MF Graftmatic: anyway designate the exposed negative?

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

Is there anyway to designate the exposed negative, so you know which shot it was. As in, if two or more shots where made of the same scene, at a different exposure.
Background:
Just got a MF Graftmatic with 6 septums.
With my standard MF film holders, we have notched the film holder flap, with a notch code to know after developing, what shot it was. They show up as a small dark V, or V's off the end of the image.
Has someone come up with a way to do this with the MF Graftmatic, the metal film holder edge on these are very narrow.

E. von Hoegh · Feb 1, 2018

One version of the Grafmatic has a disc which will number the film 1 to 6.

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

Believe that's only on the 4x5 Graftmatic's

summicron1 · Feb 1, 2018

the grafmatics for 4 by 5 number the negatives as you are shooting with a little round disc inside the holder that imprints the exposure number on the edge of the negative, and this number matches the exposure number on the outside, so number one is 1, and so on.

you would need to keep a record of what exposure 1 was, I guess. Simple enough.

the smaller grafmatics, for 2 by 3, don't number the individual shots on the negative, but do have the outside numbering system so you know how many shots you've taken.

I should add: Some purists have removed the little numbering disc on the inside of the grafmatic back because they didn't want the little number in their exposed negative. I would avoid those backs.

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

summicron1 said:
you would need to keep a record of what exposure 1 was, I guess. Simple enough.

Yep.. do that all the time... now after we develop, and we have three negs of the same scene, shot at different exposures. How would you know which of those three similar negs was 1,2 or 3?
That's the question.
Wonder how others have overcome this difficulty.

Alan9940 · Feb 1, 2018

peter k. said:
Yep.. do that all the time... now after we develop, and we have three negs of the same scene, shot at different exposures. How would you know which of those three similar negs was 1,2 or 3?

Sorry, not to ask the stupid question, but... Why do you care? I would think that the only reason you would need to know a specific exposure number is if there was an issue (such as light leak, undetermined flare, or something) with one of the series.

BrianShaw · Feb 1, 2018

Doesn’t your Grapmatic imprint the septum number on the neg? If not, it has been altered. That’s a standard feature.

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

An honest question... Just purchased this unit and have some time to test it for light leaks ect..
Also another test yesterday.. was working with a graduated Neutral Density Filter, on a tough shot that I'm getting under exposure on the part of it that's in very much in shadow. Sooooo... trying out a new effort, made notes on how far in and angle we had the filter, ect.. be nice to correlate with the actual shot.
Doesn't look like it has or can be easily done.

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

BrianShaw said:
Doesn’t your Grapmatic imprint the septum number on the neg? If not, it has been altered. That’s a standard feature.

No don't think so... that is a standard feature on the 4x5 one we believe, not 2x3

BrianShaw · Feb 1, 2018

peter k. said:
No don't think so... that is a standard feature on the 4x5 one we believe, not 2x3

Ah, I missed that point. Yours is 2x3. Please forgive my ignorant reply.

Perhaps you can notch the septum’s like you knotched your film holders. Just a guess though.

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2018

My Grafmatic 45s all have the number disks. A few years ago there were a lot of internet posts that people were asking how to remove the disks so that the negative would not have the intrusion =====> WTF it is at the edge and 4"x5" cameras, especially press cameras were to move in close to loosely crop the field of view and then the final crop in the enlarger for the final print.

choiliefan · Feb 1, 2018

Notching your septums seems like a very good idea, no?

shutterfinger · Feb 1, 2018

peter k. said:
now after we develop, and we have three negs of the same scene, shot at different exposures. How would you know which of those three similar negs was 1,2 or 3?

Unless you are making less than 1/3 stop changes between exposures the density or detail difference should be a total give away as to which was which. With ND filter the exposure time changes as should the details in the scene and with graduated ND it should be even more obvious.
Then there is dry eraser board with the exposure info set up in the frame, works great for test.

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2018

shutterfinger said:
Unless you are making less than 1/3 stop changes between exposures the density or detail difference should be a total give away as to which was which. With ND filter the exposure time changes as should the details in the scene and with graduated ND it should be even more obvious.
Then there is dry eraser board with the exposure info set up in the frame, works great for test.

Grafmatics have a small place to make notes on the back.

