Want to Buy 4x5 film holders

Dennis S · Mar 25, 2014

I am just starting out with 4x5. I have done 35/120 for a great part of my life. I have been "given" 4 holders that always leave light leaks on the negative. Is there anyone out there who has film holders 4x5 that are proven "sealed" ? I only need maybe 2 for now so I can see what it is like to make a great 4x5. I live in W/Canada so shipping will be the biggest deciding factor. I have invested in the camera, lens, enlarger lens and 100 sheets of film only to be discourage by the holders. Maybe that the marks are left by something else but people here and in LFP think as I do. Someone must have some proven light sealed 4x5 that are just taking up space in their collection. And NO I do not want your "free" ones as I have paid shipping across N America for crap.
Thanks Dennis

Tom1956 · Mar 25, 2014

If you're just starting out, then the first thing you need to know is to pull the black cloth back over the camera back as soon as you pull out the dark slide, especially if the slot is pointed up. All film holders are to be considered leaky, even when new. Don't just walk around with a Graflex for instance with your dark slide out. Also be sure it's not the dark slide at all, but the spring-back of the camera, the felt, and how much back pressure you put on the film holder while slipping the slid in and out. Film holders get blamed for light leaks and sent to prison, when they were innocent, all the time.

Dennis S · Mar 25, 2014

Been through this before. Black cloth is always completely over the back & bellows whenever the holder even comes close to to the spring back. Spring back is good. Light seal (felt) on the back has been changed. This was probably the + or - 10th photo done with this camera. Each time I tried I eliminated the probable and was always only thing left is the holder.

Tom1956 · Mar 25, 2014

OK. I've seen the Riteway holders do this with the most frequency. Lisco Regals do pretty well. If that helps. Next thing is to get out all film holders and inspect by pulling dark slide out and looking for leaks through the slit with a bright source. Also check tapes on opposite end for pinholes whenyou open them. And see thet these end flaps do not have a lot of slop in their hingeing. Wooden holder should be summarily re-built.

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 25, 2014

CatLABS, one of APUG's new partner companies, has been offering for sale what look like very nice 4x5 film holders. Maybe he still has some left?

Take a look here...

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

[Edit: Better hurry, though. Someone else clicked on it one minute after my initial post...]

Ken

Richard Man · Mar 25, 2014

I bought 30+ holders from different people and never have any problems with any of them.

mgb74 · Mar 25, 2014

Not all darkslides are the same width. I have a plastic graflex holder with a darkslide about 1/8" wider than a Lisco Regal darkslide. So check yours for any side to side play. Darkslides and holders often get mixed up over time.

Dennis S · Mar 25, 2014

Thanks for the posts. Sent a PM but probably still looking. Shipping to V5M-3X1 for a shipping price estimate.

analoguey · Mar 25, 2014

If you are that paranoid about quality of used ones, why not just buy them new off B&H?

mgb74 · Mar 25, 2014

analoguey said:
If you are that paranoid about quality of used ones, why not just buy them new off B&H?

I looked at this the other day. $90 for a 2-pack. No, that's not a misprint - $90. And that doesn't include shipping.

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 25, 2014

mgb74 said:
I looked at this the other day. $90 for a 2-pack. No, that's not a misprint - $90. And that doesn't include shipping.

$45 each for brand new 4x5 film holders is not excessive. Since Calumet shut down all Fidelity/Lisco/Regal film holder production a couple of years ago (then sadly went Chapter 7 themselves recently), only Toyo holders remain. Unless you go the very expensive hand-made custom route. Calumet is still advertising new 4x5 Fidelity holders via That Auction Site for $49.99 each. (Don't do it...!!)

New Toyo 8x10 holders go for $200+. LF is not for the faint of wallet. The only way to justify these items as new is that they are (hopefully) a one-off lifetime purchase, to be reused again and again, then eventually resold as used at your estate sale. If one has not yet reached that level of LF commitment, then used holders are the way to go.

Since no seller intentionally advertises leaking used holders, find an auction that allows a 14-day return. Buy some holders. Place a sheet of 4x5 b&w photo paper into each holder. Set them out in the light, over easy, like the eggs. Then process the paper and return any that leaked. No one can contest a returned leaking holder, unless the auction description originally stated they were leaking. Which of course it didn't.

