Mido cut film holders - IR safe?

[Willie]

Looking at some Rollei IR film in 4x5.

Anyone know if Mido Cut Film Holders are InfraRed safe and can be used with this film?

Thanks.

[RJ-]

Are you using Mido Type I or Type II?

Both have a failure rate depending on your experience with them. I've found Type I Mido holders unbearable.

The Type II fare better - light leaks still apparent with ISO 125 FP4+. It's the daylight light leaks of the holders particularly in direct sunlight which leads to the failure rate for me.

The Rollei IR400 is nominally ISO400 - the thin ester base is a challenge to unsheath without extrusion of the film at the same time. I've stopped trying with Mido holders since. For normal film thickness traditional sheets it's fine.

[Drew Wiley]

The darkslide material differs. Type 1 system, it's just a black vinyl sleeve. Type II - the clamshell adapter version - it's a thin black PC-board like material, presumably phenolic. I never got along with the earlier variety, and sold that off. With the Type II version, while I try to avoid direct sunlight, I haven't had any chronic problems except with one holder with a defective end flap on one side, which I had to retire from my set. Extra precaution is needed when pulling and re-inserting slides in the camera back, so that pressure remains consistent on the outer clamshell. I generally place the palm of my other hand against the back when doing so. Shot TMY 400 in them recently, and have done so in the past without any issues unless I did something stupid, which I am certainly capable of being sometimes.

Can't comment on IR performance - never tried it with these. But I'm skeptical.

[xkaes]

There are actually three types of Mido holder. There is a Type 1A and a Type 1B. These look the same, but there is a tiny difference in the length and shape of the film edges making them easier to load.

Some people prefer the Type 1A, I prefer the Type 1B. The only way to know which is which is to look at the instruction sheet which tells you to bend of the bottoms of the film holder edges for better loading.

I traded my Type 1A holders to someone who preferred them -- and he gave me his Type 1B holders.

I've never had a problem with IR film, but Mido holders need to be used more carefully than typical holders -- especially loaded and unloading in the camera.

But as with any holder it's best to mark them carefully so you can identify leaks and keep exposure to light as limited as possible.

The size and weight of the Mido Type 1 is worth it in my book. So they require a little more care and caution. That's a good thing.