Cut film?

[Darryl Roberts]

Hi,

I'm considering 4x10. Black and white's obtainable?

Is it possible to cut 8x10 color film into two 4x10s for use?

Thank you

 

[DREW WILEY]

Ilford does special sizes once a year, including 4x10 in 25 sheet boxes. This year the deadline is Aug 19th. You'll need to go through a participating dealer. But otherwise you could cut down 8x0 yourself; and you would realistically have to do that with any color film. Practice in the light first for cutter safety using unwanted film. And on one 4X10 piece, you'd need to cut a corner in lieu of code notching, so you can differentiate which side the emulsion is on. Also be sure any "4X10" holders you buy or have custom made are exactly sized for the specific cut you have in mind.

An option would be using an 8x10 camera with a special film holder made for two separate 4x10 exposures on the same sheet of 8x10 film. Ask ULF users who have this exact kind of experience.

 

[Donald Qualls]

special film holder

Really, the only "special" item you absolutely have to have is a spare dark slide, cut to divide the frame down the exact center (and an extra pencil line on the ground glass for framing). Have to reframe between the first and second exposure on a given sheet, of course.

 

[Nitroplait]

Really, the only "special" item you absolutely have to have is a spare dark slide, cut to divide the frame down the exact center (and an extra pencil line on the ground glass for framing). Have to reframe between the first and second exposure on a given sheet, of course.

I guess this pragmatic solution would also require that the back/front have sufficient movement to center the lens on the two respective half's.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I guess this pragmatic solution would also require that the back/front have sufficient movement to center the lens on the two respective half's.

So would a "special" film holder. Otherwise, you'd need a sliding back on the camera (simplest) or lots of rear rise (most field cameras have plenty of front rise for this), as well as enough shift for verticals.

 

[Oren Grad]

Details of this year's Ilford special order program are available here:

https://www.ilfordphoto.com//annual-ulf-sheet-film-ordering-window-for-2022/

In addition, Adox offers CHS 100 II factory-cut to 4x10, though at the moment it's showing as out of stock at Fotoimpex:

https://www.fotoimpex.com/films/adox-chs-100-ii-102x254-cm-4x10-inch-25-sheets.html

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Just curious Darryl, what kind of camera are you considering/using? Are you using a 4x10 or using a 8x10 camera?

Been wondering about 4x10 experience for a while.

Marcelo

 

[DREW WILEY]

A 4X10 only camera can be built somewhat smaller and lighter; but because it's a specialty item itself, it's likely to be somewhat pricey, and certainly will not be versatile. With an actual 8x10 system, there are lots of choices in cameras, with the potential for 4X5, 5X7, and 4x10 reducing backs. You don't necessarily need to use a full 8x10 holder with a split dark-slide, although dedicated 4x10 holders are themselves going to be expensive special-order items.

I take a long rectangle shot like that so infrequently that I just shoot it on ordinary 8x10 film and crop the image during printing, or trim down the neg on a cutter if a contact print is hypothetically in mind.

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

4x10 is include on Ilford ULF film program on FreeStylePhoto:

Black and White Film | Freestyle Photo & Imaging

Every major brand of black and white film, from 35mm to 120, at the best prices!

www.freestylephoto.biz

Marcelo

 

[abruzzi]

since the OPs question was specifically about color film, unfortunatley Ilford isn't going to help him. I know very little about 4x10, but cutting larger sheets down is a common solution to uncomon or no longer manufactured sizes. What you woul dneed to determine is what the actual 8 inch dimension and what the actual 4 inch dimension is, and that will tell you wether you can cut down and how many cuts it would take (BTW, also get a hole punch since you'll want to notch the extra sheet so you can still determine the emulsion side of both halves.)

For instance you can take a single 5x sheet and with two cuts turn it into 4 6.5x9 sheets, without wasting any of the film. I suspect that a single cut of 8x10 can turn it into 2 sheets of 4x10, but nominal sizes are always exact (I've never looked into actual size of either.)

 

[FeS2]

This fellow designed a camera having a septum to split a 5x7 sheet into two 2.5x7" images on one Reversible 5x7 sheet film holder...

Why not adapt the idea with a removable insert for your 8x10?

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/two-617-negs-on-a-5x7-camera-built-june-’93.155715/