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

choiliefan said:
Notching your septums seems like a very good idea, no?

Don't think it would work.
Reason.. .. On a normal MF film holder, the notch is made on the flap, that is closed, after you have loaded the sheet of film into the holder, and then one slides the dark slide into that flap.. .

The septums, on the other hand does not have a flap. Only the three metal edges, which hold the film in place.
When the shot is loaded, you can not see these three edges, so thee is no place to notch.
So its becoming evident with the responses, that there is evidently no easy way to designate the negative, ... in the position it was shot, when it was shot!

Its troublesome, but the negative can be notched with a hole punch, when it is retrieved from its septum, as your unloading it, to develop them. .
Tried this yesterday, but not trilled with the idea, as you have to be careful to remove the septums in the order they where shot. These darn things are small, in size and thickness. Its so much easier to load a standard film holder, where you have something to hold onto. But where sure in time will get better with experience.
BTW.. secured a small piece of cardboard, in the cutting area of the hole punch, that limited how deep the hole could be cut into the exposed film edge, so it would not cut into the actual image area.

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

shutterfinger said:
Then there is dry eraser board with the exposure info set up in the frame, works great for test.

Oh ... hmmm say what... could you give a little more detail ...

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
Grafmatics have a small place to make notes on the back.

You mean on the back of the complete loaded Graftmatic back? Not on the MF one.

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2018

peter k. said:
You mean on the back of the complete loaded Grafmatic back? Not on the MF one.

Yes, I do not have nor have I ever seen the MF Grafmatic, but one could put peelable labels on the back of the MF Grafmatic and that would help solve the OP's problem.

shutterfinger · Feb 1, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
Grafmatics have a small place to make notes on the back.

Duh, can you point it out?

peter k. said:
Oh ... hmmm say what... could you give a little more detail ...

Go to the office supply store and get a piece of dry erase board ( I have a 12 inch square, cork backed ) and a dry erase marker (dark color preferred), write the exposure information on it, set it in the scene so that it will be in the image area, make the exposure, advance the film, wipe and rewrite the board, make exposure, repeat, repeat until all exposures have been made.

peter k. · Feb 1, 2018

Ah.. ha... yes got it... out of the box of the Graftmatic and back into the whorl of the landscape or whatever... to dang simple... Yep... that will do it.
Thanks...

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2018

shutterfinger said:
Duh, can you point it out?

Here are twelve examples:

shutterfinger · Feb 1, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
Here are twelve examples:

I have 4 Grafmatics for 4x5, and have sold that many in the pat. I'm very familiar with the note area on a 4x5 version.
Where is it on a 2x3 version? Answer: non existent unless you add one yourself.
This thread is about 2x3 Grafmatics isn't it?

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2018

shutterfinger said:
I have 4 Grafmatics for 4x5, and have sold that many in the pat. I'm very familiar with the note area on a 4x5 version.
Where is it on a 2x3 version? Answer: non existent unless you add one yourself.
This thread is about 2x3 Grafmatics isn't it?

That is why, if you read my posts, I suggested peelable labels, which I suggested when it was pointed out that the writing area did not exist on the 2x3 Grafmatics.

shutterfinger · Feb 1, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
if you read my posts

I did. You switched formats initially, sure you don't want to switch to Kinematics or that Fuji quick change holder?

summicron1 · Feb 1, 2018

peter k. said:
An honest question... Just purchased this unit and have some time to test it for light leaks ect..
Also another test yesterday.. was working with a graduated Neutral Density Filter, on a tough shot that I'm getting under exposure on the part of it that's in very much in shadow. Sooooo... trying out a new effort, made notes on how far in and angle we had the filter, ect.. be nice to correlate with the actual shot.
Doesn't look like it has or can be easily done.

if there is no easy way to notch the septums on a 2 by 3 -- not to mention, then you'd still have to make sure you put them into the holder in the right order -- the only way to differentiate which individual negative was shot at which exposure that I can think of is to take two shots of each exposure, and in the first one have someone stand over there with a sign with the exposure data on it, then move for the second shot, and so on.

Wastes a lot of film. Can I interest you in a roll film holder? This would be a LOT easier with a roll film holder.

MF Graftmatic: anyway designate the exposed negative?

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