Full Plate film holder size

[Rob Skeoch]

Does anyone know the exact outside dimension of a full plate film holder?
-Rob

 

[Terence]

You made to narrow it down to a maker and time period. I have 3 film holders of two different sizes and styles and 6 plate holders of 3 different sizes and two different styles.

 

[Roger Hicks]

You made to narrow it down to a maker and time period. I have 3 film holders of two different sizes and styles and 6 plate holders of 3 different sizes and two different styles.

No, there was a standardized 1/1 pl holder (like 4x5, 5x7/13x18/half plate, 8x10/18x24) -- but alas I no longer have any.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

The closest thing to a "standard" whole-plate film holder was the Kodak/Rochester, at least in the United States. There may well have been a different English/French standard. When you get into bookform holders for glass plates, the standards concept goes completely out the window. DDS-style glass plate holders might also conform to the same Rochester/Kodak standard in the US, and the UK/Fr standard elsewhere. There's probably also a yet again different standard in Germany.

 

[Harrigan]

My Rittreck FP holders were probably some of the last made. They measure about 7-3/4" wide or just over 195mm width. They are 10-11/16" long or about 271mm not including the dark slides. I wouldn't take these as perfect measurements but should be pretty close.

 

[Oren Grad]

The Rittreck WP holders are considerably different from the Eastman holders. In particular, the distance to the rib lock makes the Rittreck holders too long to fit in Eastman backs, or at least the Eastman backs that I have on hand.

Rob, why do you ask? The best answer for your purposes may vary depending on what you're trying to fit to what.

 

[Harrigan]

The Rittreck FH fit my old Century full plate but i never shot them in that camera. They appear to have the same t-lock dimensions.

 

[Dave Wooten]

Does anyone know the exact outside dimension of a full plate film holder?
-Rob

Rob what are the specs on the new Ebony full plate cameras?

 

[Sal Santamaura]

Rob what are the specs on the new Ebony full plate cameras?

Ebony built its camera back to accept my Lotus holders, which were based on Lotus' 8x10 holder design. That means their T-dimension is 0.260 inch, which a number of vintage 6.5x8.5 holders also used.

Outside width of the Lotus holder is 198.0mm. Distance from taped end to start of the lock rib is 233.4mm. Thickness is 14.3mm.

Fotoman Camera is making its holders very slightly smaller in width and distance to lock rib and also using 0.260 inch for the T-dimension. That way they will be compatible with the Ebony as well as a number of vintage cameras.

 

[Dave Wooten]

Thanks

 

[Rob Skeoch]

So I get the feeling there's no standard. Sal do you feel the Lotus holders are the ones to use as a modern day standard. I'm not likely to buy old holders anyway.
-Rob

 

[Sal Santamaura]

So I get the feeling there's no standard. Sal do you feel the Lotus holders are the ones to use as a modern day standard. I'm not likely to buy old holders anyway.
-Rob

I was never able to find an ANSI/ISO standard for this size, going back to the 1951 version.

Given their price, I don't think the Lotus holders will take hold as a "standard." It will likely come down to them or the impending Fotoman Camera 6.5x8.5 holders. While an exact weight is not yet available from Fotoman, I suspect those will be noticeably heavier than Lotus', considering Paul is using high density plastic as well as metal septums and dark slides.

If one were designing a camera back, I'd suggest sizing for the Lotus holders. That would permit using either them or the very slightly smaller (outer dimensions) Fotoman holders, with the choice based on criticality of weight and budget.

 

[Terence]

No, there was a standardized 1/1 pl holder (like 4x5, 5x7/13x18/half plate, 8x10/18x24) -- but alas I no longer have any.

As noted by others, there may have been more common sizes, but not one worldwide standard. With the exception of two Japanese bookform holders, all of my holders are "typical" double-darkslide style and of U.S. origin and every company's is different. Some don't even have ribs for the rib lock, but rather slide into a pocket at end opposite the dark-slide slot. The overall sizes of the film holders vary by almost an inch in the length and width. The plate holders are closer at 3/4".