4x5 glass plate holders

Robert Kennedy · Nov 29, 2003

O.k.

I want to do some glass plate negs. Ironically the subbing and coating seem to be the EASY part. The hard part is getting a plate holder. Especially since I work in 4x5.

So, anyone know of where I can get, or how I can make, a plate holder that will fit a standard 4x5 back? Or can I modify a sheet film holder? I am willing to sacrafice one of my old ones to this cause.

Also, ANy recommensations for how to use one of these in an enlarger?

MikeK · Nov 29, 2003

Keep an eye on Ebay, they show up from time to time. I bought a couple in 5x7 format thinking they would work for sheet film. Well they do to a point, but the film flops around inside the holder as the film is a lot thinner than the glass. Still they are well made and look very nice!

I doubt if you can modify a standard film holder as the the glass would be too thick.

Come to think of it Kodak still makes glass plates to special order. I wonder if Kodak Technical/Customer support can point you in the right direction?

- Mike

removed account4 · Nov 29, 2003

robert -
check places like midwest photo xchange / pittsburgh camera exchange. they have them sometimes. dagor77 on ebay suggested that he was putting some up soon. if you search ebay - put "plate holder" in quotes, &check descriptions too. i saw some a few weeks ago ..

what kind of enlarger do you use? i made a deep negatyive carrier out of foamcore that worked ok - i use an omega d3v ..

kodak used to make tmax 100 in platesfor photomichroscopy/scientific imaging, but they cost something like 350.00 / 100 plate box

\good luck!

-john

livemoa · Nov 29, 2003

There are people who still make them. A local artist who does ambrotypes had one made to fit his 10x8. It holds various size plates form 10x8 down to 1/4 plate and smaller.

The place to check would be those civil war reinactor groups as they have people who do this sort of stuff (why call any war civil, sounds like an oxymoron to me...any way back to the subject).

If you have no luck, let me know and I can track the person down and find out who made it for him.

Ole · Nov 30, 2003

Look for old Linhof Plate and Film holders with film ejector. They have pressure plates to adjust to the thickness of the film or plate. Very good quality, and still usable.

Robert Kennedy · Nov 30, 2003

Cool. I'll look for them.

I've been hitting EPay and there are some good options out there it seems if you search hard enough. The hard part is making sure you don't get a FILM holder instead of a PLATE holder. It seems dicey with some of these guys. But Zeiss and others made 4x5 plate cameras and whole cameras with holders are available.

My BIG concern is a lack of standards. I have no idea what was "standard" back then. So any help would be useful.

It APPEARS that Graflex made plate holders at some point and they can be had readily. I am not worried about the PLATE size, but if the thing will fit readily on a 4x5.

Here are some description I have found. If anyone knows if these will work, let me know.

Desc: Double Graflex Plate Holder wood framed with metal slides and brass locks. Marked Folmer Graflex Corp., U.S. Pat. and 4 X 5 Graphic Film. Are ½ thick,4 ¾ wide by 6 ¾ long to the top of the handle. Holder shows some rust on the handle frame. Slides and inside are very good.

Desc: Wood framed Graflex double Plate Holder very clean with aluminum pull handles. Marked 3 ¼ X 4 ¼ Gralex Film U.S. Pat. Measures ½" thick, 4 ¼ wide by 6 to top of handle.(VG)

Desc: The Premo Camera" double Plate Holder, wood framed and pull handles, is ½ thick, 4 ¾ wide and 6 ½ long to top of handle. One handle was replaced with a home made hand and it works just as good as the other plus adds some corrector to it. (G)

Ole · Nov 30, 2003

No idea about those, but this one is a 4x5" Plate and film holder, compatible with modern cameras:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=627&item=2960107584

Robert Kennedy · Nov 30, 2003

DOn't suppose ya wanna sell it....

Robert Kennedy · Nov 30, 2003

Actually I found some for sale, but they just call them film holders with pressure plates. Are these the same or did Linhof make different ones?

livemoa · Nov 30, 2003

Will you be using wet plate or dry plate?

This can make a big difference to the type of holder used

Robert Kennedy · Nov 30, 2003

Dry. Definately dry.

livemoa · Nov 30, 2003

Dry is easier...

but wet plate is more fun

If you where doing 10X8 I have two plate holders that I bought after being told they where film holders......

Ole · Dec 1, 2003

Robert Kennedy said:
Actually I found some for sale, but they just call them film holders with pressure plates. Are these the same or did Linhof make different ones?

Linhof made different styles, but as far as I know that will be the one. The other style is a "standard" film holder of supreme quality, with the added benefit of being screwed together so that it can be repaired (!). I'm trying to get hold of as many as possible of these, in 4x5" and 5x7"/13x18cm.

removed account4 · Dec 2, 2003

robert:
if you don't have a graflex slr, you probably don't want graflex film or plate holders. they are slotted to secure to the back of the camera, and they have a larger outside dimension than a "standard" / current film holder.

have you checked equinoxphotographic to see if they have 4x5 plate holders? sometimes they have things like that, and they have very reasonable prices

-john

4x5 glass plate holders

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