New to 4x5 film holders

[Christopher Walrath]

OT, I know, but I started this so I take an author's liberty. My son, bless his heart, has Aspberger's Syndrome. He decided he was going to where jeans to summer school on Tuesday. I get home from work on T night and he is talking about it and how he got so hot walking around down by the boardwalk (Rehoboth) and I ask why he wore jeans? He says I thought it would be cool this morning. I asked what about the afternoon? He says I thought it would be cool this afternoon. I say it will cool down in October. Then I ask if he has washed any of his clothes or has clean shorts? '. . . no.'

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Holder Labeling

Being new to 4x5 I'm trying to limit the types of film I use for a couple of reasons. Right now I'm using TMAX, first 100 and then thought perhaps it might be wise to have some 400 around also, but need to label holders so I know what's loaded in what. I'm using Fidelity holders and they seem to have a white strip for this purpose, but I'm not sure what one uses to write on them. I don't want it to rub off too easily, but clean it off for future loads which may be with entirely different film. The term "grease pencil" comes to mind, but I've never had occasion to use one. What do others use?

 

[JCT]

Bob,

I use some of those skinny sticky labels for folders that you can buy at Staples. They are rimmed in different colors and that can be useful if you are shooting more than one type of film.

They come right off.

best,

JT

 

[richard ide]

For marking film holders I use a lead pencil (2B) and the writing is easily erased when you wish to change it.

 

[bobwysiwyg]

For marking film holders I use a lead pencil (2B) and the writing is easily erased when you wish to change it.

Hmm, can't get much simpler than a lead pencil. I will have to get some, I don't think I've had a need for a pencil in years. This might be the better/simpler method. The holders are mixed and some have very small labeling areas left and right while others have a white band all the way across.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Good idea. I'm gonna put this to use as well.

 

[bobwysiwyg]

For marking film holders I use a lead pencil (2B) and the writing is easily erased when you wish to change it.

Works great and simple, thanks for this one.

 

[BradS]

Post-It notes.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Wee little ones.

 

[Reid Gray]

Dust in holders

Just got back from hiking and camping at the Grand Canyon with my Speed Graphic and some Grafmatic backs. Very dry and dusty, but though I haven't finished developing everything yet, so far my regime of sitting in the tent and brushing the holders thoroughly, then loading in a new dark bag, seems to have improved my results even over what I normally manage here in humid New York (where admittedly I hadn't been as careful in the past, a lesson I hope I've now learned). In other words, most of it's coming out speck-free.

One little piece of advice, though I doubt anyone here's as dumb as I was about this. Because one time I forgot to wind the rear shutter to the proper speed before shooting again, I started winding it first thing ater a shot, even before I closed the dark slide or front shutter (brilliant, right?). It didn't occur to me that this curtain shutter doesn't work like the ones on 35mm (though I gather early 35mm had a similar design, so you'd have to put the lens cap on before winding). The way it works on the Speed, when you wind it you run the slit back across your negative again. So I've gotten some double exposures where the second exposure is an off-centered, motion-blurred thing that I don't remember shooting intentionally (no dust specks, though). Had me confused there for a while. Fortunately I appear to have made the mistake only a few times, and so far not on any shots I'd hate to lose. Anyway, I haven't seen this mistake mentioned anywhere, so I thought I'd bring it up.