6x9 sheet film - a today's choice of flavors?

eumenius · Aug 28, 2007

Hello friends,

for a ridiculous price I've got a nice camera off Ebay - a 6x9 folder probably from 1920s, equipped with Rodenstock Eurynar 105/5.6 (I always wanted to see how those ancient dialytes work), and, most interesting, fitted with a spring Graphic-style back made by RJ Camera Lab, LA, accepting standart Graphic holders. Two of these were included with camera. I have not got it in hands yet, but I'm thinking about using it with sheet film - so my question is, how many companies are still making BW 6x9cm film? My beloved Freestyle has these excellent EFKE 25 and 100 films in 6x9 (though 100 is out of stock now ), but maybe you can tell me what else films are available in this obsolete format? Does anyone still use sheet film in 6x9, while it's commonly thought now as a rollfilm format?

Cheers from Moscow,
Zhenya

Ole · Aug 28, 2007

I use 6.5x9 quite often, in old folders...

Assuming that's what you're asking about, there are a few more films than Efke:

Nordfoto.de still has Agfa APX100 in 6.5x9

Ilford makes FP4+ in 6.5x9

juan · Aug 28, 2007

I use 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 sheet film from Freestyle - they have Foma films in that size as their arista.edu house brand in addition to the Efke. Ilford cuts HP5 in that size, too. It's one of my most used formats.
juan

eumenius · Aug 28, 2007

So-la-la! And Agfa APX100 is quite cheap in that format, too... I think I would have some when my wallet would be fuller It is, of course, 6.5x9 I didn't see FP4+ anywhere in this format - what could be the potential sources?

Regards from Moscow,
Zhenya

Ole said:
I use 6.5x9 quite often, in old folders...

Assuming that's what you're asking about, there are a few more films than Efke:

Nordfoto.de still has Agfa APX100 in 6.5x9

Ilford makes FP4+ in 6.5x9

eumenius · Aug 28, 2007

It looks that Freestyle now is out of stock with 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 now - let's wait and see

juan said:
I use 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 sheet film from Freestyle - they have Foma films in that size as their arista.edu house brand in addition to the Efke. Ilford cuts HP5 in that size, too. It's one of my most used formats.
juan

eumenius · Aug 28, 2007

Ole,

are the 6.5x9 films and holders different from 2 1/4" x 3 1/4" version? Are Graphic holders compatible with both versions, or is it all the same? Or maybe there were metric holders for metric size, and US holders for inch size, like with 9x12 and 4x5"? I'm all confused

Zhenya

Ole said:
I use 6.5x9 quite often, in old folders...

juan · Aug 28, 2007

2 1/4 x 3 1/4 is most likely the size of Graphic holders. I think the film is narrower than 6.5x9. There is also a size popular in the UK that is 2 1/2 x 3-something. Again slightly larger than the 2 1/4 x 3 1/4.

I have tried to get Ilford interested in cutting FP4 to 2 1/4 x 3 1/4, but to date have not been able to stir up any interest. The HP5 in that size is a normally stocked item - B&H shows it in stock now.
juan

eumenius · Aug 28, 2007

That's what I thought - of course, in smaller format applies the same separation between metric and inch sizes Most probably, it would be 2.25x3.25". The most reasonable thing, I think, is to wait until the camera arrives - while I clean and adjust it, the film would arrive, and I would understand the film size. Two holders are too few - I would buy some more on KEH, in the same size.

Why FP4+ in this format is not popular? A mystery for me. Ilford does cut 400 ASA film in this format, but not 100? Huh.

Cheers,
Zhenya

juan said:
2 1/4 x 3 1/4 is most likely the size of Graphic holders. I think the film is narrower than 6.5x9. There is also a size popular in the UK that is 2 1/2 x 3-something. Again slightly larger than the 2 1/4 x 3 1/4.

I have tried to get Ilford interested in cutting FP4 to 2 1/4 x 3 1/4, but to date have not been able to stir up any interest. The HP5 in that size is a normally stocked item - B&H shows it in stock now.
juan

David A. Goldfarb · Aug 28, 2007

2.25x3.25" (nominally 2x3") and 6.5x9cm holders have the same external dimensions, but the film size is different.

