how many film holders do you have?

[destroya]

just wondering. I always seem to think I have enough, then I go out on a shoot and, of course, shoot all the holders I bring with me. so I wonder, should I get more? I get a few more, then on the next shoot, wind up shooting all the holders I bring again.

so how many do you have? haw many is enough?

john

 

[BrianShaw]

You need to buy, load, and schlep a few more. You’ll know you have enough when you no longer need to post about thinking you don’t have enough.

You’ll never know until you know!

 

[removed account4]

john

i have a ton of 4x5holders don't use them as much these days ... but when i'd be sent out to document a old building, bridge &c it seems like i never had enough .

john

 

[bdial]

Like Brian said, it mostly depends on how many you want to carry and worry about. If you want a number, 10 is probably a good minimum, so that you may not have to resort to field reloading, and perhaps 15 or 20 tops to carry around.

Without going down and counting them, I don't know how many I have, and I rarely would try to carry all of them, so I guess I have enough

 

[Luckless]

Currently my collection is 4 standard 4x5 holders, plus a grafmatic for a rapid 6 frames.

So far I've yet to use all of those frames in a single outing, but I've only taken the large format out for short afternoon walks with fairly specific images already in mind. I imagine that if I were heading out on the road for a period of time that I would want to have far more ready loaded holders on hand and ready to go.

 

[bunip]

i have 30 5x7, 6 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 and 12 4x5; i never use 4x5 and when go shooting 5x7 7-8 per day are ok (14-16 negatives); 30 allow me to go on holiday and avoid loading in a changing bag even if sometimes it happens.

 

[James Bleifus]

6 Chamonix and 5 Toyo. I love the Chams because they’re light and solid, and all 6 fit in my camera pack. I plan to buy more to carry in a separate bag.

Cheers, James

 

[BradS]

I have more than 50 Riteway 4x5 - many, many more than I need or use.

On day trips, I rarely carry more than six into the field.

I’ve been out in the field for two weeks at a time and only brought ten film holders. I reload in a changing bag each night.

I guess I have enough.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

15, 4x5, 16, 8x10, and 1, 14x17.

 

[awty]

15, 4x5, 16, 8x10, and 1, 14x17.

16, 8x10's! Thats just being greedy.
I have 10, 4x5's , 2, 4x5 plate holders, 3, 8x10's, 3, 24cm x 30cm plate holders and half a 14x17 I made myself and haven't got around to finishing the second. More than enough for a weekend, but need a light proof changing tent for any longer.

 

[mshchem]

I have countless 4x5, plenty 5x7 (I gave away at least a dozen, tried to quit 5x7, didn't take) at least 15 8x10, and 7 or 8 11X14.

Only once in my life did I buy a new holder, 8x10, one, over 35 years ago.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have around 40, most I got at a thrift store, like 30 in a box for $10.00.

 

[ic-racer]

Three: 2 1/4 x 3 1/4
Fifteen: 4x5"
Eight: 8x10"

 

[Alan9940]

Since I have 'em spread all over the house--in camera bags, backpacks, boxes, drawers, etc--it would take some time to get an accurate count, but I'd say about 20 8x10's, 30 4x5's, and about a half dozen 4x5 Grafmatics.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

16, 8x10's! Thats just being greedy.
I have 10, 4x5's , 2, 4x5 plate holders, 3, 8x10's, 3, 24cm x 30cm plate holders and half a 14x17 I made myself and haven't got around to finishing the second. More than enough for a weekend, but need a light proof changing tent for any longer.

The more holders I have, the less time spent with arms stuck in film changing tent during road trip.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

On the road I carry 50 loaded holders in a cooler. However, when I go into the field, I carry a maximum of 6 (12 sheets). The more I photograph, the less film I shoot. 30 years ago, I'd shoot up all six holders in a few hours sometimes. Now, it seems as if six holders last me days. I think it's because I am more selective of my subjects and more confident in my technique now (so I don't have to bracket or shoot a "safety"). I change out holders after the day's shoot and start out with six new holders for the next.

Best,

Doremus

 

[destroya]

thanks! i have 24 holders now, but my last day trip to yosemite, I wound up shooting all of them, 12 color 12 B&W, as well as 6 rolls in the 6x9 film back. maybe it was just one of those rare winter days there, perfect blue sky with great white puffy clouds, little to no snow on the ground, lots on the peaks and hardly any crowd! so I had lots of time to compose, rather than spending lots of time looking for isolated spots to keep the masses out of my photos. it almost seemed like I could head to all my usual spots, set up, compose, shoot and move on to the next one with nobody to stare at the "old" film camera and so on. it was a marathon developing 2 days, but well worth the shots.

i just came across a guy selling 30 holders for under $4 each and wanted to buy them, but couldn't justify them as I figured I had enough. so the next day I go out, shoot too much, and then decide I could maybe use a few more typical behavior for me.

john

 

[Alan Gales]

I have ten 4x5 and ten 8x10 film holders. More than enough for me but maybe not for you. Everyone is different.

 

[Maris]

Twenty eight 8x10 holders and
Thirty 4x5 holders plus 4 Grafmatics.
The original idea is was to have the ability to load out an entire 50 sheet box of film and to conduct an extended field shoot without needing to flip film in a changing bag. .

 

[rjbuzzclick]

46x - 4x5 film
4x - 4x5 slotted
5x - 4x5 plate
1x - 4x5 Grafmatic
2x - 4x5 bag mags (12 shot)

Most of my holders cost me $5 or less. A few have non-fixable light leaks and are used for parts. When I go out shooting I usually bring six film holders and the Grafmatic as that's what fits in my shoulder bag along with the Speed Graphic, light meter, filters, etc.

 

[Vaughn]

I haven't counted the 4x5s in a long while -- don't use it much.
A dozen 5x7s -- I carry 6 or so at a time while hiking for the day.
Thirty 8x10s -- I carry 5 to 7 at one time
About 10 good 11x14s -- I carry no more than four at a time.

It's on the longer road trips where excessive amount of holders come in handy.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

So I'm just starting with 4x5. I've shot medium format before with Velvia 50 and Tmax 100. I have 6 holders and bought Velvia 50, Tmax 100 and Tmax 400. I mainly shoot landscapes. I was thinking of shooting the same shot with the different film to get a handle on the difference. LIke loading up two holders for each of the films.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

 

[BrianShaw]

So I'm just starting with 4x5. I've shot medium format before with Velvia 50 and Tmax 100. I have 6 holders and bought Velvia 50, Tmax 100 and Tmax 400. I mainly shoot landscapes. I was thinking of shooting the same shot with the different film to get a handle on the difference. LIke loading up two holders for each of the films.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Do it!

 

[MattKing]

So I'm just starting with 4x5. I've shot medium format before with Velvia 50 and Tmax 100. I have 6 holders and bought Velvia 50, Tmax 100 and Tmax 400. I mainly shoot landscapes. I was thinking of shooting the same shot with the different film to get a handle on the difference. LIke loading up two holders for each of the films.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Mark the holders really well with the type of film in them!

 

[dodphotography]

6 8x10 holders, does the job for me. All fidelity ones, nothing fancy.