a question of metric and inch size formats

[removed account4]

hi

i know sort of, the metric equivilants of 4x5 + 5x7 which are 9x12 and 12x16cm
but if someone measures the ground glass in inches can someone tell me
the ground glass size ? would 5 x 6 1/2" be the same as 9x12 cm ? i don't know
what size the 5x7 might be, smaller or larger than ... 5x7.
thanks very much !
john

 

[dpurdy]

I have a ruler with both. An inch is just slightly larger than 25mm. A inch to millimeter converter is quick to find on google.

 

[cliveh]

John, does this help? -

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Plate_Sizes

 

[removed account4]

dpurdy and cliveh
thanks !
i have converted the 5x6 1/2 to mm /cm but they didn't come out to the metric film equiv. of a 4x5 sheet ( 9x12 cm )
i guess it is the metric of 4x5 that it is in cm and 4x5 film holders will fit this sort of back
the film holder for the 5x7 metric equiv fits in 5x7 cameras ... ( or so i read )

thanks again !

 

[Rudolf Karachun]

1"=25.4mm
4" x 5" = 101.6mm x 127mm = 10.16cm x 12.7cm
9cm x 12cm= 90mm x 120mm = 3.54" x 4.72"
5" x 7" = 127mm x 177.8mm = 12.7cm x 17.8cm
12cm x 16cm = 120mm x 160mm = 4.72" x 6.3"

 

[calebarchie]

I see light hearted banter is not an option for some, ridiculous forum.

 

[removed account4]

i know what hte metric conversions are ..

i was hoping someone with a 9x12 or 12 x 16 might measure their
ground glass and give me an clue as to its size in inches ! . the seller just gave me
us meaurments of the ground glass ( 5"x6 1/2 " ) so i need to deceipher what it mgiht be ..

thanks !

 

[bdial]

Not sure if it helps, but the GG on my 9x12 plate camera measures 3 3/10 x 4 1/2 inches, the inside measurements of the bellows frame are 3 1/2 x 4 7/10 (9x12 cm). (sorry, the ruler I am using has 1/10 graduations).
This camera doesn't take standard holders though.

 

[apkujeong]

Isn't 13x18 the closest metric format to 5x7?

One 9x12 ground glass back I've got has dimensions of 86.9mm x 121.8 (3.43" x 4.77")
A 13x18 ground glass back has 129.8 x about 173mm (my calipers only go up to 15cm, so the last measurement isn't exact). (5.1" x 6.8")

Those are both from ICA folding cameras - measuring the glass facing into the camera.

 

[goros]

Check this video. He shows the differences between 5x7" and 13x18cm films and holders.

 

[AgX]

-) the nominal film formats in the metric and imperial systems are different when calculated

-) the true film formats (image size) in the metric and imperial systems are different


-) the size of a ground glass is dependent on the camera design not on any standard

(With the latter in mind I do not understand the issue of this thread at all.)

 

[Steve Smith]

5x4 film is not quite 5x4. Glass plates were the exact size, but when film came along, the same holders were initially used with a folded metal septum to hold the film. This required the film to be slightly smaller than 5x4 to allow it plus the folded edges of the septum to fit in the 5x4 holder.

The same would be true of all of the formats which were originally glass plate sizes.

the seller just gave me
us meaurments of the ground glass ( 5"x6 1/2 " )

US measurements? They're British!!

Steve.

 

[removed account4]

thank you all for your helps !
it turns out the fellow doesn't have a smaller camera
( the one i wanted ) but a bigger one ( the one i already have )
i gotta keep swimming !
thanks again
- john

 

[MartinCrabtree]

Ah Britain.........the place where you can drive 10KM at 40 MPH to see the Doctor who gives you grief for weighing 16 stone and you pay the bill in pounds.

 

[wiltw]

5x4 film is not quite 5x4. Glass plates were the exact size, but when film came along, the same holders were initially used with a folded metal septum to hold the film. This required the film to be slightly smaller than 5x4 to allow it plus the folded edges of the septum to fit in the 5x4 holder.

The same would be true of all of the formats which were originally glass plate sizes.


US measurements? They're British!!

Steve.

Yeah, so-called 4x5 film is a different size than 4" x 5"...

