ortho films needed with red windows?

[Chad]

Can I use pan films or is it necessary to use orthocromatic films with a camera that uses a red viewing window? The window is covered when not in use.


😕

thanks

Chad

 

[mhv]

I've used pan B&W films in my two cameras using the red window (a 6x9 folder and a 6x6 Brownie). The only time I had problems was due to a light leak, most likely because I didn't close the door properly or whatnot. As a matter of fact, it was on color film!

 

[David Murphy]

Can I use pan films or is it necessary to use orthocromatic films with a camera that uses a red viewing window? The window is covered when not in use.


😕

thanks

Chad

I had an old Japanese TLR (Beautyflex I think it was called) that had a red window and I had fabulous results with E6 film and it's red window. I think the pressure plate and the paper backing must make a good light seal.

 

[dmr]

I can say with 100% assurance that I've used pan and color film in my old Brownie and my dad's Monitor, which both have red windows. The Brownie Starflash was kept in bright room light sometimes for months with a roll in it, and many times in bright sunlight. Never any fogging at all.

Somebody on one of the other boards was saying, when this topic came up, that Kodak actually had a couple models with a dark green window instead, which is the color that Pan film is least sensitive to.

 

[David Goldfarb]

No problem. There is little chance of light working its way to the film from the red window. Some of the Chinese-made panoramic rollfilm backs for large format cameras have open windows (my 6x17 back has three windows for three different formats) with shutters so you can check the frame number without leaving it open too long, and those work fine even with high-speed films.

 

[Chad]

Thanks for the input everyone. I guess I'll not worry about it too much.


Chad