9x12 to 3.25 x 4.25 adapter?

[peter k.]

I have recently learned that there is were 9x12 to 3.25 x 4.25 adapters available, that would take a 3.24x4.25 film holder, and the 9x12 'frame' would slide into the grooves of the old European style 9x12 folders.

Does anyone know anything about these and pass on any any information on manufacture ect, so as I could do a better search?
Thanks..

 

[ntenny]

I have a few of these sheaths, but I'm at kind of a loss to say anything about them. They're light metal frames, similar to the typical 9x12 film sheaths, but with a border around the edges to bring the dimensions up to 9x12.

They seem to be at least slightly holder-specific; at least, the ones I have will fit in the Voigtlaender holders in which I got them, but won't quite mate with the retaining clips of a Nagel holder and won't fit into a double-lip Zeiss holder (665/5) at all.

They aren't very useful unless you have a cache of 3.25x4.25 film, which I don't believe anyone regularly cuts since the demise of Efke. If you're trying to fill Voigtlaender holders you're welcome to some of these---they're white elephants for me.

-NT

 

[Ian Grant]

I have a few as well, I think mine are Zeiss Ikon, I'm in the middle of moving house but will get to them in the next 3-4 days. Like nathan says though these adaptors are very specific to certain plate holders aetc and I know some of my Quarter plate film adaptors won't fit

There's no way I'd use them for film as Quarter plate film is only available at premium prices whereas 9x12 is a standard stock item and readily available, I do however have quite a few boxes of Quarter plates, Kodak, Ilford, Voigtlander etc.

Ian

 

[k_jupiter]

Y'all missed the point of the original question...

Yes, I have a couple (2 to be precise) adapters for 9x12 to 3x4 film holders. Cute little spring loaded backs that fit on the back of your 9x12 camera and allow you to focus on the ground glass then place the standard 3x4 film holder in the spring back just like a view camera.

Name on mine is Mico Springback from Mico Photo products 110 S. Dearborn St. Chicago ILL. I have one in it's original box with instructions on how to replace the ground glass if needed. These seemed to be popular in the back of 1940's and 50's photo magazines.

AND... you can get 3x4 film from Ilford during their we cut any size film period they have every year.

tim in san jose

 

[Ian Grant]

AND... you can get 3x4 film from Ilford during their we cut any size film period they have every year.

tim in san jose

3x4 film falls out of a quarter plate holder Joking aside though 3¼"x4¼" Quarter plate film is extremely expensive on the annual Ilford ULF order while 9x12 Ilford film is around half the price, and some colour films are available.

The OP is asking about inserts though not a reducing back.

Ian

 

[k_jupiter]

3x4 film falls out of a quarter plate holder Joking aside though 3¼"x4¼" Quarter plate film is extremely expensive on the annual Ilford ULF order while 9x12 Ilford film is around half the price, and some colour films are available.

The OP is asking about inserts though not a reducing back.

Ian

No he's not... "that would take a 3.24x4.25 film holder". It's beautiful. It's a slide in frame with a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 spring back on it with a ground glass. Exactly what he is looking for. I have Modern Photography Advertisement that show exactly what I have. It fits the description to the "T" that the OP described.

tim

 

[peter k.]

Hmmm not familiar with the term quarter plate. What's that?
Looking up Mico Springback from Mico Photo products.. it appears that it is actually a spring back with a ground glass.. very interesting... but alas none seem to be available on the action sight.

Background:
Thanks for all the replies... the reason I'm looking is I have a 3x4 speed, that I also cut different film for, and since I'm down to my last box of Efke, will probably order from Illford this year for quick back up, but will have to see what the cost will be in comparison to 4x5.
I know I can get 9x12 film for it, but never have, since I've shot so little with it. About four shots. That's why It would be nice to get an adapter to fit my 9x12 Zeiss Icon that could use 3x4, and perhaps then I would shoot it more often, and get use to handling it.
I really like this folder, but its awkward to me. Ha,,, So much more delicate and so much smaller, lighter then the 3x4 or 4x5 or the RB67.. that I'm use to, that I don't know how to handle it. ;-) Never have gotten comfortable, in where to grab it,,, and position it for a shot. But its so light, and folds so small it would be great for its large negative, on a walk about mit de dog up Oak creek.

 

[Ian Grant]

Technically what you call a 3x4 camera is in fact a 3¼"x4¼" Speed Graphic (according to Graflex themselves) and that format's Quarter plate, maybe it's more of a British and it's colonies name for the format, like Half plate and Whole plate.

It's possible Adox/Fotoimpex will be cutting quarter plate film, and Wephoto offer sizes like this as well all cheaper than Ilford's ULF offering.

Ian

 

[ntenny]

Oh, I get it; my apologies for misunderstanding. I think I read "slides into the 9x12 *holder*" rather than "folder".

I used to have one of these adapter backs (it came on one of my 9x12 cameras), but I haven't been able to find it for the last couple of years. It looked like a good home-brew or small-shop job in which someone had taken the spring back from a 3.25x4.25 camera and grafted it to an appropriately dimensioned plate of sheet metal, then added velvet light seals. It had a certain ad-hoc look about it, but it worked fine the one time I tried it.

An adventurous person with basic metalworking capabilities should be able to put together a similar thing, or perhaps start with one of the omnipresent pack-film backs instead of a plain sheet of metal...

Edit: If you have ZI holders in 9x12 for that camera, the inserts about which Ian and I originally thought you were asking would work as well.

Edit2: I understand "quarter-plate" to mean 3.25x4.25, for the very reasonable reason that it's one quarter of whole plate (6.5x8.5). I think I've actually read that 9x12 is sometimes called "European quarter-plate".

-NT