Recommendation for 4 x 5 exposed film holder -

zinnanti · Apr 26, 2009

Hi -

Anyone have a recommendation for a holder/pouch for exposed 4 x 5 film. I have a ton of film holders, but I'm looking to change out in the field. What can I store it in until I get back to the darkroom?

Thanks -

Tony

nickandre · Apr 26, 2009

Do you have any of the trifold 4x5 boxes that film comes in? I'd stick it in a black pouch and back in the box.

zinnanti · Apr 27, 2009

That's a good idea. I didn't even think of that.

MurrayMinchin · Apr 27, 2009

I put the exposed sheets into glassine envelopes before firing them into an old film box. In order to know what kind of development each neg gets, I first cut notches into the envelopes edge...one notch for N development, two notches for +1, etc. I guess I could have a box for each kind of developing, but there's only so much room in my backpack and the glassine stops the negatives from rubbing against each other.

Location, date, lens, film holder number, exposure information, and a rough sketch of the scene are also jotted down on the glassine envelope at the time of exposure.

Murray

Monophoto · Apr 27, 2009

MurrayMinchin said:
I put the exposed sheets into glassine envelopes before firing them into an old film box. In order to know what kind of development each neg gets, I first cut notches into the envelopes edge...one notch for N development, two notches for +1, etc. I guess I could have a box for each kind of developing, but there's only so much room in my backpack and the glassine stops the negatives from rubbing against each other.

Location, date, lens, film holder number, exposure information, and a rough sketch of the scene are also jotted down on the glassine envelope at the time of exposure.

Murray

A slight variation on Murray's approach - I return the film to a black plastic bag similar to what it originally came in before putting it into the box. That provides an additional margin of protection in the event some bozo tries to open the box. I have a N, N- and N+ box, and to differentiate between one and two stop compensation negatives, I have stuck small plastic 'bumps' onto the black envelopes - one for one stop negs, and two for two stop negs.

Finally, when traveling, I take along a roll of blue painter's tape that I used to wrap around the box before going through airline security. Obviously, that won't stop someone from opening the box, but it could cause them to stop and read the label on the box that declares it to be unprocessed film.

Katier · Apr 27, 2009

I just put my exposed films in a kodak double box. Don't even bother bagging them as the double box should be plenty to stop light effecting the film. Easy cheap and works.

I mark the box 'exposed' and also rubber band it so it can't fall open by accident.

zinnanti · Apr 27, 2009

Thanks a bunch. I haven't shot that much 4x5 yet, but I'll start collecting empty boxes/bags.

jeroldharter · Apr 27, 2009

I process each sheet for a different development time using BTZS methods, so keeping track of exposed film can be a tedious affair.

I fill an empty film box with 4x5 sheets of matboard from which I have removed any loose bust or burrs. I unload the sheets into the box and place a mat board spacer after every 6 sheets. I can process 6 sheets at a time so that is convenient for me. I keep notes of the processing time for each sheet in the order in which I place the sheet in the box. Takes some organizing but works well.

In the darkroom, I start at the top of the box and develop six sheets at a time until finished.

Recommendation for 4 x 5 exposed film holder -

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