Problem with Fidelity holders

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Most of my Fidelity 'deluxe' cut-film holders now have the problem of the closure flap not shutting properly (see above). They just won't press home, and this causes the holder to sit slightly proud of the camera back when they're in place. This obviously affects the film registration, and I'm also worried that the little gap might cause a light leak.
The above example is probably the worst of all my Fidelity holders, and there's a comparison with a Toyo holder which closes properly.
Have I been unlucky, or is this a common problem with Fidelities?
The root of the problem seems to be a piece of the plastic moulding lifting from the septum. Has anyone got a simple cure, apart from buying new, non-Fidelity holders?
Thanks for any response.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), April 04, 2001

Answers

Hi Pete

I only have these problem with the Fidelity when the neg. or pos. is not on the right place. If they are fully in and on the right place, you should not have thad problem. Films on the right place it works fine also with my 30 years old Fidelity`s! Hope it helps! Dark light for fill in, and good light for shooting!

-- Armin Seeholzer (armin.seeholzer@smile.ch), April 04, 2001.


See if there is any dust or grit in the crease...

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), April 04, 2001.

Most of my holders are in excess of 25 years old, but they don't have this problem.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), April 04, 2001.

Pete: I tried to duplicate your problem with Fidelity Deluxe holders I own that are very worn from use and quite old. I cannot get the flap to lift when the slide is seated. Is the channel in the flap possibly cracked on the side facing the film? Also, is there excessive wear in the channel or maybe a buildup of dirt in the channel? With the flap properly seated, I cannot pull the flap up to the position in your photograph. It tried to duplicate the "standoff" on several holders and could not.

Regards,

-- Doug Paramore (dougmary@alaweb.com), April 04, 2001.


The slide isn't very old, it's clean, and the shot above was taken when the slide was empty. Squeezing the slide between thumb and forefinger with the sheath withdrawn won't even bring the surfaces flush. I treat all my Toyo holders exactly the same as the Fidelity ones, and they're all still perfect. All my Fidelity deluxes (only 6, luckily) are showing this problem to a greater or lesser degree.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), April 04, 2001.


Pete,

Does this problem occur when there is no film in the holder? Like Armin above, I only have the problem when the film is not inserted all the way in. At that point, the edge of the film will be hanging over the last lip of the light trap on the hinged door.

I have one or two Fidelity holders where I need to be careful because the film does not easily slide all the way in. But I know if I have it in sufficiently by checking to see if the door closes all the way. That is, I feel for that edge uneveness that you have a photograph of above. If it is uneven, I open the holder and adjust the film alignment and slide the film a bit further in.

Ultimately, I think there is a small lip on the opposite side that the film hangs up on a bit, and it sometimes takes some concerted effort to get the film past this lip to properly seat at the end with the flap door.

That's my experience, yours may vary...

---Michael

-- Michael Mutmansky (psu4ever@ix.netcom.com), April 04, 2001.


Pete When I was looking for sheet film holders I was advised that Toyo show better build quality in as much as they are rivetted together and therefore less prone to the problem you describe. Maybe it would be worth while replacing the Fidelity ones with Toyo. (In the UK I believe that Robert White is offering good deals on new Toyo holders) Regards Paul

-- paul owen (paulowen_2000@yahoo.com), April 04, 2001.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I've now checked all the holders for cracks and trapped grit (and film!).
An accumulation of muck in the sticky-tape crease was stopping some older 'Deluxes' from closing snugly, and they're now sorted, with the aid of an old toothbrush. However, the one in the picture, and another newish Fidelity, still stubbornly refuse to lie flat, and it appears that the plastic flap has distorted, or was just too thick to start with.
I think the phrase "they don't make 'em like they used to" springs to mind, and I'll be buying Toyos exclusively in future.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), April 05, 2001.

Hello Pete: Open the flap, pull the slide out a few inches, then look at the holder ahere the film enters, look at the two inner flaps separated by a "V" which crimp the septum. The flaps my have separated or are bulging out , unglued, and are preventing the flap from closing down flush. Possibly the inner flaps can be glued flat under pressure (cyanoacrylate, 1/2 drop) and all will be well. If not, they are beyond rescue. Inspecting mine I notice two different styles of inner flaps. One is perfectly flat and adhered, the other seems prone to having the problem you describe. Looking at my holders, the better construction seems of more recent vintage.

-- Julio Fernandez (gluemax@ora.auracom.com), April 05, 2001.

Hi Julio.
Yes, the little notched end-stop for the film has lifted slightly on one side, and is more square and flatter on the other side. The strange thing is that the flaps don't close properly on either side! They simply appear to be too big to close over the septum.
Anyway, there doesn't appear to be any way to repair 'em, short of taking a file to the flaps. So, it's Toyos for me from now on.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), April 06, 2001.


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