• simple arithmetic conversion of '4x5' is 101.6mm x 127mm
• actual dimension of Kodak film is 3-7/8" x 4-7/8"
• actual dimension of Kodak film is 99mm x 124mm
• actual dimension of 4x5 Lisco film holder image area opening is 93mm x 120mm
• actual dimension of so-called '4x5' Polaroid image is 88mm x 114mm

And then you have the fact that the ground glass of a camera can deviate from the true image area or nominal film size...my Horseman monorail's ground glass, which I removed when I installed my bright ground glass by Bill Maxwell, measures about 100.5mm x 127mm.

As stated by someone else, I do not understand the OP issue of this thread at all.

 

[Steve Smith]

Ah Britain.........the place where you can drive 10KM at 40 MPH to see the Doctor who gives you grief for weighing 16 stone and you pay the bill in pounds.

Except there is no bill!!


Steve.

 

[removed account4]

As stated by someone else, I do not understand the OP issue of this thread at all.

my issue is that a seller had a somewhat rare camera and he had no idea what the format was
he had no film holder to test it with, he measured it with a ruler/tape measure by the ground glass
when i asked what size the glass was. knowing the maker made mostly european format cameras
( cm, not inch ) and knowing the actual european formats accept inch format film holders ... i was
trying my best to deceiper what format camera he had from his 5 inch by 6 1/2 inch ground glass measurement.
i have both the export to usa versions of the 5x7 and 8x10 of this camera - 50 5x7s were made, and 5 8x10s
there were equally as scarce numbers of 4x5s made. while the european versions versions are very nice, too,
and supposedly plentiful overseas ( not here in the states ) but to be honest, i dont' want / need a 13x18 format camera ... i would, however,
love to have the somewhat rare 4x5 version of this camera, and i could have lived with it being 9x12 seeing it is a beautiful camera
and would readily accept my 4x5 film holders.

so, while i am well aware of filmsizes, how plates are larger than film, how graphic film holders (slotted ) don't fit international back cameras,
polaroid image sizes, the difference between a #500 and 545i/545ipro back, pack film, pack film adapters,
what the dimensions & / tolerances are of 4x5 even "t" distances ( having made my own film holders before ), how before a certain time period
film holders were proprietary depending on the camera manufacturer &c, ( takes another deep breath !)
..... what i dont' know is what size a 9x12 ground glass might be in inches

when i converted 5 x 6.5 into cm i got something that could have been close enough to be the european version of 5x7 ( 13x18 )
it is bigger than a breadbox, and smaller than a house ... inbetween the 2. sizes, and unfortunately depending on the maker it varies.
i am friendly with someone overseas with the 9x12 version of this beautiful camera ( what i had hoped it was ! )
and he measured his ground glass in inches for me and it was smaller than 5 x 6 1/2 so the mystery is probably over, i think it is probably a 13x18..
i appreciate everyone's help, suggestions, weblinks ( sorry for the frustrations ! ) as you helped me decipher what was a mystery. all the size info, plate info, format info is wonderful, and ...
if someone wanders into this thread, not wanting to know what i was after, but the differences between
large format stuffs, this thread will have a lot of interesting and useful info !
ANd some humor to boot ! a sense of humor is needed when asking questions
that are obvious to some, worded wrong, meandering, confused and vague to others

john

 

[Chan Tran]

I guess your question is 5x7 is made in inches or mm. My guess they are made in inches but of course I can be wrong.

 

[pentaxuser]

Except there is no bill!!
Steve.

Good point, Steve and fortunately in our heath system there is a doctor and not the Doctor who is getting long in the tooth since his inception in 1963

pentaxuser

 

[John Koehrer]

[QUOTE

US measurements? They're British!!

Steve.[/QUOTE]

Nah! British would be 6 1/2" X 5"

 

[calebarchie]

Good point, Steve and fortunately in our heath system there is a doctor and not the Doctor who is getting long in the tooth since his inception in 1963

pentaxuser

Can you please explain how this comment helps the OP in any way?

 

[removed account4]

calebarchie
no worries,

i figured out the camera was a 13x18 european format.
my need or interest with this thread is over, now it will just drift. ...

 

[calebarchie]

Sorry, just playin' with him

 

[wiltw]

calebarchie
no worries,

i figured out the camera was a 13x18 european format.
my need or interest with this thread is over, now it will just drift. ...

Thx for the explanation of what you were truly after...trying to figure out what European size format the camera which you had was.
I knew it was not the simpleton 'convert by 25.4 mm per inch' no-value answer which you were getting from many!

 

[MartinCrabtree]

Except there is no bill!!


Steve.

Sure there is..........payroll tax,VAT,poll tax,ect...........you're just accustomed to it.