Help choosing and loading paper negatives

[horacekenneth]

I've been using Arista EDU Ultra VC RC Pearl as paper negatives in my 5x7 but I've been having trouble loading them into my film holders, they're too thick I think (medium weight?).
Any suggestions for an easier loading (and good as paper negative) paper?
I was thinking something standard weight like Ilford MGIV RC might be easier to load and I was also eyeing Adox MCP 312 but I can't figure out what weight it is.

Thanks,
Horace

[jcoldslabs]

I don't think paper thickness is the issue, but size. I have a 5x7 film negative in front of me and it measures 4 7/8" wide by 6 7/8" long. I believe photo paper is actually 5" by 7", so you'll need to trim 1/8" off one of the long sides of your paper to get it to slide into your film holder.

Jonathan

[Roger Cole]

Yeah, I recently shot my first paper negatives using MGIV RC glossy. Trimmed to 4x5 for my 4x5 holders it simply won't fit. It has to be trimmed down slightly - easy enough with a paper trimmer.

[horacekenneth]

wow so a whole .125 needs to come off one of the lengths?

[Jeff Searust]

yup--- I have spent many evenings in the darkroom cutting off paper to load 5x7 film holders.

[jnanian]

wow so a whole .125 needs to come off one of the lengths?

cut the amount off the long edge so the paper fits under the guides.
5x7 ( 4x5, 8x10 &c ) is actually the size of the (DRY) PLATES
when the manufacturers started to make photo film ...
there were still lots of people using plates, so people used those funny
septums to convert their plate holder to film.
eventually film holders were made for just film and more film was made, but the manufacturers continued to
make them the same old / original sizes ... all that to say 5x7 paper, which is actually 5x7 is a bit too wide.

have fun !
john

[horacekenneth]

thanks