Anything special about Linhof film holders?

[Jac@stafford.net]

is there anything special about Linhof 4x5 film holders?

[Bob Salomon]

Yes. But which ones are you talking about?

[rdeloe]

I have the thin kind that prints a number on the negative. I paid dearly for them and am not thrilled.

I like the number printing (although you do lose a bit of negative -- what's under the number, of course, but also a thin strip the height of the numbered area). It doesn't really bother me, and if you put the negative in backwards (i.e., with the notches heading into the holder rather than sticking out), the number overlaps somewhat with the writing that identifies the film, so you lose less picture area (see example).



My main problems are three:
(1) I had to use super glue to re-attach all the bits of plastic that stick out to provide the number. It wasn't hard, but it was fiddly, and should not have been necessary.
(2) an inner edge of the holder is quite shiny and was leaving a reflection on my negatives; I had to sand it down to make it dull enough to not reflect.
(3) the lock mechanisms for holding down the slide are so loose that they don't do their job. I have resorted to the rubber band to hold the dark slide down.

[c.d.ewen]

There are some that are capable of holding film or glass plates. These will generally have a lever (auswerfer) on the side to push the plate out of the holder. They're somewhat thicker than regular holders.

Charley