5x7 film holders

[Curt]

Is it me or are 5x7 film holders getting harder and harder to find? I was looking for three and found that most were the wood variety with metal tops. I couldn't find any Fidelity plastic newer models. At that point I searched though all of my trunks and found four more I had hidden away. I have 20 of the newer Fidelity holders and a bunch of nice wood and metal holders, older ones. I think that this number is going to just fine but was surprised at the cost of the very few still out there for sale. I know that Badger has Shen Hao 5x7 holders at $66.00 for those who need to buy immediately, I was looking at bidding but it's too thin. I guess if I were starting I would have to buy 6 or 10 of the Shen Hao wood holders, I'm luck to have the holders I have, it makes it harder for someone to start in 5x7 I imagine with the lack of holders and the new ones being a bit higher.


Curt

[photomc]

Curt, you are correct they have become a bit harder to find in the past year. There has been quite a bit of discussion about 'new' holders coming from Fotoman, along with the whole plate (WP) size. Last I heard, the new holders were being tested, but check the FAQs on Fotoman's site for the most recent information. Good luck, I was lucky to find 6 new Fidelity 5x7 holders at a local store.

[Nick Zentena]

I found a bunch from KEH when I stopped looking. They get some every so often and they sell for very reasonable prices. I think the highest I paid was $6 per. Not the latest models but good quality older users.

[TheFlyingCamera]

There are now new Shen-Hao made wood 5x7 holders available. I have a dozen of them now; they have displaced my old plastic and my older wooden holders entirely. Badger Graphic has them; they are approximately $70 each. Not cheap, but they are new; they are under warranty; and unlike the plastic ones, the light trap for the darkslide is accessible via four screws, so when (not if, but when) the light traps wear out, they can be replaced and rebuilt.

[BradS]

yeah, I think that all the hype about 5x7 holders is just that...hype. I have had no trouble finding and buying modern plastic holders in decent condition for reasonable prices. Ignore ebay and all the other sources of on-line hype and hysteria. Check with well established reputable, local camera stores that cater to professionals. Often they have some stashed away and are happy to get them out of inventory.

[DarkroomDan]

I just searched for "Film Holders" on ebay and came up with quite a few 5x7 but. Judging from the prices they are going for, the sellers seem to be pretty proud of them.


Dan

[Justin Cormack]

In the UK I have only found half plate not 5x7 - its a bit annoying, as there are only a very small number of films available in half plate. And I only have 2 holders. Metric sizes also occasionally available, but film even harder to get than half plate. I would really like to be able to shoot Ilford film in 5x7. I use Acros shipped from Japan (which is not available in 5x7).

[PHOTOTONE]

The older wooden 5x7 holders can work just fine. I have and use plenty of them, and sometimes I have to rebuild them, including putting in new felt for the traps, but with a putty knife one can usually pry up the wood surrounding that end of the holder and then glue it back in place. The old glue often will let go with very little pressure. Also, some brands of older 5x7 holders had metal plates retained with screws over the light traps, rather than glued wood. On older Agfa-Ansco holders the light trap felt and spring metal centers are removable from the end of the film holder by removing two screws. You can gently pry the whole thing out, replace the felt, then work it back in.

[Don Dudenbostel]

I just received a dozen new Shen Hao holders a week ago. After examining them closely I am a quite disappointed in them. First of all the wood is very soft and two of the holders have lost part of the light trap that engages in the grove in the film back. IMO the wood is much too soft for film holders and will easily be damaged. The grain of the wood was such that it was not strong enough in the more delicate areas. Second and more important is I see a warp in the wood where the slode goes in and the trap is located. When I insert them in my Canyham back they seat in the middle but not quite at the sides. This would allow light to enter and fog the film from the sides and trap. The wood on the trap end where the slide enters is quite thin and flexes easily. Third the grooves where the film slides when loading is rouch in a number of the holders. A couple were quite hard to load.
The wood looks and feels like pine which is too soft for durability. I don't understand why they didn't use something like maple or walnut and possibly use a metal piece where the felt trap is located with a metal bead that would engage with the groove in the camera back.

[Sal Santamaura]

I just received a dozen new Shen Hao holders a week ago. After examining them closely I am a quite disappointed in them...

My suggestion is to return them and order 5x7 holders from Chamonix. Hugo Zhang sent me a couple of Chamonix 5x7 holders for evaluation. After examining them (including disassembly to confirm double light traps) and making some pictures with them, I concluded they are the finest sheet film holders made today. They are exquisite in both form and function, besting even my Lotus holders. As a result, I ordered 14 Chamonix 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 holders, and will probably purchase some in 5x7 too when my finances recover.

Chamonix 5x7 holders cost approximately twice what Shen Hao 5x7 holders sell for. In my opinion, based on your description of Shen Hao's holders, as well as similar comments others have posted about them, Chamonix holders are definitely worth the difference.