5 x 7 film holder confusion

[Bauie]

I've come across a seller that is advertising 5x7 holders. He says the holders have the following stamped on them. "12 x 16.5cm"
Ilford 5x7 paper says it is 12.7cm x 17.8cm (Ilford 5x7 film does not give a metric measurement)
If I convert 5 x 7 to metric it is 12.7 x 17.8
So what film does a 12 x 16.5 holder actually take?

[Andrew Plume]

Hi

12 x 16.5 is the old 'British half plate size', which is the smallest of the three sizes after 5 x 7 and 13 x 18. 'Modern' 5 x 7 Cameras will 'accept' film holders for all of these, btw, the outer dimension is the same, it's the inner dimension that differs

regards

Andrew

[Andrew Plume]

And again

If you are looking for film in the Half Plate size, Foma have this in 100 speed:

https://www.processuk.net/Fomapan_10..._18818484.aspx

and Ilford also produce this as part of their 'Annual run' for 'unusual sizes, but owing to the current viral problem, I'm not sure whether they will be making that run this year

Good luck

Andrew

[Nodda Duma]

Definitely half plate size.

Cheers,
Jason

[tdicorcia]

Note that 4.75-inch x 6.5-inch (121mm x 165mm) was also a format used in Japan. It was a common format for Japanese wooden field cameras, as well as a common back size for the Rittreck View and the TOYO Field 4 3/4 x 6 1/2 "Sakai Special." These are the nominal sizes, of course. The half-plate size is odd in that one would expect it to be 4.25-inch x 6.5-inch (half of a 6.5-inch x 8.5-inch whole plate).

[tdicorcia]

Jason,
I'm curious that the tech tips page at pictoriographica.com says that your half-plate glass plates are nominally 4.5-inch x 6.5-inch (113 x 164 mm actual). http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Plate_sizes says that was called "cabinet size."
Tom

[Jimi]

All the Fidelity non-5x7" holders I have seen have been marked in white (6.5X4.75". 12x16.5 cm and 13x18 cm). I've gotten all of them advertised as 5x7.

The 5x7" ones only have a small, hard to see moulding in the plastic, right under the darkslide (says "5x7 Fidelity cut film holder" and the information about where they where made and by whom).This makes it extra confusing since the non-5x7 holders actually have two markings. Even the new 13x18 Fidelity Elite holders bought more than ten years ago has the same oddity - probably no point in making a separate moulding part for each of the formats.

[Nodda Duma]

Jason,
I'm curious that the tech tips page at pictoriographica.com says that your half-plate glass plates are nominally 4.5-inch x 6.5-inch (113 x 164 mm actual). http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Plate_sizes says that was called "cabinet size."
Tom

It’s a compromise: that size will fit both cabinet size and glass half plate holders. Those two seem to be the most common (120x165 being more common), and I’ve never had anyone ask specifically for a “cabinet size” vs simply asking for half plate... when I enquire further, it’s a toss-up whether the answer comes back one or the other set of dimensions. So I cut to fit both.

Never had half plates returned, so seems to be the right approach.

-Jason

[Bauie]

Thanks for the answers but I'm still not clear, will these holders marked "12 x 16.5cm" accept standard Ilford 5x7 film?

[Andrew Plume]

Many thanks - no, sorry on the face of it, probably they will not, you'll need specific Half Plate film (and in that size). However, I suggest that you measure the inner section for confirmation. I have some more recent 'Fidelity Elite holders' and the exact size is 171 x 123

regards

Andrew