Graflex.org

[Bayviews]

Do any of you know how to rig a 4x5 film holder to number or index the negative? (a la Leica's MD2(a) model with the insertable information tabs). Or the Arca-Swiss numbering holders? I thought I had read about similar Graflex holders somewhere; but I not found anything yet.

I bought several assorted 4x5 film holders a couple of years ago on ebay. One was an Arca-Swiss double sheet holder that has a transparent plastic tab on either side, with numbers 15 & 16 (Ithink). Their purpose is to facilitate your film management from exposure through archiving. The respective numbers are factory printed on the outsides of the holder. So you take your exposures (and Zone notes), then you can very efficiently separate the sheets for development (N, N+, or N-), and then keep track of the neg for filing and future use to match -up with your notes.

I can not find any other such Arca-Swiss holders on the web - new or used.

Do you have any suggestions on indexing/numbering?

ps: I generally shoot landscapes and some candids (w/ a 4x5 Graflex Spd. Graphic).

Thanks in advance for any illumination!

[Baker]

The Graphic Riteway holders have a pair of recesses (I think on the flap, but I'm not sure -- all mine have film in 'em, or I'd check) where you can glue a little rectangle of acetate or other clear stuff with part sticking out into the image area, which you then write on with a fine-point Sharpie. Several of mine came with such tabs.

The holders also have the little white pencil-writeable tabs on the outside so you can match holder to film, if you're so inclined.

[ This Message was edited by: Baker on 2003-10-28 23:40 ]

[glennfromwy]

The little tabs are easy to make, using a sheet of developedand fixed, unexposed film. Cut little tabs and stick 'em on the under side of the flap (in the corner). You can number them with india ink or a Sharpie.
Write on the emulsion side. All the ones that were in my holders were simply put on with Scotch tape.

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Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

[Les]

I actually went through the effort of printing some numbers on the computer and shooting a lith neg and then making a positive of the lith neg to put in the little recesses...between t he computers 9 pt type and a little reducing in copying, they infringe very little on the image but are good enough to read.

In one of the Graphic Graflex Photography books they talk about an acetate insert that runs the short width of the holder. Ithink these were develped for the war and then released tothe masses as I've seen both a signal corp and a marine version of them. (wonder if these will show up on History Channel's "Tactical to Practical"?)

In any case they are dang ard to find and judging from the flurry they created on ebay, quite collectible. Maybe it was the re-inactors group that was so rabid for them.

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"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison