Yes, I know the title is confusing, but I found this little gem in a box of with the darkroom stuff I just bought. I didn't give it and the accompanying slide that were wrapped up together with tissue paper, much notice until I found the mimeographed instruction sheet.
(pardon the horrible digi pics)
Looks like the whole shooting match cost $3.95 US new!
Short story long, it is a masking system to put 2 ea. 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 inch images on a single sheet of 4x5 film.
Like any typical consumer, I promptly ignored the instructions and almost destroyed a film holder light trap by getting the mask stuck, so I had to READ (DOH!) how to actually use the fool thing!
Appears you can only use the mask set on one side of a 4x5 holder unless you have more of the "bent" variety OR use a changing bag near the camera to remove the normal dark slide and replace it with the bent one prior to mounting on the camera.
You can read the instructions for yourself (seems there was a 4 in 1 as well as a 2 in 1 version), but you basically slide one end of the 'dividing slide' into the film holder OVER the bent dark slide so the aperture is between the taking lens and the bent dark slide. The measurements of the dividing slide make it so that when the bent portion is pulled out flush with the end of the dividing slide, you have *just* cleared the full aperture of the 4x5 holder, so, regardless of which aperture spacing is being used, you have a clear shot.
With the 4 in 1 version, you simply turned over the dividing slide and made 2 more exposures as you did before, probably winding up with 4 x 2 inch square images on one sheet of film.
Wonder if the application for the 4 in 1 was passport or ID photos, or even school photos?
Maybe old hat to others here, but I find it ingenious and resourceful!
BTW: The cheap calipers in the last image are just that $6.99 from Harbor Freight, no lock, made of composite plastics, but it has a digital readout and is switchable between inches and millimeters; a plenty good for casual measurements.
(pardon the horrible digi pics)
Looks like the whole shooting match cost $3.95 US new!
Short story long, it is a masking system to put 2 ea. 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 inch images on a single sheet of 4x5 film.
Like any typical consumer, I promptly ignored the instructions and almost destroyed a film holder light trap by getting the mask stuck, so I had to READ (DOH!) how to actually use the fool thing!
Appears you can only use the mask set on one side of a 4x5 holder unless you have more of the "bent" variety OR use a changing bag near the camera to remove the normal dark slide and replace it with the bent one prior to mounting on the camera.
You can read the instructions for yourself (seems there was a 4 in 1 as well as a 2 in 1 version), but you basically slide one end of the 'dividing slide' into the film holder OVER the bent dark slide so the aperture is between the taking lens and the bent dark slide. The measurements of the dividing slide make it so that when the bent portion is pulled out flush with the end of the dividing slide, you have *just* cleared the full aperture of the 4x5 holder, so, regardless of which aperture spacing is being used, you have a clear shot.
With the 4 in 1 version, you simply turned over the dividing slide and made 2 more exposures as you did before, probably winding up with 4 x 2 inch square images on one sheet of film.
Wonder if the application for the 4 in 1 was passport or ID photos, or even school photos?
Maybe old hat to others here, but I find it ingenious and resourceful!
BTW: The cheap calipers in the last image are just that $6.99 from Harbor Freight, no lock, made of composite plastics, but it has a digital readout and is switchable between inches and millimeters; a plenty good for casual measurements.