CAMBO 4x5 Film Holders

nevintagefilms · Mar 31, 2015

Hello,

I recently purchased this Cambo 4x5 Camera on Ebay so I can start large format photography for the first time. (I come from Super8 and Super16 motion picture photography as well as 120 medium format still photography).

First, any advice anyone may have to offer in starting out, especially with this camera, would be greatly appreciated.

But, most important is this camera does not come with any film holders. So, is there anything special I need to know when buying some or will any 4x5 film holder work with any 4x5 camera?

Thanks for your time!

Dave

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cambo-4x5-C...RusE8d4bAetNpRJsmLDnk%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

BrianShaw · Mar 31, 2015

Any 4x5 film holder will work. All you need to know is if they are light-tight or not.

M Carter · Mar 31, 2015

The most common modern 4x5 holder you'll see out there is "Fidelity Elite" - in fact, I don't think I've ever seen or handled anything else!

nevintagefilms · Mar 31, 2015

Wowa... that was fast. Thanks guys! I knew I came to the right place.

John Koehrer · Mar 31, 2015

There's a whole bunch of friendly, knowledgeable people here. Biggest bang for the buck on the interweb.

There is also Large format photography forum and they've got a number of excellent how to Large format articles.

wildbill · Mar 31, 2015

search loading film holders, large format on youtube as well.

M Carter · Mar 31, 2015

...and get a can of compressed air!

nevintagefilms · Mar 31, 2015

M Carter said:
...and get a can of compressed air!

For dust I presume?

Roger Cole · Mar 31, 2015

Second the compressed air.

There are also Riteway style film holders. They are very similar but the handle part of the dark slide is different (and means they won't fit in a quart ziplock which makes some folks dislike them; I keep mine in appropriately sized anti static bags instead) and they have a lock button that you you have to press to remove the dark slide except when the holder is in the camera when the back automatically depresses it. These will work fine too. I like them though some don't. The advantage of these is that it's impossible to accidentally remove the slide by picking it up by the slide (bad practice, but things happen) or any other klutz move when not in the camera as it takes two hands. In the camera they slide right out like the other type of darkslide.

Also it is a good idea to store your loaded film holders in ziplocks or anti static bags. You are about to join the major war against the evils of dust.

Roger Cole · Mar 31, 2015

nevintagefilms said:
For dust I presume?

Yes. Dust is now your mortal enemy. There are as many approaches to loading holders and trying to keep dust down as large format photographers but you at least want to blow out the holder and the felt light trap and the side of the dark slide toward the film each time you load film.

Where dust on a negative produces a white spot in a print that can be spotted with only moderate difficulty, dust on the film at the time of exposure will leave an unexposed white spot on the negative that will print black. While there are ways of dealing with this (usually either spotting the negative so it then prints white and can be spotted in the usual way - though if you aren't very careful you get a spot roughly the shape and size of Texas - or etching the print a bit, which shows on the surface.) Those who scan have an easier time of it but it still pays to minimize dust now to reduce greatly the annoying time spent later in trying to cope with the result of it.

M Carter · Apr 1, 2015

When I shot 4x5 commercially, I used compressed air and a big anti-static brush... and kept my film loading area spotless.

This is a YMMV thing, but for me - see if there's a closet or something you can make light tight, with a little shelf or table for loading sheet film - I found it far smoother than a changing bag, and much easier to load film cleanly.

And... decide on a dark-slide color "code" and stick with it (black is exposed? or black is unexposed??)

nevintagefilms · Apr 1, 2015

So adding to the topic, what Polaroid back do I need. Will this one work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/POLAROID-54...681?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c98b224c9

BrianShaw · Apr 1, 2015

545 is for sheet film, which is no longer made.

nevintagefilms · Apr 1, 2015

I see... what back would be used for FP-100C or the last few remaining FP-3000B?

RalphLambrecht · Apr 1, 2015

nevintagefilms said:
Hello,

I recently purchased this Cambo 4x5 Camera on Ebay so I can start large format photography for the first time. (I come from Super8 and Super16 motion picture photography as well as 120 medium format still photography).

First, any advice anyone may have to offer in starting out, especially with this camera, would be greatly appreciated.

