ben conover Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Hello, I have a Burke and James press camera and plan to use a polaroid 500 holder soon. However, I am interested in roll film backs if there are any that fit this type of camera. Does the design of this camera prohibit roll film usage? Anyone made an adaptor? Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl_price Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Ben, I think Calumet used to make a roll film back for spring back type 4x5's. I've seen them on ebay from time to time. I used to have the same camera you have now. It's a great lightweight compact 4x5. Cheers, Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl_price Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Look on the KEH website. They currently have three Calumet C2 6x7 roll film holders under large format back and magazine accessories. Anywhere from $94.00 and up. Cheers, Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 Hey Karl, great news, thanks. I will have a look at that site and prices right now. Not sure I agree the old B&J is light weight, it's all metal! Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl_price Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Well it IS compact!<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 17, 2006 Author Share Posted August 17, 2006 Cool photo Karl, I see your old B&J had good a tripod too. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanders_mcnew Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Be careful! I have a B+J press camera. The current version of the Polaroid holder will not slide all the way into the spring back -- the bulge at the loading end of the holder gets in the way. I do not know if the older holders will fit -- make sure you try one out before buying. Same goes for any roll film holders. It's not the question you asked, but if you want to shoot roll film, there are soooo many better options than a press camera, many quite inexpensive. (There are a zillion cheap 6x6 and 6x9 folders on eBay, and newly-reconditioned ones sell at www.certo6.com for much less than the price of a roll film holder.) What do you hope to accomplish by trying to load roll film onto the B+J? Sanders McNew (www.mcnew.net/portraits) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 18, 2006 Author Share Posted August 18, 2006 Sanders, thanks for the detailed reply. However, I will use a roll film back with my B&J press for several reasons.... 1. Roll film backs keep the film flatter than sheet film. 2. They are very convenient, more shots, and different formats. (67, 69, 612) 3. Roll film + movements is a very handy combo. 4. Roll film with bellows extension past 1:1 is very good. I will try the 500 holder and the calumet roll film holder. Just got started in photography 3 years ago, I like it. I know the alternatives, Fuji 69 rangefinder was the best I tried yet for candids etc. I sold all my Medium Format gear so I could concentrate my finances on building a large format system. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanders_mcnew Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Ben, I think you will find that roll film does not necessarily lie flatter than 4x5 sheets in holders. A lot of roll film adaptors have had film flatness problems -- there is the natural curl of roll film that they must flatten. I've not had any film flatness issues with my 4x5 or 5x7 sheets, at least none that I am aware of. Why do you think roll film will be superior in this regard? Sanders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 21, 2006 Author Share Posted August 21, 2006 Hi there Sanders, I opted out of the roll film holder idea, just for now. I figured that I may as well use sheet film and just accept the inherant dust and film flatness issues. I have never used this B&J so the issues I refer to are just what I have read, not from experience. Sheet film will be more in keeping with my use for the camera, which is just a few shots now and then. Anyhow, the sheet film can be processed at particular times, which may be of some use. If I do find a 6x12 roll film holder going cheap on ebay I'll buy it. Reason being that I could use it for landscapes and be free from the sheet film ties. Concerning film flatness, I think roll film holders have a pressure plate which keeps the film flat, whereas sheet film holders have no pressure plate. Whether the roll film holder keep film flatter I don't know. Perhaps design of the Contax RTS3 with it's vacuum pressure plate would be good for sheet film! Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_fromm2 Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Um, Ben, does your B&J have a Graflok back? I doubt that it does. Um, Ben, do the cheap 6x12 holders sold on eBay attach to a camera with a spring back? I doubt that they do. You might consider doing more homework, if not perhaps jumping out of airplanes without a parachute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanders_mcnew Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 "I figured that I may as well use sheet film and just accept the inherant dust and film flatness issues. I have never used this B&J so the issues I refer to are just what I have read, not from experience." Ben, there are no "inherent" dust or flatness issues with sheet film. I don't know why you persist in thinking film flatness is more of an issue for sheet film than roll film. Roll film bows longitudinally, and also has the curls from having been wound on a spool, and from having been bent around film guides inside the camera, to contend with. Sheet film has a thick base and stays flat. As for dust, you can just as easily have dust problems with roll film. That depends on the environment, not on the medium. Dan's caution is a fair one. The B+J back will not accept a lot of film holders and adaptors, as I mentioned with respect to the Polaroid holder. You say you've not shot the camera yet. Before tying yourself in knots over these things, load up some 4x5 holders with sheets of film and shoot them. See how you like working with the camera. Its limitations (and boy does it have limitations) will become immediately apparent. Then you can sit back and think whether the camera has the flexibility to do all the things you think you want it to do, before spending a lot more money on stuff that you might never use. Sanders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 26, 2006 Author Share Posted August 26, 2006 Dan please do me a favour. Do not insult me. Ok? I do not spend my days pretending to be a professional photographer and I have a right to ask the questions I do, occasionally. If you think I need to be silenced then please avoid my posts, instead of antagonising me with your childish remarks about suicide. Ever been there? Pratt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 27, 2006 Author Share Posted August 27, 2006 Dan, glad we resolved things as adults, interesting to hear about your experiences with the 'Cello and the cat! Now off to see about this polaroid film. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted September 10, 2006 Author Share Posted September 10, 2006 On topic, I ended up buying a 4x5 polaroid 500 holder but not the roll film holder. Instead I bought a Linhof Technika 70 with super rolex back and Schenider 80mm 2.8 Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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