Plate Camera found with Exposed Film. Kodak Recomar 33

I have a 16-exposure 3x4 Tri-X film pack in a Graphic holder with more than half (10?) the numbered paper tabs still hanging out.

I assume that means the sheets for which there are no numbers are still inside. If I can open it in the dark and not get the wrong ones, I could develop the exposed sheets and use the remaining ones. With or with out paper tabs should be help distinguish which were unexposed vs. exposed.

Yes exactly. All of the film negatives are still inside. The negatives that have already been exposed are the ones that no longer have a numbered tab--the remaining numbered paper tabs have not yet been exposed. All of the film sheets stay inside the film pack until all of the negatives have been exposed and the paper tabs are all gone. You can then open the pack in the dark and develop all of the negatives, including the ones that were already exposed before you got the pack. It's a fun adventure!

It's also possible to "rob the pack", remove only the exposed negatives and leave the unexposed ones -- this should be relatively simple, since the torn-off paper will distinguish one from the other, and the exposed ones should be right on top when the pack shell is opened. The tricky part might be opening the shell and reclosing it in the dark. If you have a camera that the pack film back fits, it's probably easier to go ahead and expose the remaining film.

Plus, of course, that pack film is thinner and slightly larger (length and width) than the same nominal size cut film, which can make it interesting to process...

Thank you, '88 & Donald (used to be Silent way back when...).

I find the 16-exposure pack to seem unusual (to me). I got other unusual (to me) things from the previous owner, too...like E-6 ISO 100 4x5 sheet film that says Polaroid on it. I assume it was packaged for them by Kodak or Fuji.

Murray

Murrayatuptown said:

E-6 ISO 100 4x5 sheet film that says Polaroid on it. I assume it was packaged for them by Kodak or Fuji.

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Kodak made the negatives for Type 55 under contract for a long time, so if these were made during those years, they'd be the likely candidate. Is it loose sheets or something Quickload-like (aka Ready-Load)? If the latter, you'd be able to tell from the sheath details, as Kodak's and Fuji's implementation of this idea differed slightly (but both worked in a Polaroid 500/550 adapter).

Murrayatuptown said:

I find the 16-exposure pack to seem unusual (to me). I got other unusual (to me) things from the previous owner, too...like E-6 ISO 100 4x5 sheet film that says Polaroid on it. I assume it was packaged for them by Kodak or Fuji.

Murray

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The 16-exposure packs became the 'norm' in the 1950s I believe, up to the point when film packs were discontinued in the '70s.

Regarding removing the exposed films: Kodak film packs are very basic. Each film sheet is attached to one paper leader, with the paper tab that sticks out of the top of the pack. All unexposed films are stacked on one side of an internal baffle plate facing the opening of the film pack (and the dark slide of the film pack holder). The paper leaders wrap around one end of the internal baffle plate and then up behind the plate. When you expose a film and pull the tab, the paper leader pulls that individual film to a position behind the baffle plate, and you tear off the paper leader for that film. This is done for each film until all are exposed, and at that point all are stacked behind the baffle plate. In theory you should be able to open the pack in total darkness and remove the exposed films that are stacked behind the plate at any time. In practice it might be better to just wait until you've exposed all of the films and then take them all out at once (if you can wait that long!).

Post your results if you get any!

Kth88 said:

In theory you should be able to open the pack in total darkness and remove the exposed films that are stacked behind the plate at any time.

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Back when film pack was a normal, extra-convenient way to feed a sheet film camera, "robbing the pack" was a pretty standard operation, something any photo lab was expected to be able to do. Especially if they were connected with a newspaper -- waiting was a bad thing when you were shooting for a deadline, but the money people hated waste, too.

Thank you Kth88 & Donald.