinhole I was looking at

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170682415910&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2312wt_1270

Thanks for the recommendation on the pinholes that take roll film (zero image). The argentum is expensive for me. I guess that's the way to go? My thinking was that it can serve as a 4x5 camera AND a MF camera, but then I again I forgot that pinholes do not focus.