Cutting down film - tips?

[cdholden]

Scott,
Don't you have a half dozen or so 8x10 cameras laying around? Shoot the 8x10 and crop what you don't want... or would that be too easy?

Chris

[banjo]

Hi all
I use a Martin Yale 7000E 12" Paper Stack Cutter
it has a clamp to hold a stack in place!
I cut 25 sheet of 4x5 film down to 23
I have a jig on to cutter so I can do it all in the dark
I cut the 2 1/4 first then turn a 1/4 turn & then cut 3 1/4
then cut the other half the same way then I code notch then
banjo

[Jim Becia]

Rotatrim? Not the professionals I use. I'll render 200 to 300 sheets of 8x10 to 5x7 at a time and I'd sooner pay them a couple hundred dollars, be assured that the film comes back to me dust free then "go for it" using the method described above. Call Varo Technical Services in West Chester, Pa... you'll be surprised at how inexpensive this is.

I have used this service and they did a pretty nice job. I did have a slight problem when I had them cut down 8x10 film into 5x7. For some reason on the 7 inch side, they were slightly long, so the film didn't rest in the film holder quite right. However, in all my shooting with this film, it has never resulted in a problem so I never said anything. The company was great to deal with and the packaging came back first rate. I would use them again.

Before that, I was cutting my 5x7 film from8x10 by using a Dahle rotatrimmer. Worked fine but was time consuming and every once in a while, I'd cut a sheet that was not quite square. Opted to send a hundred sheets to Varo.

Jim

[Bruce Watson]

Rotatrim? Not the professionals I use. I'll render 200 to 300 sheets of 8x10 to 5x7 at a time and I'd sooner pay them a couple hundred dollars, be assured that the film comes back to me dust free then "go for it" using the method described above. Call Varo Technical Services in West Chester, Pa... you'll be surprised at how inexpensive this is.

Curious, but not enough to call them -- do they also notch the film? If they put the proper notch code in the film they cut, they would definitely be worth the price. But any notch to let you know (or more properly, let the C-41 lab tech know) which side is the emulsion side would be good. So... do they?

[banjo]

the thing nice with my Martin Yale 7000E 12" Stack Paper Cutter & jig
it takes about 8 mints to cut 50 sheets of 23 {2 1/4 x 3 1/4} out of 4x5
it takes me longer to get my darkroom ready to do it then it takes to cut
the 50 sheets
Banjo

[Jim Galli]

Here's a page about how I do it. No matter what you do, extra handling means extra dust, extra pinholes etc.

[Rayt]

Rotatrim? Not the professionals I use. I'll render 200 to 300 sheets of 8x10 to 5x7 at a time and I'd sooner pay them a couple hundred dollars, be assured that the film comes back to me dust free then "go for it" using the method described above. Call Varo Technical Services in West Chester, Pa... you'll be surprised at how inexpensive this is.

I didn't know such services existed. Will they also put the notch onto the second sheet? I wouldn't mind getting a few hundreds sheets of 5x8 TMY. Thanks for the info.

Since I don't have a darkroom the only other alternative is to cut down 8x10 in a changing tent. Is this possible or am I asking for trouble?

[frotog]

Varo does not notch. I was a bit freaked out about this at first but now it does not bother me. It's easy to tell which side is the emulsion side just by the natural curl of the film.

[Michael Kadillak]

There is a whole new industry that supports the Creative Memories industry where people get together and put together albums of photographs and other memorabilia. I have seen specialty edge punches that can be ordered in any configuration (such as film notch patterns) and insure that you are always Emulsion Side Up.

[frotog]

...or you could just use a regular old hole puncher. But seriously, it's so easy to identify the emulsion side by the curl of the film that this is not necessary. The less handling the better, right? As for the person processing... I make sure to download all my film so that the emulsion is facing the same way and specify as much on the box. I use Edgar Praus for all my c41 now since he leaves all the labs in nyc in the dust ...he's never had a problem with this.

Varo Technical does have an IR room. There's a small additional fee for this (like $15 or something).

Varo Tech is in West Chester, Pa. Phone...610.399.1223 No affiliation other than that of a very happy customer!