Topic: shanghai 4x5 question?

[moominsean]

For anyone who might have experience. This is my first time using film with my crown graphic. Using my Graphmatic...I understand how to load the film etc. but everything I read says the notch should be lower right. Well, the Shanghai directions says that the emulsion side is up when the notch is "right side up" or "left side down"...which is the opposite of every 4x5 film loading thing I've read. The film should be shiny side down (dull lighter side up), correct? with the notch at lower right? I'm chalking it up to Chinese translated instructions.

[Andrea.]

I use it in 5x7 and it seems like any other film I've used - which isn't many in 5x7. Seems ok even if I'm using it back to front!

[Francois]

The film should be shiny side down (dull lighter side up), correct?

Common sense would tell me this is the correct way since the dull side is the emulsion.

[original_ann]

Hmmm, yes odd directions.  Could the notches really be on the wrong side?  Definitely want shiny side down, emulsion/dull side up when you're sliding it in. 

[Francois]

If you can't figure out which side is which in the dark, just turn on the light a bit to make sure 

[Yaniv Waissa]

this link could give you the answer
http://www.butzi.net/articles/filmload.htm

[johann]

Great link, thanks. I wondered if film boxes were made like photo paper boxes. Apparently it's even more layered. I didn't expect that.

[moominsean]

yeah it seemed to make sense that the emulsion side was the dull side, but the directions threw me for a loop. the film is right, the directions are wrong.

[Ezzie]

Wish I had read this before loading up 3 DD´s. I too was a find confounded about the procedure described on the slip. We´ll see how they turn out, and if I have to make adjustments for the next sheets.

[Francois]

Well... the instructions are written in china. Even if the quality of some of the stuff they make is on the rise, their translations are still barely on par with Google Translate!

[Ezzie]

Two sheets developed, and I can confirm the notch is supposed to be where all others say it should be. In other words top right as seen from front in portrait. Mine were exposed through the base of course. It would seem I have lost a stop or more of film speed as a result, not scanned yet - so no idea if there have been other side effects (sharpness etc).

[JoeV]

The notch position to determine the emulsion side of the film depends on whether the film is oriented in portrait or landscape mode. When viewed in portrait orientation (short side on top), the emulsion side is facing you if the notch is in the upper right or lower left corners.

It's just the opposite if viewed in landscape orientation.

~Joe

[Francois]

Well, I don't really think sharpness would be affected much even though it is a fraction of a millimeter off...
I wouldn't even expect tonal range to be that much off either, just the usual underexposure results.

But there's one thing that will definitely be wrong: the lest will be at the right and the right will be at the left when printed     

[ambaker]

Would not top right and lower left be essentially the same?

Both would result in the same side forward.


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[JoeV]

Francois: Unless the film has an anti-reflection coating on the reverse side, which would cut down on the amount of light that could get through the film base to the emulsion on the other side. Almost all modern films have an ARC, BTW.

ambaker: Yes. If the film's oriented in portrait mode.

[ambaker]

ambaker: Yes. If the film's oriented in portrait mode.

I thought you couldn't get landscape film anymore.  :wink:

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[Ezzie]

Indeed, that is the clue to the mystery. The translation can be read, as I did, as if the notch is top right when the film is in landscape orientation. As I see more than a few others have done (google divulges all). Well, not to worry, lesson learned.

[Francois]

Francois: Unless the film has an anti-reflection coating on the reverse side, which would cut down on the amount of light that could get through the film base to the emulsion on the other side. Almost all modern films have an ARC, BTW.

I know. From memory, only Polypan F doesn't have an anti-reflection coating.
This is just like a redscaled film. The only difference is that there are no inter layer filters to affect the color. The AR layer is not completely opaque as it's designed to simply cut the amount of light that isn't already absorbed by the emulsion. The only films that can't be redscaled or exposed through the back are those that have a remjet backing.