Whats the difference between sheet film and pack film?

[dharma bummer]

I have recently bought a Sinar F-1 4x5 and while looking for 4x5 film

for it I noticed that many of the films come both in sheet form and

in a pack form. I understand how the sheet film works, but I still

can't quite figure out what the difference is with the pack film.

Would anyone care to clarify? Does it require a different kind of

film back?

 

Thanks.

[Troll]

Film Packs are, unfortunately, no longer available.

[dharma bummer]

Is that do to the general discontinuation of so many different films because photographers are all switching to digital, or was there something wrong with them?

[neal_shields]

I think you are talking about single sheet packets which I think are still available. They use special holders or the old polaroid holders. Some people like them because you can load them in daylight and have less potential for dust. To my mind they are quite expensive. Back packers also like them for the exposure to weight ratio compaired to film holders.

 

Film packs are a memory of my youth where you had 16 sheets of 4x5 film in a pack the size of a normal 2 sheet holder. You pulled paper tabs like a Polaroid after each exposure.

 

If Digital caused them to go away someone had a crystal ball because they were gone years before digital.

 

I recently brought two Tri X film packs on the auction site for $8 each which were said to be frozen for the last 20 years. The results looked fine to me.

 

The guy must have a warehouse full, because they are still there. He gives a holder away (required) with three packs.

 

However, I had forgotten how thin pack film is, and they wouldn't load in my Jobo reels, so I had to tray process them.

[tim obrien]

Neil,

You must be talking about the aero Plus-X guy on EBay. I looked at those and decided it wasn't worth the risk. Of course, almost everybody who has an old Speed seems to have a pack film holder for it too. I know there is one or two lying around in my 'fergotten' box somewhere.

 

So it worked pretty good? I might need to revisit that vendor. Too bad he doesn't have 3x4.

 

tim in san jose

[jerry_flynn1]

Dan, in response to your question regarding film packs, they were discontinued long before digital was even a gleam in an engineer's eye. They were sheets where the base was not the more-or-less rigid support of sheet film, but more like roll film. This made for some difficulties in film flatness and processing I understand, but made it possible to get a larger number of sheets in a smaller space. Film packs also offered a fairly fast means of moving the exposed sheet to the back of the stack and bringing the next unexposed sheet to the front. I think film packs were primarily designed with the press photographer in mind. As those guys moved from Speed Graphics to Nikons, the need for film pack diminished.

 

Now, if you are talking about Polaroid, that is a different matter. Film packs for Polaroid come in two sizes. There is sheet film as well. Each has its own special holder. Check out Polaroid's Web site for details.

[glenn_thoreson]

You are probably refering to Fuji or Kodak films in the Quick Load or Ready Load packs. These are nice in one respect - they are a big help in eliminating dust on the film and make for a lightweight backpacking setup. On the negative side, the selection of emulsions is very limited and the cost per sheet is very high, as are the holders. Traditional pack films have not been available for a couple of decades, with exception of the fellow with the 20 year old Tri-X.

[dharma bummer]

I was actually referring to all of them! I never knew there was such a variety and history to these different pack films. Although they sound nice because of the weight issues, I am only 17 and really can't afford to pay the extra money for the convenience now, I guess I will just have to wait and pay it 3-fold when I'm older and have back issues. :)

 

Thanks everyone for replying!

[Aoresteen]

Dan,

 

Congrats on the Sinar!!! At age 17 and using LF is great!!! Keep it up!

 

By the time you are my age (51) 4x5 sheet film will be avaibale in one type only, EFKE, and large format will be a full frame 6x7 1 gigapixel digital back!

[dharma bummer]

I hope that there will still be sheet film, I don't want to be limited to a digital back! If that happens I will have to invent a digital enlarger to use in my darkroom. Nomatter how good a printer you have, it will never come out looking handprinted.

[jean-louis llech]

Pack films are always manufactured by Polaroid for 550 type holders.