MF transparency film questions

I've used transparency film in my Mamiya 645 and I LOVE the results even more than my 35mm slides. I have some films from a few years ago, printed as one strip, and usually given to me in a stout paper tube (kind of reminds me of a very large toilet paper roll). What I was wondering is:

1.) Can you still get the frames mounted as slides? Does it cost an arm and a leg to get it done this way?

2.) Can I take the slide(s) to a professional photo processor and have large prints made from them?

3.) How do those among you who do take transparencies handle them? What's your favorite way to have them finished?


Thanks to all who reply.

With best regards,

Stephen S. Mack

Oh dear, you realize that MF slides are an expensive addiction with no cure, right?

(1) yes you can buy slide mounts. Alas, MF slide projectors are now quite scarce. So my slides just go into plastic sheets and filed.

(2) yes, try Stubblefield in C'ville. If you want the ultimate quality get John to do aztek drum scans and lightjet prints.

(3) like many others, I simply loupe them on a light table and ogle them and show them off and caress them and.... well, alright, I do as mentioned in (2) and sometimes I make polaroid/fuji instant "prints" and transfers and so forth. Sometimes I make b&w negs from them. I do all kinds of thing with slides.

MF Slide projectors are still being manufactured.

It really depend on what you want as a "final product", a slide show or a print.

There use to be a product called "super-slides" that was medium format transparencies mounted as a slide and there were projectors for them. Finding someone to mount the superslides is going to be tough. Finding the projectors is probably a "used/ebay" project.

If you want prints them many "pro" shops will still offer type-r or ciba or similar wet darkroom prints from medium format transparencies. For these, you do not need (or want) the film "mounted". Just present the transparencies like you would negative film, either a full roll of film or in strips of 4 or 5.

Hope that hjelps
Tom

Steve Mack said:

[...]

3.) How do those among you who do take transparencies handle them? What's your favorite way to have them finished?

Stephen S. Mack

Click to expand...

I strip out those trannies of use to me and mount them, with acid-free adhesive strips from 3M, into ClearFile Black Mask Transparency sleeves. Packaged in 25s, these are acid-free card with an aperture for the image (slightly smaller than they should be, so I enlarge them to full frame using a scalpel). The card then slips into a frosted/clear sleeve protected for viewing and which is archivally stable (mine are stored in a plain, unvarnished wooden box dating back from 1862). My 5x4 slides are handled the same way in an unopened pack of the same Black Masks for 5x4 bought in 2003 (far back when I was only day dreaming of a 5x4 experience!).

The big question now is, where are they?? Recent enquiries have given me the feeling that production of these highly valued archival storage products has ceased. ClearFile did not respond to my email enquiries for stock availability and the rest of their range appears very limited in terms of black mask products, if anything at all to my eyes.

The only other solution is to use clear transparency sleeves for your trannies, sans-mounts — a solution that could well result in damage to the transparencies over time.

I recently purchased a used Rollie medium format slide projector from Leos cameras in Vancouver, BC, Canada for $200 CDN.

Anyone familiar with Leos' pricing strategy will understand why I remain amazed at this accomplishment .

Anyways, it still is possible to get used medium format projectors at reasonable(ish) prices.

It is also reasonably easy to get slide mounts. There are a couple of sources for Gepe mounts here in Vancouver. Glazer's in Seattle had them on the shelf a couple of weekends ago, as well.

I also bought a Gepe slide mounting accessory last year, which I haven't yet worked with.

What I cannot direct you to is a lab that will both develop and mount medium format transparencies. I expect that there may not be anyone who does this any more.

6x6 and 6x4.5 is definitely workable. The 6x7 slide projectors are mythical beasts (where the myth factor relates to the budget required).

Matt

Super slides are actually 4x4 127 film transparencies meant to mount in projector carriers for 135 slides. Find yourself a cheap (relatively) 6x6 projector for your 120 film. I found a Kindermann on EBay awhile back for 25 bucks or so. The bulbs for it cost more than that. Mount them yourself in Gepe or the equivalent mounts.

Needless to say, I don't shoot 6x7 slide film, the rb 6x7 backs are reserved for print film (B&W mostly). I do like the C220 shots projected fairly large and am going to try 645 transparencies soon.

tim in san jose

The only other solution is to use clear transparency sleeves for your trannies, sans-mounts — a solution that could well result in damage to the transparencies over time.

Click to expand...

Why would that damage them?

You can have quite nice enlargements with a hybrid print process, however, should you have one you really like, I suggest biting the bullet and have somebody make you an Ilfochrome. There is no substitute.

I have two(!) old Leitz projectors that will project 6x7 slides in 8x8 cm mounts, I have no idea what it was intended for, but it came with a box of glass 8x8 slides (magic lantern type thingies). Needless to say 6x7 projected is out of this world, but I don't like to do it too often as I have no idea where to get a replacement bulb for the thing!

I guess I should have checked google first! The slide mounts are 85x85mm, and Gepe still makes them. I always used to mount my own slides anyway, so all you need is a clean, light area, a good pair of scissors and a steady hand...