Loading 8x10 Film...

Dorothy Blum Cooper · Jan 12, 2006

Almost there!!! Film arrived a few days ago, I'm in the process of cleaning up the film holders, so I'm about ready to load the film. I wanted to know if you all have any special tips, tricks, hints or 'don't do that' from your personal experience? Would rather be safe than sorry. Always appreciate the help.

rbarker · Jan 12, 2006

Sure. Don't load it backwards.

Although the extra size of the 8x10 can seem a bit unwieldy at first, I think the "trick" is to keep the orientation of the holders square to the body, so normal spacial relationships, and hand-(closed)eye coordination can assist in orienting the film properly to fit into the holder slots.

Silverpixels5 · Jan 12, 2006

Also make sure the paper they used to seperate each piece of film is not still stuck to the film when you load it. Oh and don't turn on the lights before you put the unloaded film back into the box...lol.

Donald Miller · Jan 12, 2006

Keep the film notches on the top right hand corner of the sheet...Pull the darkslide about half way...flip the light trap down and guide the film under the septum guides.

Good luck...it seems a bit strange at first but becomes second nature

rbarker · Jan 12, 2006

Donald - the way I orient my holders when loading (landscape orientation, dark slide off to my left), placing the notches in the top right corner would load the film backwards.

John Kasaian · Jan 12, 2006

Heres how I do it (btw, I'm left handed, if it matters.)
1) Stack the clean holders with the dark slides drawn about 3" and the bottom flaps facing me. The stack of holders at about 10 o' clock.

2) Box of film at about 2 o'clock

3) Kill the lights and open the box. Tilt the envelope so you can pull out the sheets emulsion side up.

3) Put 1st holder in front of you.

4) Pull out your first sheet of film. With the holder laying in front of you open the light trap with left hand and insert film under the rails---I hold the film with my thumb against the bottom edge supported by the fingertips on the noncoated side until the leading edge is resting on the light trap, then move my fingertips so they support the sides of the sheet just aft of the leading edge to line things up to slide under the rails.. Slide it all the way in, close the trap, drive the darkslide home, pick up the film holder the twist the locking "ell"

5)Flip the holder over and repeat.

6) Stack the loaded holders, as they're finished, out of the way.

7)When you've got everything loaded, box up envelope containing the film before turning on the lights!

I hope this helps! I guess the biggest difference between 8x10 and 4x5 is that I don't hold the 8x10 holders in my hands when loading. Practice in light with a sacraficial sheet first and you'll see its a "piece o' cake!"

Good Luck!

John Bartley · Jan 12, 2006

jdef said:
I place the holder on my lap, with the hinge on top, resting against the edge of my enlarging baseboard, where the box of film and other holders sit. I load as Donald describes, being careful to handle the film by the edges. Good luck.

Jay

Same here - dark slide towards me - hinge on top (away from me) and the dark slide only pulled out about a third of the way. The only tim I've had any troubles loading LF holders was when I had the dark slides out completely.

cheers

Frank Petronio · Jan 12, 2006

Trim and burnish your fingernails, then wash and dry your hands.

It may be a good idea to count the sheets at first. When I started I accidently loaded two sheets at a time. If you are really uncertain, sacrifice a sheet to practice with in daylight.

photomc · Jan 12, 2006

IIRC you already load 4x5 so would do it the same way you load them now. Good solid advice above, it's just bigger but I find 8x10 easier to load than 4x5. Good luck and let us see what you shoot.

df cardwell · Jan 12, 2006

Trick one: realize we shoot 9 1/2 x 7 1/2. That gives you room to hold the film.

Trick two: sacrifice a sheet and practice in daylight

Trick three: in the daylight, check to see the guides in the holders aren't smashed at the start.

Trick four: vacuum the holders ruthlessly.

Trick five: clear as large an area as you have. wipe down the surface with a damp cloth (turn off the enlarger power is you use the baseboard ). wear short sleeves. wear a no static blouse. put your hair up. ground yourself before you begin ( ok,it's dry up here in heating season ! )

Trick six: send beignets to all the folks that have offered these fine tips !

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 12, 2006

Wear a hat to keep the dandruff off the film.

I slip out the darkslides a little less than halfway, orient the holders vertically on a table with the flap toward me, and insert the film with the notch in the lower left corner, so if somehow I lose track of what kind of film is in what holder, I can just open it up a little in the dark or in a changing bag and feel the notches, without having to remove the whole sheet. I label the holders in pencil with the film type as well, if there's a place for that. If not, I use a Post-It.

The Kinetronics 4" brush is a handy and useful thing for filmholders, lenses, negs, carriers, and vinyl records.

