8x10 sliding back?

[Switchcomb]

I'm trying to get into 4x10 and recently looking on ebay I ran into an 8x10 sliding back. It makes 2 4x10 exposure on one 8x10 sheet. I think thats a great idea but I can't find one anywhere for sale or with specs. Anyone else seen this?

[Nick Zentena]

I think a Deardorf one has been mentioned in the past.

[JLMoore3rd]

I had a Kodak 8x10 that had inserts for different formats (4x10 or 5x8)... You placed the inserts into the back. I thought about modifying the back on my Tachihara, but there isn't enough depth. Another less expensive option would be to make an extra dark slide that would be 4x10 & flip it for each exposure.

John

[Nick Zentena]

If you're willing to hack a back to fit your current camera the Shen 4x10 reducing back for the FCL-810 might be the least expensive.

[Tomf2468]

Or, for "trying to get into 4x10" just cut a spare darkslide in half. Cheap and easy. Simply pull the normal darkslide, insert the half darkslide and shoot. You may want the sliding back or a dedicated back if this becomes your main format.

[John Kasaian]

Some Deardorff v8 and Agfa Ansco Universals have sliders in the back that will allow two 4x10s on one sheet of 8x10 film. Lots cheaper than having a dedicated 4x10 camera not to mention that 8x10 film holders are a lot easier to come by. OTOH if wieght and bulk are an overriding concern...maybe not!

[David A. Goldfarb]

The easiest way to do this is to make a half darkslide mask. It's lightweight and easy to carry with you all the time. You just remove the regular darkslide and insert the mask to make the photograph, and you can fit two frames on a sheet.

I made mine with an X-acto knife and a straightedge and a spare darkslide. The mask portion should be a little more than half the frame, so you get some border between the two frames, and you need some margin at the handle end to keep the mask straight in the holder and to engage the felt light trap. Insert the full darkslide before cutting and pencil in the margins of the frame to determine where to make the cut.

[orto]

I saw an original solution, never mentioned anywhere. The guy put another sliding rail for the film in the middle of the 8x10 film holder, cut the original dark slide in 2 halves, made them a little bit smaller and he used the original 8x10 film holder as a 4 pictures 4x10 film holder - with 4 dark slides! No need to turn your dark slide and change it etc. The rail was simply glued to the middle portion of the film holder. How about that?

[eddie gunks]

i sold a sliding back (actually two) for a B&J 8x10. one was a 4x10 the other a 5x8!

eddie

[mark]

Sliding backs are a PIA. They are just too big. I had one and found I liked the splitter or the cut darkslide better.