3x4 film availability

k_jupiter · May 21, 2007

I debated on this forum vs the Film forum, they deal mostly with process so you're it.

Now that John is gone, where is a cheap available source of 3x4 film, Efke 100 or whatnot? I have two or three boxes, enough to last a bit, but one of these days, it wil lbe gone.

I haven't seen it at Freestyle or B&H.

tim in san jose

Curt · May 21, 2007

Did a quick search and found nothing. Can't believe JandC was the only source.

removed account4 · May 22, 2007

photowarehouse would have been a good source,
that is if they started to cut master rolls again.

only a few months ago they told me they were
close to having the rolls again to cut, but
i spoke with someone there today, and they are at a crossroads.

they want to buy and cut master rolls, but they are
having trouble getting what they want --- quality and a price.

we can all cross our fingers, cause if they get the big rolls,
they will be one of the few, if not the only place to get small and ULF sheet film.

it wasn't too long ago that there was so many choices, now their are very few.

john

Rolleiflexible · May 22, 2007

Ilford was including 3x4 in their ULF production.

On a related note, I just inherited a bag mag for
a 3x4 Graflex Super D. Assuming film can be had,
does anybody know how these things work?

k_jupiter · May 22, 2007

Sanders McNew said:
Ilford was including 3x4 in their ULF production.

On a related note, I just inherited a bag mag for
a 3x4 Graflex Super D. Assuming film can be had,
does anybody know how these things work?

Poorly. There is a reason Graphics went to Graphmatics. You pull them out, they don't want to go back in.. what a PITB.

The theory is, the leather bag is a dark lightproof bag. You pull the top one out after exposure, you put it at the rear of the stack, the next sheet is ready for exposure.

Bleah!. Want another?

tim in san jose

k_jupiter · May 22, 2007

jnanian said:
it wasn't too long ago that there was so many choices, now their are very few.

john

Maybe John has a solution? John????

tim in san jose

removed account4 · May 22, 2007

k_jupiter said:
Maybe John has a solution? John????

tim in san jose

hi tim -

maybe we should all write or call the warehouse and say:
"we know eastern european films aren't kodak or ilford,
that is OK with us, as long as we have the film that we can use"

they might be worried that they will buy these big rolls of film ( not cheep),
and then people will buy it once or twice - not like it -
and then they are stuck with a ton of film no one wants.

i have a feeling that if they buy it, they will sell all of it very fast ...
considering no one else is selling very large and very small sheets of film.

might not be a solution, but it is an idea ...

john

waynecrider · May 22, 2007

For us 3x4 shooters it seems cutting down film is the only course left to go unless you want to pay the higher price that Ilford quoted. I believe that offer is now over.

Cutting film is not that hard, it just takes resolve and care. I've been using a paper cutter with a template made from mat board, but that could be improved on, especially with a Rototrim. I use Pledge Grab-it dust cloths to remove the dust after the film is in the holder, but compressed air would probably be as good if not better.

I must say that I much prefer carrying the smaller 3x4 holders. They and their darkslides fit better in my pockets.

Oren Grad · May 22, 2007

It should be possible to get 3x4 from Fotoimpex. The problem there is that small orders from the US aren't cost-effective, but perhaps that just means that folks with an interest need to get together to assemble a single larger order.

Curt · May 22, 2007

I had to cut down 2x3 from 3x4 when there wasn't any. Ironic, now it's the 3x4 which is hard to get. When I needed 2x3 John from JandC had it cut and packaged for me. I will never forget how he went out of his way at the time to do it. I would ask Freestyle if they could get it from Efke/Adox. Starting a thread will help, as you did. I don't use 2x3 film that much now but any loss of a format is hard to deal with.

I was thinking of making a template that would allow me to use a safety razor to cut vertical and horizontal on a larger sheet, then remove and pick up the sheets. All with one hand behind my back of course. I tried the paper cutter method and it was a pain. Place and cut and turn and cut and scratch etc.. If the film remains untouched and is cut in place then it would be better.

waynecrider · May 22, 2007

Curt I haven't tried this, but maybe an old darkslide could be used as the template.

It would be nice if someone invented a punch tho.

Curt · May 22, 2007

I think the dark slide material could work just fine. Even better would be a die press. A person would have to be handy with tool making for that though. I had searched for the hand die cutter but none were available in the size I needed. Im not sure about 3x4, the 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 inch weren't available. It made sense for cutting down from 3x4 but cutting out multiples from a large sheet would be a challenge. A cutting template still sounds best.

Curt

dianna · Jun 9, 2007

3x4 sheet film - Freestyle has it (Efke)

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=1000002463

I found it by accident - they don't show 3.25x4.25 on their pull-down search menu. Yay!

k_jupiter · Jun 9, 2007

dianna said:
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=1000002463

I found it by accident - they don't show 3.25x4.25 on their pull-down search menu. Yay!

DAMN! You are the best. I went through that site with a fine tooth comb.

Thanks,

tim in san jose

kwmullet · Jun 9, 2007

k_jupiter said:
Poorly. There is a reason Graphics went to Graphmatics. You pull them out, they don't want to go back in.. what a PITB.

The theory is, the leather bag is a dark lightproof bag. You pull the top one out after exposure, you put it at the rear of the stack, the next sheet is ready for exposure.

Bleah!. Want another?

tim in san jose

Shoot, if Sanders doesn't want it, we probably do! We're building our collection of bag mags. We've got them in condition all the way from pretty darn close to pristine to those having big gaping holes in the leather. It's low-tech (or pre-high-tech) at it's best, in our opinion! (Dianna and me)

Not quite as fast as a Grafmatic to use, but a good many more sheets to use at one time, and they're one of those things that are just plain fun to use once you get the hang of it.

Shoot Dianna or myself a PM if you're actually willing to let go of one, Tim.

We just got our latest bag mag in the mail today -- still has the strap with the snap and everything.

-KwM-

(Hmmm... Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut or just PM'd you privately. Next thing you know, there'll be a run on bag mags and the prices will go through the roof!)

btw -- Jeremy actually got us started on these things. We bought a 3x4 Graflex RB SLR from him (we've bought so much stuff from him, we've taken to occasionally saying we buy from "J-Bay") that came with two bag mags.

k_jupiter · Jun 9, 2007

kwmullet said:
Shoot Dianna or myself a PM if you're actually willing to let go of one, Tim.

We just got our latest bag mag in the mail today -- still has the strap with the snap and everything.

-KwM-

(Hmmm... Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut or just PM'd you privately. Next thing you know, there'll be a run on bag mags and the prices will go through the roof!)

btw -- Jeremy actually got us started on these things. We bought a 3x4 Graflex RB SLR from him (we've bought so much stuff from him, we've taken to occasionally saying we buy from "J-Bay") that came with two bag mags.

I'll think about it. I have four or five double sided holders for my Graflex, and a half dozen holders for my 3x4 Speed or Kalart Press, some NEW. When I run out of holders on the Graflex, I put on my "23" roll film holder.

Now if we can just find some more Adox (Efke) 25....

tim ( I want everything) in san jose

Uncle Jim · Jun 9, 2007

Dianna
Thanks for the link. Ordered 2 Boxes. Have 6 cameras that use 3x4 film and haven't been able to use them in a while. Really appreciate it.
uncle jim

dianna · Jun 9, 2007

I'm so glad I ran across it. There are lots of others in the same boat with us. I wonder if Freestyle saw our posts and pulled some strings to get 3x4 film on their inventory.

Uncle Jim said:
Dianna
Thanks for the link. Ordered 2 Boxes. Have 6 cameras that use 3x4 film and haven't been able to use them in a while. Really appreciate it.
uncle jim

removed account4 · Jun 9, 2007

kwmullet said:
Shoot, if Sanders doesn't want it, we probably do! We're building our collection of bag mags. We've got them in condition all the way from pretty darn close to pristine to those having big gaping holes in the leather. It's low-tech (or pre-high-tech) at it's best, in our opinion! (Dianna and me)

Not quite as fast as a Grafmatic to use, but a good many more sheets to use at one time, and they're one of those things that are just plain fun to use once you get the hang of it.

Shoot Dianna or myself a PM if you're actually willing to let go of one, Tim.

We just got our latest bag mag in the mail today -- still has the strap with the snap and everything.

-KwM-

(Hmmm... Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut or just PM'd you privately. Next thing you know, there'll be a run on bag mags and the prices will go through the roof!)

btw -- Jeremy actually got us started on these things. We bought a 3x4 Graflex RB SLR from him (we've bought so much stuff from him, we've taken to occasionally saying we buy from "J-Bay") that came with two bag mags.

hi kevin

i love bag mags too
i have about 3 or 4 of them ..
one had a leaky brittle bag ---
i found a leather repair guy in boston who made me a new one for 30$
he said the trick was a "light proof stitch" the bag he made me
works like a charm. if you want to get yours fixed, find a boutique-type
leather goods+repair guy(gal) you might hit the jackpot

good luck!
and happy slr'ing -

john

3x4 film availability

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