Box end flap holder for camera

[LDMartin1959]

Back in the day before DX encoded film cartridges and autofocus cameras the back cover of many 35mm cameras had a slotted holder into which you could slide the end flap of a film box so you had a ready identification of the film currently loaded in the camera. Does anyone know of any similar item which which can be mounted to the back of a camera that did not come with one installed?

TIA.

 

[Peltigera]

I fold the box end in four and place it in the accessory shoe.

 

[AgX]

Once those flap-holders were available as self-adhesive accessories. But you could make such yourself.

 

[LDMartin1959]

I fold the box end in four and place it in the accessory shoe.

Hmmm. Hadn't thought of that. Although one of my desires is the ability to quickly identify between two identical bodies loaded with different film and the slide holder on the back would be quicker for that purpose, still your method is a great solution. And it has the virtue of being free and eliminates the possibility of mucking up the surface of the camera with adhesive.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Back in the day before DX encoded film cartridges and autofocus cameras the back cover of many 35mm cameras had a slotted holder into which you could slide the end flap of a film box so you had a ready identification of the film currently loaded in the camera. Does anyone know of any similar item which which can be mounted to the back of a camera that did not come with one installed?

TIA.

They were for sale, back in the 70s and 80s.
I put a piece of masking tape on the baseplate and write the film type and E.I. with a Sharpie. Masking tape peels off cleanly, as long as you don't leave it there for a year or two.

 

[LDMartin1959]

Once those flap-holders were available as self-adhesive accessories. But you could make such yourself.

Make one? Ha. Proof that you don't know me. If it weren't for my fingers I'd be all thumbs! All seriousness aside though, are you talking about making one out of metal, or plastic, or [insert unknown material here]. And if one could still find one of the self-adhesive accessories somewhere, what were they called and who might be likely to carry them? I ask that only because I am really lousy at searching for things 'cuz I tend to pick the wrong terms so I figure I'd probably pick the wrong terms/name in trying to search for those as well.

 

[LDMartin1959]

They were for sale, back in the 70s and 80s.
I put a piece of masking tape on the baseplate and write the film type and E.I. with a Sharpie. Masking tape peels off cleanly, as long as you don't leave it there for a year or two.

Hmmm. Another worthy idea. And if I used painters tape (which is supposedly even less sticky than masking tape) it should be even less of a problem.

 

[AgX]

One could make them from plastic or metal U-profiles. Better though seems making two U-frames from plastic sheet of the thickness of the flap. One with inner size the same as the flap and a second one with same outer size as the first frame, but smaller opening. Both are glued together. The first frame is stuck with doublesided adhesive tape to back of camera.

 

[LDMartin1959]

One could make them from plastic or metal U-profiles. Better though seems making two U-frames from plastic sheet of the thickness of the flap. One with inner size the same as the flap and a second one with same outer size as the first frame, but smaller opening. Both are glued together. The first frame is stuck with doublesided adhesive tape to back of camera.

Sounds like it may be beyond my skills but I will keep it in mind as an option. Thank you.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Hmmm. Another worthy idea. And if I used painters tape (which is supposedly even less sticky than masking tape) it should be even less of a problem.

If your cameras are chrome finish, you can write with a Sharpie wherever there's room on the camera, Sharpie ink wipes right off with a bit of acetone or isopropyl.

 

[benjiboy]

Amazon UK sell them made by Hama the German photo accessory makers http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00006J6J8/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I bought a couple of them 2years ago

 

[LDMartin1959]

If your cameras are chrome finish, you can write with a Sharpie wherever there's room on the camera, Sharpie ink wipes right off with a bit of acetone or isopropyl.

No, they are black finish.

 

[LDMartin1959]

Amazon UK sell them made by Hama the German photo accessory makers http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00006J6J8/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I bought a couple of them 2years ago

Not available from Amazon.com in the US. But I'll contact Amazon.com-UK and see what the options are. Thank you.

 

[Chan Tran]

One of my camera doesn't have that slot but it does have a windows where the film cassette is so I can tell which film is loaded. I guess newer cameras use this type of windows instead of the slot. Older cameras still have a dial that you can set to indicate which film is loaded.

 

[AgX]

Though those dials only indicated b&w or colour and neg or transparency. At least those models I got.

 

[Mike Wilde]

I bulk roll a lot. So I write in small font what I am loading onto a thin piece of masking tape with a sharpie permanent marker.

The tape gets a small fold under one end to make it easier to pull it off.

The tape initally gets adhered to the top of the film storage can.

When the film is loaded to the camera I peel the tape off the can lid and either stick it on the back of the camera, or the side of the pentaprism.

 

[flatulent1]

Amazon UK sell them made by Hama the German photo accessory makers http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00006J6J8/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I bought a couple of them 2years ago

£12.39 ?!? Holy cats! I have a few of these left. I wonder what I could get for them on ebay...

 

[Sirius Glass]

£12.39 ?!? Holy cats! I have a few of these left. I wonder what I could get for them on ebay...

If someone here will make a bunch of them and sell them to us, I would buy one.

 

[Truzi]

If you always have the same strap on the body (assuming you use a strap), you could clip something onto it - or color-code the straps, lens-cap, etc.

I do really like Peltigera's accessories shoe idea.

Depending on your model camera, it may have been offered at some point, and you may be able to pick up a used back with the holder.

 

[Chan Tran]

Which camera does the OP have? I have a couple of cameras without the box end flap holder but they both have a window where I can see the film cassette inside and know what kind of film is loaded.

 

[LDMartin1959]

If someone here will make a bunch of them and sell them to us, I would buy one.

I thought that seems a bit steep, but then I figured that they may be highly sought after and selling briskly at that price.

 

[LDMartin1959]

I bulk roll a lot. So I write in small font what I am loading onto a thin piece of masking tape with a sharpie permanent marker.

The tape gets a small fold under one end to make it easier to pull it off.

The tape initally gets adhered to the top of the film storage can.

When the film is loaded to the camera I peel the tape off the can lid and either stick it on the back of the camera, or the side of the pentaprism.

I don't "roll my own" but the tape idea has gotten several mentions so it seems a popular one. Thanks.

 

[LDMartin1959]

If you always have the same strap on the body (assuming you use a strap), you could clip something onto it - or color-code the straps, lens-cap, etc.

I do really like Peltigera's accessories shoe idea.

Depending on your model camera, it may have been offered at some point, and you may be able to pick up a used back with the holder.

I have a Canon Elan 7E. Not sure if a back with holder was ever made for it. At least, I haven't seen any reference to one. But I am not an expert on equipment so the fact that I haven't seen any mention of one doesn't mean a great deal.

Which camera does the OP have? I have a couple of cameras without the box end flap holder but they both have a window where I can see the film cassette inside and know what kind of film is loaded.

It does have a window, but I can't really see much through it other that to see if it is loaded. Beyond that, it is not of much use.

 

[Truzi]

Looking at some pictures online, with the controls on the back, it doesn't seem like they'd have made one with an holder.

The hot-shoe idea still sounds good. You could also put a sticker on the window, as that'd likely not hurt the finish.

 

[LDMartin1959]

Looking at some pictures online, with the controls on the back, it doesn't seem like they'd have made one with an holder.

The hot-shoe idea still sounds good. You could also put a sticker on the window, as that'd likely not hurt the finish.

Yes, the hot shoe idea seems to be the simplest and most cost effective solution.