Why use cut film in a medium format camera?

Dennis-B · Mar 7, 2018

Just in case anyone is interested, there are three available from this dealer. He has them on eBay. The owner used to work at a local camera shop, went to work as a Mamiya rep, and now runs a nice shop.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-RARE-...:USPSPriorityMailSmallFlatRateBox!48126!US!-1

Nokton48 · Mar 18, 2018

Here's my Hasselblad Single Exposure Back and Holders. I use it because it if fun and different. See how compact it is?

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Oren Grad · Mar 18, 2018

Late to this thread, but unless I missed something in reading through the posts so far, there's another reason not yet mentioned: if you're working on a project in which long-term stability of the negatives is important to you - say, a documentary project that's important to your family or your community - the polyester base on which sheet film is coated is more stable over the very long run, particularly under less than ideal storage conditions, than the acetate base on which roll film is generally coated.

John51 · Mar 19, 2018

John Wiegerink said:
That's true, but it is much easier to do N-1, N or N+1 development. I use Kodak holders for my Kodak Medalist II camera with EFKE 25 in 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 on occasion and it's really, really good. I'm on my last box of EFKE and wish I had bought 15 boxes before it disappeared. Oh well, so much for hindsight. I have a sheet film setup for my Hasselblad, but almost never use it since with interchangeable backs I can have one back for N-1, one for N and one for N+1. Plus, film flatness is no problem on my 'blad. JohnW

Sheet film doesn't need to be re-spooled either.

I've heard that some pros would spend time in the darkroom getting a good looking print and then make a copy neg of it. Probably using sheet film. Then they can make as many quick (but good) prints as the customers want.

randyB · Mar 19, 2018

I have cut-film backs for both the Rollei tlr and Hasselblad. Both are a PIA to use but both are fun to use (makes you actually think about what you are doing). I like the Rollie back better because it uses 6.5 x 9 cm film which leaves a clear "tab" of unexposed film to the side of the image on which I write info about the image. 6.5 x 9 cm film is no longer made, I just cut down 4x5 to fit, and yes they are a PIA to use.

Oren Grad · Mar 19, 2018

randyB said:
6.5 x 9 cm film is no longer made...

Ilford has been offering FP4 Plus in 6.5x9 cm as part of its annual special order program.

Nokton48 · Mar 19, 2018

randyB said:
6.5 x 9 cm film is no longer made

Actually you can still buy fresh Ilford FP4+ and Foma 100 from the dealers in Europe. Both of those are my go-to films.

Sirius Glass · Mar 19, 2018

While it might be fun to have a sheet film back for a Hasselblad, the inconvenience of a nonstandard size film sheet plus fun and games of playing with darkslides/film advancement/lens cocking do not excite me. No thanks, I will pass on that.

saman13 · Apr 7, 2018

Just bought a Busch Pressman 2x3 camera for very cheap and it included 11 cut film holders. In searching around the site while waiting for it to get here, I came across my own post and re-read all of these ideas! I think I especially want to try two of these ideas: 2x3 tintypes and shooting Instax film.

Also, am I right in seeing that the only film still offered in this size are Arista 100, 400 and Ilford FP4, HP5?

(P.S. does anyone with experience prefer the arista 100 vs 400?)

bsdunek said:
I've used these in my Mamiya Super 23 with sheet film holders. Fun! http://www.freestylephoto.biz/1832016-Rockland-Colloid-Tintype-Parlor-Kit

Where do you get the right sized metal plates because this one comes with 4x5?

ic-racer said:
This also...https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/instax-mini-film-fits-2-1-4-x-3-1-4-film-holders.156089/

This also seems like a lot of fun to me. I'm trying to find a way to do it without having to reload the film back into the cartridge and putting it through an Instax camera (I don't want to have to buy an instax camera)

Jim Jones · Apr 8, 2018

I've used cut film holders in 2x3 press cameras for films unavailable in 120 rolls.

ic-racer · Apr 9, 2018

saman13 said:
Just bought a Busch Pressman 2x3 camera for very cheap and it included 11 cut film holders. In searching around the site while waiting for it to get here, I came across my own post and re-read all of these ideas! I think I especially want to try two of these ideas: 2x3 tintypes and shooting Instax film.

Also, am I right in seeing that the only film still offered in this size are Arista 100, 400 and Ilford FP4, HP5?

(P.S. does anyone with experience prefer the arista 100 vs 400?)

Where do you get the right sized metal plates because this one comes with 4x5?

This also seems like a lot of fun to me. I'm trying to find a way to do it without having to reload the film back into the cartridge and putting it through an Instax camera (I don't want to have to buy an instax camera)

You need to make some kind of roller mechanism to squeeze the developer from the pod evenly across the film. It is all mechanical.

Neil Poulsen · Apr 13, 2018

2x3 sheet film is smaller than the format in 6x9 film holders. As for Zone System photography, one can have a separate film holder for each development. (N, N-1, N+1, etc.) A. Adams did this with his Hasselblad.

If one's doing masking (e.g. unsharp masking), there might be an advantage to using medium format sheet film. Otherwise, I would stick with roll-film holders.

Why use cut film in a medium format camera?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency