Popping of large sheet films during the exposure is a distinct possibility for those of us who work out in the damp and cold elements; and it can happen in under a minute, like when you get a brief break in a cold rain and quickly pull a holder out of your pack and the film and holder don't have time to temperature equalize. It's only happened to me twice - but two good images lost that were quite a bit of work to try to get. One more argument for an adhesive holder.
Ray McSavaney taught me that when photographing in weather conditions different from that which would be considered normal for the film, going from warm dry indoors to humid,or cold, or any other condition which might cause the film to warp, put the holder in the camera, remove the dark slide and wait at least one minute to allow the film to warp or pop. Since then I have never had a problem with film movement.
Had this happen more than once... the results were NOT good
Bernice
Originally Posted by Drew Wiley
I've had occasional popping of large sheet film too - it's no fun to pull a sheet from the drum after a processing run and find a double image. When shooting conditions allow, I use Ray's/Jim's solution of pulling the dark slide and letting the film equilibrate before opening the shutter. I'd rather not put sticky stuff in my holders.
If you think this means that the film isn't very flat before popping, after popping, or potentially both, you're absolutely right!
Jim - I'd always keep my pack outside of the house or tent in bad weather for sake of temp equilibrium. But that's not realistic for security reasons if you happen to being staying in a motel etc and want to get out shooting early on a cold or rainy morning. Or even car camping last yer, I couldn't do that because junkfood-addicted Tubby the Bear kept showing up wanting to check out what was in the pack. And Oren, it's not "sticky stuff" - it's a very well engineered, dependable 3M product quite superior to the old days when someone would put a tab of just any ole ATG tape on the middle of a ULF holder. But you do want to load it under temperate reasonably dry conditions to begin with, not in a changing tent in the field if the conditions are especially humid or cold.
It better be sticky, or it won't accomplish anything.
Seriously: that's fine. I still don't want to put it in my holders. YMODV. (Your Mileage Obviously Does Vary.)
What I was implying is that it's the right kind of "sticky". It permanently bonds on the backside, where you need that (though this can be removed later with solvent or film cleaner if replacement is necessary). But on the front side, none of the other type of adhesive transfers to your film or fingers if you apply it correctly to begin with (there is a bit of technique, including cleanup of any backside residue that might have gotten where you don't want it). So it's not "sticky" in that respect at all, but does serve to reliably hold film flat. Ive use the same holders for nearly 30 years without needing to replace the adhesive sheets. No, I don't shoot 8x10 film every week; but holders which have been neglected, and still have the same sheet of film in them after two years are perfectly usable. No problems. But if someone is going to do this, and necessarily alters certain of their holders permanently, do it right! Not just any double-faced tape works. If you just want to be two-faced in general, become a politician or insurance adjustor instead.
I shoot primarily in dry West climates and mostly at shutter speeds well within 15 seconds which likely is considerably improving my odds against this adverse situation.
Contact printers can SEEMINGLY get away with a lot. But try seriously enlarging some of those sheets versus ones held truly flat and you'll discover quite a difference.
Who in the world would 'seriously' enlarge a contact print? if a contact works, it is done. Don't invent scenarios.
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