Qickload and Readyload

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Hallo everybody! I have a question relative to this two sistems which both use an alternative to film holders. Do they exist in Europe at all? In Holland they aren't sold at all. Are there only color or is there any b & W emulsion available too? How do you like them? Can I use them in a ordinari Polaroid 545 or do I need their own customized holder? Thanks Andrea Milano

-- Andrea Milano (milandro@multiweb.nl), October 23, 1998

Answers

The Kodak Readyload system certainly should be availible in Europe. I know that the Fuji QuickLoad system is and with more variations than in the US. Throughout the world Fuji is availible as the following E6 transparency films: Velvia, Provia, Astia and 64T(ungsten). In Europe and Japan, but not the USA, Fuji Quickloads are also available as a B&W negative emulsion (Neopan 80) and an ISO 100 or 160 color negative (I believe this is NPS but i am not sure.)

Kodak ReadyLoad is availible as E100s (transparency), 64T (tungsten balanced color transparency), TMX (b&w neg) and a ISO 100 color negative.

I very much like the Fuji QuickLoad system. You can use either the Fuji or the Kodak in the Polaroid holder but it it is not ideal.

Focus Plane tests:

Fuji was best in Fuji holder, equal to two tried and true Riteway holders; Kodak as good in Kodak holder. Both not acceptable in Polaroid 545i. I Didn't try Fuji in the Kodak holder or vice-versa. The Fuji holder is nicer to use.

Methodology for tests: Arca Swiss F-Line w/ 210mm f/5.6 Nikkor W, no filter; camera mounted on sandbagged Gitzo 410. Target: brick wall eight feet from camera, focus marks were made with a finetip black sharpie on white gaffer tape taped to wall in multiple places. Camera was squared to the wall using a mirror attached to the wall as alignment target. Sets of test exposures were made at both f/16 and f/5.6 for all films. Backs were held in place on camera via spring back plus graflock. Films tested: Fuji Velvia, Fuji Provia and Kodak E100s.

Failure Rates:

Kodak Readyloads: High failure rate, 25% to 30%, caused by light leaks due to bad jacket reseating, with film (averaged over three years of trials) with three Kodak holders and one Polaroid 545i.

Fuji QuickLoads: Zero failure rate with Fuji over three year period using one Fuji holder and one Polaroid 545i.

Operational note: Using the Fuji Holder I can leave the holder attached to the camera between shots. Many people have had better success with the Kodak product by a method called "slamming" whereby they insure the reseating of the film sleeve by tapping the end of the loaded holder (after shooting each side) on a solid surface. This may work, but I do not feel inclined to bother as this as it can eat up valuable time and concentration when the light is changing and also because clients think photographers are strange enough already without me having to a little tap dance to further that impression.

Please note I am not a Kodak basher; I really like the new Kodak E-6 and C-41 emulsions in many formats. I just think they really need to rethink and rework the Readyload system.

Please note: these results reflect my tests of a very limited product sampling. One of the Readyload holders, the Fuji Quickload holder and the Polaroid 545i were purchased off the shelf from local dealers. The other two Kodak QuickLoad holders were given to me by Kodak reps who were trying really hard to solve my problem with ReadyLoad film. I think the Kodak reps are trying really hard and it is upper management who is not listening.

Ellis Vener

-- Ellis (evphoto@insync.net), October 23, 1998.


Dear Ellis and every other contributor, I am afraid Fuji Holland has tried to introduce the quickload without any success, therefore discontinued the product(so I was told today by some sales person at Fuji's), I am still waiting for more informations from Kodak.Anyway, I think that you've done a great analitical job of your test! Compliments, the entire photographic world has to be thankful to people like you! Regards Andrea Milano

-- Andrea Milano (milandro@multiweb.nl), October 23, 1998.

Andrea,

Try Teamwork Photographic in London, www.teamworkphoto.co.uk , they are willing to ship to the US so Holland should not be a problem. There are also dealers in Germany who are Fuji stockhouses.

-- Ellis (evphoto@insync.net), October 23, 1998.


For an extensive holders discussion, including a reprint of an article from Camera and Darkroom magazine, see http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/lf/holders.html

-- Greg Lawhon (glawhon@unicom.net), October 25, 1998.

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