But, most important is this camera does not come with any film holders. So, is there anything special I need to know when buying some or will any 4x5 film holder work with any 4x5 camera?

Thanks for your time!

Dave

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cambo-4x5-C...RusE8d4bAetNpRJsmLDnk%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

allmost all regular 4x5 wood or plasticholders will work;never came across one that didn't

BrianShaw · Apr 1, 2015

nevintagefilms said:
I see... what back would be used for FP-100C or the last few remaining FP-3000B?

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that would be the 550 back.

xya · Apr 1, 2015

no, it's the 405. the 550 back is for polaroid 4x5 film, no longer made.

RalphLambrecht · Apr 1, 2015

xya said:
no, it's the 405. the 550 back is for polaroid 4x5 film, no longer made.

what's no longer made,the back or the film for it?:confused:

M Carter · Apr 1, 2015

RalphLambrecht said:
what's no longer made,the back or the film for it?:confused:

There's no more 4x5 polaroid manufactured. There's about 5 million 4x5 polaroid backs on ebay though...

M Carter · Apr 1, 2015

nevintagefilms said:
I see... what back would be used for FP-100C or the last few remaining FP-3000B?

A DSLR. Seriously, compared to the days when there was professional polaroid that you could dial in for whatever speed film you were shooting, color or B&W... shoot with your DSLR and learn how the DSLR image differs in shadows, highlights, contrast. Heck, dial in a setting that mimics your film.

The current Fuji emulsions aren't really designed for proofing - I use 3000 sometimes just to have a look, but it has far less shadow detail than B&W films printed out. Polaroid to check framing and look for things like stray reflections you're just not catching through the groundglass or viewfinder... I don't think you can rely on Polaroid for exposure like you could in the pre-digital days.

BrianShaw · Apr 1, 2015

xya said:
no, it's the 405. the 550 back is for polaroid 4x5 film, no longer made.

Thanks for correcting me. I appreciate that. My brain wasn't thinking correctly.

nevintagefilms · Apr 1, 2015

M Carter said:
A DSLR. Seriously, compared to the days when there was professional polaroid that you could dial in for whatever speed film you were shooting, color or B&W... shoot with your DSLR and learn how the DSLR image differs in shadows, highlights, contrast. Heck, dial in a setting that mimics your film.

The current Fuji emulsions aren't really designed for proofing - I use 3000 sometimes just to have a look, but it has far less shadow detail than B&W films printed out. Polaroid to check framing and look for things like stray reflections you're just not catching through the groundglass or viewfinder... I don't think you can rely on Polaroid for exposure like you could in the pre-digital days.

I'm not sure what you are suggesting I use a DSLR for (which I am proud to say I do not own). I am hoping to get a 405 Polaroid back for my Cambo so I can shoot instant film for the sake of instant film. I actually like the look of the FP-100C.

Roger Cole · Apr 2, 2015

I can check my Polaroid back later as I do have one that works with FP-100c just fine. I like it too. There are a few shots on it on my Flickr page, mostly 3.25x4.25 in my 4x5 camera but one little 6x4.5 one from my Mamiya 645.

I wouldn't even consider a changing bag. Some people make them work but the dust issue - just no. If I can't load holders in my darkroom, with my HEPA air filter running, my electric anti static brush, my canned air and my lint roller (and I STILL occasionally get dust) I'm not going to shoot sheet film and will make do with medium format. Time was the quality difference was substantial but that's just not very true anymore at least for the sizes I print. If I'm shooting 4x5 it's because I want movements or I'm just enjoying the slow contemplative approach.

Doremus Scudder · Apr 2, 2015

Go to the Large Format home page here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/ and read all the articles you find you need.

Search here and on the LF forum http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/ for specifics.

Get a book or two on LF photography and read them. Steve Simmons' book is often mentioned for beginners (I've never read it though). The Ansel Adams' books "The Camera," "The Negative," and "The Print" are standard reading. An advanced text on camera movements is Leslie Stroebel's "Using the View Camera." For darkroom practice you can't beat Lambrecht and Woodhouse's "Way Beyond Monochrome."

After that and some practice, you'll be an expert and can start answering questions yourself

Best,

Doremus

CAMBO 4x5 Film Holders

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