Problem with two sheet film holders

[Sirius Glass]

I have a problem with two sheet film holders. When I load the two sheet film holders, I am very careful to make sure that the film is in the grooves on each side and the dark slide is about half way in. Then I close the flap and push the dark slide all the way in. Yet, sometimes [way too often] after I have taken the photograph and put the dark slide in, the film has pulled away far enough from the film holder base that the dark slide pushes the film into the camera chamber. The result is a film jam and the negative is lost.

What am I doing wrong and how do I prevent this problem.

[brucemuir]

What film?
I heard about some non spec sized film from where was it....
um some rebadged Berrger maybe?

[SMBooth]

I had this problem with some paper I use, but it was because I cut the film to narrow. It sound like you will need to waste a sheet and see what happen when you pull the darkslide out with the filmholder vertical. Can you buy low tac double sided tape? Perhaps a bit of that may help if small sheet size is your problem.
The other question is it only happening when you use certain darkslides.

[Sirius Glass]

4"x5" Kodak Porta & Ektar, Ilford HP5+ and FP4+ With plastic Lisco film holders is like new condition. It also has happened with metal film holders.

So it has happened with all kinds of dark slides. I thought that if I standardized on Lisco film holders it would not happen any more, but that is not the case.

Steve

[brucemuir]

I would always get my fingernail under the sheet and flick it upwards to make sure the sheet is seated under the rails.

Are you sure you're loading both sides completely UNDER the rails?

[snederhiser]

Hello Sirius;
Has been awhile since I have loaded these up but believe this is correct. Pull out the the darkslides out of the holder and open the film gates. There should be three rails, one on each side and another under the top where the darkslide enters. Load film with notch in the upper right hand corner under the side rails and make sure it slides under the top rail. The film gate is recessed acting as the fourth rail trapping the film. The gate will not close properly if the film is not up into the top rail. Slide in the darkslide depending on what you like. Black indicates unexposed for me, should be bumps or the flags to indicate this. Steven.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Sounds like you're not getting the film under the side rails and all the way in, if it's happening with different films and different holders. You should be able to feel the side rails as the film goes in, and the sheet should be seated flat at the flap end, so the flap closes all the way

You might try loading with powderless surgical gloves, so you can feel what's going on a little better without leaving fingerprints on the film. Also, practice with a scrap sheet or discarded negative so you can check with the lights on and be sure you're getting it right.

If you load the film with the holder oriented vertically and the end flap toward you, I usually like to put the notch in the lower left hand corner rather than the upper right, so if something happens to my usual labeling system that requires that I have to figure out in the dark what film I have in the holders, I can check the notches without pulling the sheet all the way out.

[Doremus Scudder]

Sirius,

You need to load a scrap sheet in the light and see what you are doing wrong. As above, I believe you simply aren't getting the film under the "rails" on the septum. FWIW, I load my film with the code notch at the bottom left (the flap end). When I load the film, I slide a fingertip under the bottom edge and lift gently to make sure a) that the film is actually under the rails and b) that the code notch is in the proper place. I have found that the deeper notches on some films impinge into the image area if the film is loaded with the notches top right. Loading the notches bottom left solves this problem.

The problem you are having, i.e., the film being projected out of the holder into the camera bellows has happened to me a time or to, but only when the film was misloaded and not properly under the retaining rails. It's frustrating, but fortunately, I was always able to quickly load another holder and get the shot.

I'm sure you'll figure things out quickly.

Best,

Doremus Scudder
www.DoremusScudder.com