Sheet film handling and developing

Clickrumble · Oct 27, 2014

Hello, I've just received another pinhole camera as a birthday present. This one takes sheet film, can anyone point me in direction of some information regarding sheet film...ie loading it, handling, processing. I'd like to scan the developed film.

nsurit · Oct 27, 2014

Assuming it is 4X5 sheet film, the Mod54 system works great for me.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/906271-REG/Paterson_1174296_MOD54_4x5_Sheet_Film.html
You can also process in a tray in a darkroom (without safe light). This is essentially done the same way as you might process a print. I prefer the Mod54. I scan mine an an Epson V 700 flatbed scanner.

Mainecoonmaniac · Oct 27, 2014

If you're processing a sheet at a time, 5x7 trays works great. You'll have to work in the dark though. Process with the emulsion face up and gently rock it when you agitate.

John Koehrer · Oct 27, 2014

Here's a you tubey thingy. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=loading+sheet+film

Rick A · Oct 27, 2014

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/

Just scroll down a bit, you'll see everything you need.

removed account4 · Oct 27, 2014

if you have a metal reel tank
you might be able to process your film
doing the "taco method".

pdeeh · Oct 27, 2014

you don't need a metal reel tank for taco-ing, I do it in a Paterson Universal.

removed account4 · Oct 27, 2014

thanks for correcting me ..

pdeeh · Oct 27, 2014

Rick A · Oct 27, 2014

The two reel steel tanks aren't tall enough to do taco method, but the plastic two reel tanks are.

Regular Rod · Oct 27, 2014

Make life easy for yourself...

Treat yourself to a changing tent.

Use one of these: http://freepdfhosting.com/f640343f29.pdf

RR

grahamp · Oct 27, 2014

Um, don't open the film box unless it is in the dark? It wasn't clear (to me) if the original poster had sheet film experience of any sort.

Dr Croubie · Oct 27, 2014

grahamp said:
Um, don't open the film box unless it is in the dark? It wasn't clear (to me) if the original poster had sheet film experience of any sort.

You'd think that goes without saying, except that the amount of times I've seen an open box on fleabay makes it worth saying still. Depending on what brand you buy, some have double-box, some triple-box, some fold-over and stick a black bag, some are sealed when you buy them.
Always worth opening in a dark bag/room (and that's kind of mndatory to load them into holders, of course).

FWIW, I've got a Mod54 and it's great. The only time I've had film 'pop out' was actually doing 9x12s and I completely overagitated (well, rolled) when I was washing them, the film got caught between the edge and the plastic and scratched all the emulsion off. A mistake I won't make again.
The only reason that I don't use my Mod54 much anymore (I really should sell it) is because now I've got a Jobo 2509n.

polyglot · Oct 28, 2014

Use medical (latex or nitrile) gloves otherwise the moisture on your fingers will leave big fingerprints in your images. Obviously try to handle it only by the edges but in practise you generally have to push down on corners to get a sheet to slide properly into a holder. Make sure you know which is the emulsion side from the notch placement. Go read all the FAQs/articles on the LFPF website and maybe the FAQ in my signature.

Practise lots with a holder and sacrificial sheet of film before trying it in the dark. Note that the two sides of a darkslide handle are different colours; flipping the darkside when you make an exposure is how you indicate whether a sheet is exposed (black showing) or unexposed (white showing) and therefore don't make accidental double-exposures.

Get a very good feel (in terms of how it slides between stops and the shape as you lift an edge) of how the film behaves when it's properly under both side rails of the holder as opposed to under just one - this will save you from many a lost shot due to film not being in the focal plane or even falling right out of the holder into the camera.

You need at least a dark bag, and hopefully a spare film box that you can unload your exposed film into and keep it separate from the fresh stuff.

Arista EDU (rebranded fomapan) is wonderful cheap film for testing and learning (and even using properly, especially with strobes) but it is highly inappropriate for pinhole cameras because its reciprocity failure means exposures are difficult to calculate and incredibly long. HP5 is probably your best bet.

Clickrumble · Oct 28, 2014

Thanks for the replies..yes I should have said that I am complete novice regarding large format..

Rich Ullsmith · Oct 30, 2014

Probably the first thing to learn is which side of the film the emulstion is on, or it won't really matter how it's handled, processed or shot.

TheToadMen · Oct 30, 2014

Rich Ullsmith said:
Probably the first thing to learn is which side of the film the emulstion is on, or it won't really matter how it's handled, processed or shot.

When the film is oriented vertically (portrait format), the notches are in the top edge near the upper right corner when the emulsion faces the viewer.

Sheet film handling and developing

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