2x3" films I've used are J&C (Fortepan) 400 and 200 and Efke PL100. HP5+ is available. FP4+ might be made with the next special LF cutting, if enough people request it.

Erik Hartmann · Aug 28, 2007

Zhenya

http://www.banse-grohmann.de/fotogra.htm in Werningerode still have this film... AS far as I know, they cut them from FOMA material......
So just giv them a mail (they do speek english (and probaly russian... old east-german)). I have all my planfilms from them....

Erik

PS
I have some extra holders.... perhabs you can use them.... but have to know the exact size......

Michael W · Aug 28, 2007

You can also get Fuji Acros in 6.5x9 size. I bought some recently from Megaperls. I have the 6.5x9 plate holders & 2 film holding sheaths that sit inside the plate holder. I haven't tried this yet (too many things happening) but I'm sure it will work OK. I've also seen people in Germany selling Agfa RSX in 9x12 size so I'm hoping some 6.5x9 will surface as well. I have 6 plate holders but only 2 sheaths, so I'd like to get some more of them.
I also got some Arista from Freestyle, not sure who manufactures it.

eumenius · Aug 28, 2007

Thank you, David! That's exactly what I thought - the same external grooves and dimensions, but for a slightly different format... let's see first what would be my two holders. 99.9% probability is that they are 2.25x3.25" - after all, they come from the US

Regards,
Zhenya

David A. Goldfarb said:
2.25x3.25" (nominally 2x3") and 6.5x9cm holders have the same external dimensions, but the film size is different.

2x3" films I've used are J&C (Fortepan) 400 and 200 and Efke PL100. HP5+ is available. FP4+ might be made with the next special LF cutting, if enough people request it.

Nokton48 · Aug 30, 2007

Zhenya,

When J&C was closing it's doors, and selling out of everything, I loaded up on 6.5x9cm Efke PL100, buying ten big boxes at a good discount. Previously I had purchased 6.5x9cm J&C Classic 200 from them, which gives me a choice of flavors

All of this fits like a glove into the single-sheet holders for my Plaubel Makina and Plaubel Makiflexes

k_jupiter · Aug 30, 2007

I would suspect the film holders that fit your spring back are for 2.25x3.25. In the fifties, a lot of these type springbacks were sold in the back of photomagazines. I have the 3.25x4.25 springback for a 9x12 camera setup. I have looked for the equivelent in 2x3 size with no luck. I have a very nice 6.5x9 Zeiss Trona that never gets used because I don't feel like dealing with yet another film size and single sided film holders.

If you run across another slide in spring holder for 6.5x9 camera, let me know. I might just trade some 'new', still in box, 2.25x3.25 Graflex film holders for one.

tim in san jose

eumenius · Sep 1, 2007

Tim,

I asked the seller to measure the opening of the holder - it is indeed 2.25x3.25", so that's the film format I have ordered from Freestyle The opening size should correspond to film size, and the inner holder's rails would eat away some space from longer sides of picture, right? The same thing with all current film holders, say, 4x5". The next step would be more holders - when my wallet is more full than now

I will tell you if I would ever meet such a spring back adapter again, of course. Well, I have solved my alike problem with Voigthlaender Avus (Heliar 105/4.5, perfectly clean) in a different way - I have bought a shabby 6x7 back for Mamiya RB67, cutting the grooves in it and shimming the ground glass appropriately. Now I have an excellent portable 6x7 folding camera with an automatic 120 film back, and not much alterations was made to camera itself )) It takes stunningly sharp and crisp pictures, as I have expected before attempting such a repair

Cheers,
Zhenya

k_jupiter said:
I would suspect the film holders that fit your spring back are for 2.25x3.25. In the fifties, a lot of these type springbacks were sold in the back of photomagazines. I have the 3.25x4.25 springback for a 9x12 camera setup. I have looked for the equivelent in 2x3 size with no luck. I have a very nice 6.5x9 Zeiss Trona that never gets used because I don't feel like dealing with yet another film size and single sided film holders.

If you run across another slide in spring holder for 6.5x9 camera, let me know. I might just trade some 'new', still in box, 2.25x3.25 Graflex film holders for one.

tim in san jose

keithwms · Sep 1, 2007

For those of you who use it, what is the advantage of using this small sheet film? Is it meaningfully flatter than roll?

