Why Do They Call Them "Cut" Holders?

[braxus]

I never understood this, but why is the word "cut" mentioned in the name of film holders?

 

[greg zinselmeier]

Maybe the film get “cut”? As opposed to roll film, although and to be fair, all film gets cut! But “ cut” here implies one at a time?????

 

[mshchem]

Because they hold cut film.

 

[mshchem]

Remember in the good old days there was 4x5 roll film. Rolls are slit to width. Sheets are cut

 

[koraks]

I've never seen the holders be referred to as 'cut', but I imagine @mshchem's interpretation is correct and the 'cut' refers to 'cut sheet'.

 

[Ian Grant]

Cut film as opposed to roll film, both on a celluloid base.

1911 Wellington advert. In the same Almanac Ilford list "Flat film", Barnet also use the term cut.

Ian

 

[Sharktooth]

All of the above, plus, as Ian shows in the picture, plates. The "holders" are different for plates (glass), or film. Cut film (or sheet film) is much thinner than glass plates, and requires a different holder.

 

[Ian Grant]

All of the above, plus, as Ian shows in the picture, plates. The "holders" are different for plates (glass), or film. Cut film (or sheet film) is much thinner than glass plates, and requires a different holder.

No in general the holders were the same, companies sold film adapters these were metal sheath inserts that held the film into plate holders. Later they were glued in.

Kodak initially went for film packs. John Thornton had Patented a film pack after being forced out of Thornton Pickard in 1898, this was taken up by ROC (Rochester Optical Company) who became part of Eastman Kodak in 1903. Thornton had moved to the US and lived meagrely on the licensing royalties from this patent, and one for an early two colour positive cine film.

Ian

 

[DREW WILEY]

"Cut film holder" was standard terminology, or "Cut sheet film holder". I read and heard that as shorthand or slang in big pro camera stores even when I started out. Everybody knew what it meant anyway. That got reduced simply to "sheet film holder", such and such a size, to differentiate these from glass plate holders, pack holders, or various kinds of roll film holders.

All sheet film is "cut" from some big master roll by the manufacturer. They don't saw it.