White side out is unexposed, black and locked is exposed, black and unlocked is empty.

c6h6o3 · Jan 12, 2006

David A. Goldfarb said:
I slip out the darkslides a little less than halfway, orient the holders vertically on a table with the flap toward me, and insert the film with the notch in the lower left corner, so if somehow I lose track of what kind of film is in what holder, I can just open it up a little in the dark or in a changing bag and feel the notches, without having to remove the whole sheet.

Good advice. If the holder is oriented in a landscape configuration and you're pulling the slide out to the right, the notch should be in the upper left corner (under the flap). If the holder is in a portrait orientation and you're pulling the slide slide down, the notch should end up in the top right corner. In other words, just make sure that the notch is on the flap end of the holder.

This is very helpful if you forget what kind of film you put in what holder. You won't have to pull the film out to figure out what's going on.

Alex Hawley · Jan 12, 2006

If the darkslide won't slide back into position firmly and smartly, the film sheet probably is not inserted all the way in as it should be.

Be sure you orient the darkslide with white side out before loading - its a pain to pull them and flip them over afterward. You either do it in the darkroom blind which I find very clumsy, or you have to stick them in the camera and pull the slide.

Don't suddenly turn on the lights when you have a problem!

df cardwell · Jan 12, 2006

Oh yes !

Close your eyes !!!

.

jonw · Jan 12, 2006

The only difference I have in loading my filmholders would be to completely remove the dark slide and reinsert it to make sure that my film is properly placed in the holder.

Frank Petronio · Jan 12, 2006

That seems like it would knock dust from the light trap more than is necessary. I only open the darkslides up 3 inches or so and try not to disturb them any more than is necessary until the film is exposed.

The other thing to remember is once your holders are clean, try to keep them clean.

Dorothy Blum Cooper · Jan 12, 2006

WOW! You guys are amazing! Thanks so much for all of the great advice. We've loaded film for the Graflex but I just didn't want to assume that it was going to be the same with the 8x10. This is all so helpful. I'm printing these suggestions out right now. Again, thank you all!

Oh, df cardwell...just had beignets the other day in Metairie at Morning Call. Great, as always! The one thing the storm didn't destroy down here...Cafe Du Monde and Morning Call!!! My treat if you're ever this way

rbarker · Jan 12, 2006

One final thought, Dorothy. Keep those beignets away from your film holders. Ya just never know what might blow that powdered sugar around.

Brook · Jan 12, 2006

Never wear a wool sweater while loading film. I have also found sweat can sometimes disolve silver halide, I may have been sipping on too much fixer though.

langedp · Jan 12, 2006

One additional tip I didn't see in the above. I wear powderless latex surgical gloves when loading/unloading 4x5 or 8x10. No worries about fingerprints this way.

Sean · Jan 12, 2006

I cheat by using an infrared night vision monocular. You can pick them up on ebay for around $150. Seeing in the dark to load 8x10 is a big deal for me since sheet film in NZ is so pricey I never waste any with accidents (and I am always majorly prone to such accidents). I can load 3 holders perfectly in just a couple of minutes thanks the the IR device..

Donald Miller · Jan 12, 2006

rbarker said:
Donald - the way I orient my holders when loading (landscape orientation, dark slide off to my left), placing the notches in the top right corner would load the film backwards.

The way I load my holders...portrait orientation...darkslide down...the notch in upper right hand corner is loaded properly.

df cardwell · Jan 12, 2006

Sean said:
I cheat by using an infrared night vision monocular. You can pick them up on ebay for around $150. Seeing in the dark to load 8x10 is a big deal for me since sheet film in NZ is so pricey I never waste any with accidents (and I am always majorly prone to such accidents). I can load 3 holders perfectly in just a couple of minutes thanks the the IR device..

Hmm. How do you close your eyes in the dark ?

Dave Wooten · Jan 12, 2006

you should close your eyes first then turn out the light

jimgalli · Jan 13, 2006

If you're over 50, pull both dark slides all the way out and lay the film holder on top of them. I make a large pile like that. Otherwise I'm forever checking to see if the other side is loaded. CRS disease.

Sean cheats!

Loading 8x10 Film...

Dorothy Blum Cooper

rbarker

Silverpixels5

Donald Miller

rbarker

John Kasaian

John Bartley

Frank Petronio

photomc

df cardwell

David A. Goldfarb

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c6h6o3

Alex Hawley

df cardwell

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Frank Petronio

Dorothy Blum Cooper

rbarker

Brook

langedp

Sean

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Donald Miller

df cardwell

Dave Wooten

jimgalli

Loading 8x10 Film...

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