8x10 sheet film movement

climbabout · Mar 27, 2006

Any of you had any problems with 8x10 film either shifting or buckling during long exposures - i.e from say between 10 seconds and 2 minutes? Any tricks out there?
Thanks
Tim Jones

Daniel Grenier · Mar 27, 2006

climbabout said:
Any of you had any problems with 8x10 film either shifting or buckling during long exposures - i.e from say between 10 seconds and 2 minutes? Any tricks out there?
Thanks
Tim Jones

Nope. Not me.

Can you explain your problem further? Are you, perhaps, shooting with the film (camera) aimed straight down? What kind of film holders? Are you less-than-careful when firing your shutter at both ends of the shoot? Are you maybe removing a lens cap too harshly to expose the film (thus creating vibration)?

I use Fidelity holders for my 8x10 and never had this issue - even with exposures as long as 20 minutes. If you have a solid tripod and steady camera in a vibration free are, I can't see your film shifting or buckling.

ChuckP · Mar 27, 2006

I have. I think its a common problem. Mostly I've seen it on hot, humid days. Solutions I've heard about are tapping the holder before insertion, using some kind of double sided tape, and waiting a period of time between removing the dark slide and making the exposure. I solved it by going to 5x7.

Amund · Mar 27, 2006

Never had that problem.
But hot, humid day comes pretty rare here in Norway

climbabout · Mar 27, 2006

Daniel Grenier said:
Nope. Not me.

Can you explain your problem further? Are you, perhaps, shooting with the film (camera) aimed straight down? What kind of film holders? Are you less-than-careful when firing your shutter at both ends of the shoot? Are you maybe removing a lens cap too harshly to expose the film (thus creating vibration)?

I use Fidelity holders for my 8x10 and never had this issue - even with exposures as long as 20 minutes. If you have a solid tripod and steady camera in a vibration free are, I can't see your film shifting or buckling.

I have eliminated camera vibration of any kind in this instance - the tripod was solid, ground movemnet in this area did not occur and the esposure in this last instance was long enough that any movement from the shutter opening and closing would have had no noticeable effect on image sharpnes. I'm not sure which holder this neg cam from - either fidelity or elite -.

matt miller · Mar 27, 2006

Maybe the film has slipped a little in the holder? I've made it a habit to tap the holder a few times to be sure the film is seated before I insert the holder into the camera.

climbabout · Mar 27, 2006

matt miller said:
Maybe the film has slipped a little in the holder? I've made it a habit to tap the holder a few times to be sure the film is seated before I insert the holder into the camera.

Thanks - that's my gut feeling as to what happened - I believe there's probably about 1/32" play in how the film fits in the holder and it may have just shifted.

rbarker · Mar 27, 2006

climbabout said:
Thanks - that's my gut feeling as to what happened - I believe there's probably about 1/32" play in how the film fits in the holder and it may have just shifted.

That would be my guess, as well, Tim. The film will move around within the tolerance area during transport, and if the shooting position is opposite the side that the film settled to during transport, gravity will often eventually take over. I've also adopted the habit of tapping the holder (holding it in one hand, and tapping against the other palm) just prior to insertion to move the film to the bottom.

climbabout · Mar 27, 2006

rbarker said:
That would be my guess, as well, Tim. The film will move around within the tolerance area during transport, and if the shooting position is opposite the side that the film settled to during transport, gravity will often eventually take over. I've also adopted the habit of tapping the holder (holding it in one hand, and tapping against the other palm) just prior to insertion to move the film to the bottom.

Thanks - That procedure will now be part of my routine - I never dreamed a change in format from 5x7 to 8x10 and from enlarging to contact printing would involve this big a learning curve. Throw in getting accustomed to pyro based developer and semi stand development and it's like starting over.

juan · Mar 27, 2006

I do the tapping and have never had a film shift. And I shoot in a hot and humid climate.
juan

Jim Noel · Mar 27, 2006

Tapping helps eliminate film movement.

To stop the buckling, with the shutter closed and the dark cloth over the back of the camera and film holder, remove the dark slide and wait 1-2 minutes for the buckling to take place. The make your exposure and there wil be no further buckling.

colrehogan · Mar 27, 2006

When out using my 4x5, I once had some film buckling and couldn't reinsert my darkslide. I tilted the camera upwards and with the help of gravity, was able to salvage that piece of film.

John Bartley · Mar 27, 2006

I've never had film buckling, but because I cut my 8x10's from a roll, my trouble (not too often thank goodness!) has been negatives falling out of the holder from being cut too small . I also started tapping them down into place before I expose (the film) and as long as they're cut right, I have no trouble with expansion from heat.

cheers

8x10 sheet film movement

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency