13x18 and 5x7 question

[MenacingTourist]

So if a camera is listed as a 13x18 can 5x7 film holders fit or does one need to buy 13x18 holders?

 

[Nick Zentena]

The way I understand it. Unless the camera is very old it'll take either. The exterior of the film holder is the same size it's the inside that's a little different.

 

[MenacingTourist]

Thanks for the info Nick. Now, how old are we talking here? I have a sister in Germany who can possibly get me a Plaubel Universal III, but I have no idea how old that little gem is.

Any Plaubel dudes out there?

 

[isaacc7]

Thanks for the info Nick. Now, how old are we talking here? I have a sister in Germany who can possibly get me a Plaubel Universal III, but I have no idea how old that little gem is.

Any Plaubel dudes out there?

I do believe that the Plaubels have their own specific holders. Or maybe I'm getting them mixed up with another German view camera...

Isaac

 

[Donald Qualls]

Bottom line is if it takes the common "double dark slide" holders we now think of as standard, or something else. If it uses the modern standard type, the 13x18 and 5x7 holders differ only in the width of the space the film will occupy, and are interchangeable on the camera. If not, it probably uses only whatever it was originally designed to accommodate.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

Every camera with a spring back which I have seen, if described as 13 x 18 cm, 5 x 7 inches or 6 1/2 x 4 3/4 inches (half plate), will take all three types of double filmholder (modern Fidelity-type blockform). With older cameras, there is a sharp difference between English half-plate, with which the slides are most often bookform style, in other words they hinge at the bottom and are loaded from the back of each side and then attach to the camera by 4 "ears", and continental 13 x 18 cm, which is the typical thin single metal slide which is inserted into the camera back from the side. The identifying feature of this type of back is that the focusing screen and holder are not sprung but hinged on their long side. As far as I know, American cameramakers adopted the spring back we know today very early.

Oddballs of which I am aware are non-standard blockform slides but with the bookform-style "ears" supplied with some Russian view cameras, and some odd metal half-plate holders I had once which had a continuous flange all the way round on both sides (never did find out what they fitted). If anyone knows of more non-standard holders, I would be interested to hear. I should of course also mention the older Graflex filmholders as examples of non-standard patterns - these accept film like modern slides but fit onto the camera back (Graflex SLRs) via sliding bars which engage in slots in the sides of the holders.

Regards,

David

 

[MenacingTourist]

Thanks everyone. I think I've learned something today

 

[Ole]

If anyone knows of more non-standard holders, I would be interested to hear.

I have several...

First of all, the Linhof Universal holders for plates and films, with pressure plate and ejector ("mit Auswerfer"). Fit normal spring backs, I have them in 9x12cm, 4x5" and 13x18cm.

Then there are the wood/metal plate holders which also fit standard spring backs; mine are 18x24cm (German equivalent of 8x10"). These are not of the "book type", but are "front loaders".

I have an old 13x18cm camera with 13x18cm wooden plate holders; front loading too.

And the Russian non-bookform plate holders.

But I also have an old German 18x24cm plate camera with bookform holders...

And some English double panorama plate holders which load by removing the bottom (short end, opposite the darkslide handle) and sliding the plate into a slot.

And incidentally I have adapters to use Linhof metal single plate holders in standard backs - I have one 9x12cm to 4x5" back, and a 10x15cm (postcard format) to 5x7" back.
-----------------------

On ebay.de right now is a Plaubel Peco Universal III which is in original state - and takes only Plaubel metal cassettes. Very often the back has been changed to accept standard holders, but not this one: http://cgi.ebay.de/Plaubel-Peco-Universal-III_W0QQitemZ7546791354QQcategoryZ8277QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

So it depends...

BTW, my antique 13x18cm camera came with the plate holders mentioned above - all with film sheaths. It looked like it had been in regular use right up until very recently - worn, but lovingly cared for. With a little care it should be good for another century.