I have toyed with the idea of trying it.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 1, 2007

Depends on the rollfilm back. Film flatness in Linhof Super-Rollex backs is outstanding, so there's not much difference there.

The format is a bit different. 56x72 is a little more square, and 2.25x3.25" is narrower and a little longer, but not as much as one might expect.

I find sheet film easier to file and manage, and I like the option of individual sheet development as opposed to carrying three rollfilm backs, but I can work both ways. I like Grafmatics for 4x5" and it feels natural to me to use them with 2x3". I shoot more rollfilm than 2x3 sheet. If you scan, it's often easier to cut the individual frame to be scanned from the roll, and you don't have to do that with sheet film.

I recently picked up a 2x3" sheet film back for my 4x5" Tech V, but haven't used it much yet, so I could get a little more use out of my 2x3" filmholders.

k_jupiter · Sep 2, 2007

keithwms said:
For those of you who use it, what is the advantage of using this small sheet film? Is it meaningfully flatter than roll?

I have toyed with the idea of trying it.

Ya know? That's a hard call. I find the .25x3.25 sheet films a PitB to process, handle, etc. But I still do it occasionally. Someday I might find a reason to use it and I will still want it there. I prefer processing and printing 120 format but the 2x3 sheet film is still in my camera, and refrigerator. I would like to use my 6.5x9 Trona some day and the only way that will happen is with a spring back for 2x3 sheet film holders.

tim in san jose

k_jupiter · Sep 2, 2007

eumenius said:
Tim,

I will tell you if I would ever meet such a spring back adapter again, of course. Well, I have solved my alike problem with Voigthlaender Avus (Heliar 105/4.5, perfectly clean) in a different way - I have bought a shabby 6x7 back for Mamiya RB67, cutting the grooves in it and shimming the ground glass appropriately. Now I have an excellent portable 6x7 folding camera with an automatic 120 film back, and not much alterations was made to camera itself )) It takes stunningly sharp and crisp pictures, as I have expected before attempting such a repair

Cheers,
Zhenya

Hmmm. I have extra rb67 backs.... I have the tools to attempt this. Got pictures? A 105 lens with a 6x4.5 rb67 back sounds like a nice medium telephoto set up.

tim in san jose

gordrob · Sep 2, 2007

I carry a 2x3 Speed Graphic in a bag in the car all the time. Normally I have 5 holders with FP4 (1999) and a couple of film packs of old Tri X. Doesn't take up a lot of space and is fun to use. I process the sheet film in hangers and the film packs in a tray. The film packs also allow you to remove as many sheets as you expose to process and keep on using the pack. It's too bad that Kodak quit producing these gems.
Regards
Gord

Ole · Sep 2, 2007

k_jupiter said:
Ya know? That's a hard call. I find the .25x3.25 sheet films a PitB to process, handle, etc. But I still do it occasionally. Someday I might find a reason to use it and I will still want it there. I prefer processing and printing 120 format but the 2x3 sheet film is still in my camera, and refrigerator. I would like to use my 6.5x9 Trona some day and the only way that will happen is with a spring back for 2x3 sheet film holders.
...

6.5x9cm is very easy to process, in JOBO 2509 reels.

k_jupiter · Sep 2, 2007

Ole said:
6.5x9cm is very easy to process, in JOBO 2509 reels.

Much to the annoyance of those of us who wish to use it for 2.25x3.25 and 3.25x4.25... I tried modifying a 2509 for my amurican sizes... trashed it.

So I process 2x3 and 3x4 in PVC tubes in a Patterson System tank. The 2x3 pieces of film are just a bit small and like to retain their anti-halation backing, meaning longer wash times...

tim in san jose

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 2, 2007

The Nikor stainless steel tank, if you can find one, can adjust to any sheet film size from 2x3" up to 4x5".

keithwms · Sep 2, 2007

Alright, courtesy of Joe Harrigan just down the road, I now have some 2.25x3.25 holders to try. They are very cute.

Michael W · Sep 2, 2007

While we're on this subject - does anyone know of a Polaroid back to fit a 6.5x9 camera? I have a Voigtlander Avus.

6x9 sheet film - a today's choice of flavors?

eumenius

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