Converting a 1234 Graflex pack film holder for use in wetplate photography.

[@df9999999999]

Nice video! There are two versions of the #1234 pack holder, one with a single central pressure spring, the other with the two edge springs. With either type, I simply bend up the spring edges so they contact the plate. Hobby shops sell 1/8 inch wide carbon fiber strips that are ideal for cutting the retainers for the long dimension. I used similar black flexible plastic sheets to yours to cut a liner for the plate holder to keep the plate from contacting the metal surface of the holder. Completely eliminates contamination issues if wiped with alcohol between shots. Original pack housing offset film plane back from opening, so liner helps keep focus correct if not too thick. Great point about making spacer placement oversize for variations in metal/glass plates.

[@andrewmiller6672]

Got home and did some measuring. Looks like it's roughly 0.1835 to the emulsion of the wetplate if it were to face straight on. Just need to find something around 0.0162 inches to hit the tolerance range of the ground glass. I might just use lengths of the plastic encasing you buy hardware in. that seems to be the right thickness.

[@RossHowardJones]

Nicely done. Just got a crown graphic that came with one of these and I shoot wet plate, so I'm going to give this a go. Thanks for the tutorial. 👍

[@hervedesormeaux1478]

Thank you for this video. She's great for the beginner that I am. 🙏

[@ElizabethWilliams-hl6xu]

Thanks for sharing! I have too many random film packs and now something to do with them! 👏

[@monodistortion]

Did you measure the distance from the front surface of the holder to the film plane? The original film pack is a metal box, so the film doesn't rest directly on the surface of the holder. Your plate might be a mm or fraction of a mm too close. When you say "pack film" you probably mean "film pack". "Pack film" is instant film made by Polaroid and Fuji. "Film pack" is made for this type of holder and was often called Premo film pack since it was originally designed for the Premo camera. camera-wiki.org/wiki/Film_Pack

[@nitrousman8882]

great video. Would a piece of foam be more effective than those edge springs? The other thing is that Bostick and Sullivan have 4x5 aluminum plates 14 for 10$.... not sure you can beat that unless you have access to a sheet metal guillotine. :)

[@cplkao]

Hi, I had also converted pack film holder for Wet Plate use with good result. I find I need to block the light coming from two pin which opens the holder and also the side semi-circle grove.

[@burnhamny]

Super cool, thanks for posting this!

[@bobwinberry]

Thanks for the video! I'm planning to do both TinTypes and Harmon Direct Positive paper, and watching this, I think I realized I only need to cut out the center place of the film holders for TinType - the the paper should fit right in along the film rails. (If I'm wrong - could you email me or replay here? thanks!

[@davo999]

Are these 4x5 holders universal or camera specific.

[@brianrae1624]

I bet for that plastic you used for the spacing you could use the plastic from one of those soft plastic 3 ring binders

[@jpcgordon]

Hi there, is there a follow up to this with using the back in a camera? I'm at the very beginning of my wet plate journey aka I'm still figuring out what I need.

[@steverileypictures5724]

I like the video.Did you have any issues with sharpness related to registering the film in the holder?

[@joshualacunha7060]

Nope. The plate seems to sit right where the film would have and they're very sharp.

[@stakkanovfriman2838]

instead of sizing down the internals could the holder be modified to take half-plate sized pictures? (by enlarging the hole in the front of the holder. or is the inside of the holder or the darkslide too narrow?)

[@stakkanovfriman2838]

to answer my own question i have since gotten a 1234holder. the answer is ofcourse no. half-plate is prettymuch the size of a grafhic back. the internals of my 1234holder are 107x151mm. dimensions of the darkslide however are 107x165mm (it goes 5mm further in than the opening). so it should be possible to extend the opening 4mm to the t-rib and another 4mm towards the hinge (depending on how brave you are about engagement of the darkslide), also the darkslide is wide enough to cover 4mm extra in both directions on the short side (still maintaining 1mm engagement of the darkslide eather side). so i guess that the opening can be extended from 97x122mm to 105x130 at the extreme end but actual 4x5"(100x127mm) exposures should be a safe bet (only expanding 2-3mm each side).

[@fabricelarochestudio]

It’s good idea, bravo

[@billhackley3540]

foto98's channel shows exactly how this was used should you be interested, found it yesterday

[@brianrae1624]

So the question is ... did it work?

[@joshualacunha7060]

It did! I use it all the time