Film holder

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A film holder is a device which holds one or more pieces of photographic film, for insertion into a camera or optical scanning device such as a dedicated film scanner or a flatbed scanner with film scanning capabilities. The widest usage of the term refers to a device which holds sheet film for use in large format cameras, but can also be used to refer to various interchangeable devices used by medium format camera systems.

1 Sheet film holders
2 See also
3 External links

[edit] Sheet film holders

The most common instance of film holder is the sheet film holder. Also referred to as a dark slide or double dark slide, they are flat devices, slightly larger than the films they hold, which commonly hold one sheet of film on each side. The plate holder, which is a very similar device, holds glass plates instead of sheet films. A dark slide, from which the device derives its alternate name, is simply a dark cover which slides into a recess in the holder, to protect each sheet of film (or plate) from fogging or unwanted exposure to light. Many dark slides have differently colored bands or handles on each side, one usually light and the other dark, to allow the photographer to distinguish between film which has been exposed and that which hasn't.

Traditionally, sheet film and glass plate holders have been made out of wood. Wooden holders, properly treated, can last a very long time, and apart from possible warpage, many very old specimens are still in service. Some companies continue to make wood models today, particularly for more uncommon film sizes, and as many are mostly handmade, they can be quite expensive. The majority of new sheet film holders are now made out of plastic.

When using a sheet film holder, the device is inserted into the camera, often a view camera, and the dark slide is withdrawn, making the film available for exposure. After the exposure has been made, the dark slide is reinserted into the film holder, and the device is removed from the camera for later processing of the exposed film.

[edit] Multi-sheet holders

There are some film holders which can hold more than two sheets. One of the most common is the Grafmatic, manufactured by Graflex, which holds 6 sheets of film in individual septums. They were available in "23" and "45" models, corresponding to 6×9 cm (2¼×3¼ inches) and 4×5 inch sheets.[1] It takes little effort to quickly cycle through all six sheets, which makes the Grafmatic ideal for press camera usage. Burke & James produced a similar device called the Kinematic, which holds 10 sheets, though was only available in 4×5 inch format.

Graflex also produced the Film Magazine. It is commonly referred to as a "bag magazine", and uses a leather bag which hangs on the side of the frame to exchange the septums from front to back. It is a much more manual device than the Grafmatic, as exchanging a septum is done manually through the bag, rather than by a simple manipulation of the magazine's dark slide. They were sold in separate versions for film and glass plates, and held 12-18 sheets/plates, depending on the model.[2] They are found in 4×5 and 5×7 inch formats.

[edit] Film pack holders

Graflex and Polaroid produced film pack holders which could be loaded in subdued light. Film packs were available in 12- and 16-sheet units.

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[edit] Instant film holders

Polaroid is the widest producer of instant sheet and pack film. The Polaroid 545 back, and the lighter, more modern 545i back, is a commonly-used 4×5 inch instant sheet film holder by many photographers. They also produce 8×10 inch film holders and films. Polaroid and Fujifilm both continue to produce 10-sheet 4×5 inch instant film packs and holders.

[edit] Medium format film holders

Some medium format camera systems have devices which can be considered film holders. For many such systems, there are instant film holders, which are often used to check exposure values, color rendition, etc. Roll film holders in such systems are generally called film backs.

Some photographers use medium format roll film holders in 4×5 inch view cameras. Several manufacturers (Horseman, Linhof, Graflex, and others) offer roll film holders in 6×7, 6×8, 6×9, 6×12, and 6×17 cm formats. Some models can slip under the ground glass like a normal sheet film holder, and others require the ground glass to be replaced by the roll holder.