Ken

pbromaghin · Mar 25, 2014

6 used Riteway 4x5 holders just sold for $49 today right here on apug.

analoguey · Mar 25, 2014

mgb74 said:
I looked at this the other day. $90 for a 2-pack. No, that's not a misprint - $90. And that doesn't include shipping.

Toyos?
I know. But OP was leery of buying used and had issues, or seemed to, with suggestion of buying here.

Hence my suggestion.

Ken Nadvornick said:
LF is not for the faint of wallet. The only way to justify these items as new is that they are (hopefully) a one-off lifetime purchase, to be reused again and again, then eventually resold as used at your estate sale. If one has not yet reached that level of LF commitment, then used holders are the way to go.

Ken

Most certainly not for anyone faint of the wallet! Then again 45$ per sheet holder is same as an average CF card for digital SLR. Will probably see as much usage.

Sent from Tap-a-talk

mgb74 · Mar 25, 2014

I went back and checked. The $90 were for Fidelity holders.

Ken, LF may not be for the faint of wallet and I understand the economics of small scale production (as well as supply and demand), but I do think $45 for a new 4x5 holder is excessive. None the less, as the saying goes, it is what it is. I agree with your approach to buying used ones.

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 25, 2014

Just for a bit of perspective, the Dead Link Removed project just began. There are already 295 pledges from people who are willing to pay $15 per sheet for this 4x5 material. Three sheets equals a new conventional 4x5 holder. Even my wallet is fainting! (But I still also pledged something.)

I was surprised to see those 4x5 Fidelity holders on B&H. I thought they had ceased all selling of those. Then I remembered that Calumet had been advertising on their eBay clearance site a lot of 1,600 4x5 Fidelity holders. That lot disappeared not too long ago. I wonder if...

Ken

Drew B. · Mar 25, 2014

I've never had a problem with mine...(except what I caused...). I'll send a few to you if you'd like.

Dennis S · Mar 25, 2014

Drew B. said:
I've never had a problem with mine...(except what I caused...). I'll send a few to you if you'd like.

No definitely not new as I need to save my money for a few extra expenditures such as Food and Shelter. I contacted CatLABS and he has a few newer ones. See how this works out. Hopefully I can eventually build up my collection.

I also found 1... Only no ds
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Cut-film-hol...LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item4ad2714a70&_uhb=1

Why ?

binglebugbob · Mar 27, 2014

Yah, and the one on fleabay is "minty" Only thing wrong it's missing parts. I wonder what his "VG" items look like...
bob.

Dennis S · Mar 28, 2014

Everybody can relax from their search for holders ;o) I have 3 on their way now. Thanks for your relentless search. Might need some more in a month or two but this is good for now. Dennis

cabbiinc · Apr 6, 2014

Ken Nadvornick said:
Just for a bit of perspective, the Dead Link Removed project just began. There are already 295 pledges from people who are willing to pay $15 per sheet for this 4x5 material. Three sheets equals a new conventional 4x5 holder. Even my wallet is fainting! (But I still also pledged something.)

Ken

I think you've missed the point of Kickstarter entirely. Do you also think that people are willing to pay $50 for a printed T-shirt or camera pouch? The pledges are to fund the buying of equipment and materials to bring back a once great product, not to buy the product itself which has a target price of $6 per sheet (a bargain if you consider you get a print, a negative, and you don't have to pay for developing).

Dan

Ken Nadvornick · Apr 6, 2014

cabbiinc said:
I think you've missed the point of Kickstarter entirely.

I don't think I have.

As I've stated before, there are people right now willing to pay $15 per sheet (call it rewards, perks, levels, or whatever you want, bottom line it's still $15 apiece at this point) just to try to get the elephant to stand up and start walking. Once the elephant is running, the price point may drop to $6 (although personally, I think it will be higher).

But these early adopters (backers) realize the crucial fact that there is no way to reach the $6 point on the trail without first passing through the $15 point. And the new product is attractive enough to them in the long run to spend $15 initially right now.

The real problem at the moment is that the elephant looks like he might have sustained an unexpected broken leg, and may never stand up. At least without some serious financial physical therapy...

Ken

Huub · Apr 7, 2014

I remembering hoarding a few boxes of P55 when i read that Polaroid was going out of business in 2008 - paying €120,- a box of 20 sheets - which equaled to about 8 USD a sheet back then. I am not surpised would costs about double now, imagening all the effort that has to be put into the new project.

Want to Buy 4x5 film holders

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