using barrel lens for 8x10 portraits?

I've been using a modern 300mm lens on my old Kodak 8x10 with some nice results but I really want to do head&shoulder B&W portraits. I have some basic lighting gear but prefer indoor natural light. From what I've seen I can only afford a barrel lens and have my eye on a 405mm Kodak Portrait lens in barrel. My question is how difficult this set up would be to use? Are'nt Portrait lens ususally used at larger Fstops, and if so then I presume you really need a shutter for shorter times, or do you? I know that a packard shutter might be an option but then thats even more expense. Has anyone got any tips or experience to relate using this type of setup? thanks.

it depends on how much indoor light is available. If you have many

large windows and skylights your times maybe too fast for your hand.

I have found I can get down to about 1/2 second using a card for a

shutter, you may be able to go faster. However I usually prefer at

least 1 second if not 2. You may want to practice without the

shutter on your present lens a little and see it works. The exposure

times will be comparable for the two focal lengths. Asking a sitter

to be still for 1 sec can be distracting or relaxing to sitters. My

sitters become concentrated and engaged in the process. They know I

won't sneak up on them with a candid. You may or may not like the

resultant poses and possible subject movement. Personally I like the

challenges of barrell lens portraits but they may not be for you.

Also the depth of field changes in the widest f stops probably will

not make that much difference to you, but stopped down may offer you

a little more time. Incidently I use 4x5 so a little movement ruining

a negative doesn't cost that much. Good luck with this, but

experiment some before spending too much money.

thanks jim, My first concern was really that as my camera is old and

shaky (and has no front tilt) and that replacing a cap on this lens

(which looks fairly heavy) would cause too much shake (although that

never stopped the old time photographers). I suppose I could work

with the lighting till my exposure times are past a second or two and

use a stop watch for accuracy. The lens I'm interested in I think

has some sort of variable diffusion ability, and I'm also worried

about DOF problems at wider stops where I want to use diffusion. I

also have a 4x5 so I like your idea of practicing with cheaper film :)

Bill: Have you priced a used Packard shutter? They are pretty cheap

compared to other shutters. I bought mine at a photo trade fair for

$10. A little cleaning and it was good as new. I use a bulb from an

old blood pressure cuff to operate it. I haven't looked up the prices

for a new one, but they used to be reasonable. Stores like Midwest

Camera Exchange which deal in LF equipment a lot ought to have a used

one. I have used a barrel lens on my 8x10 using a card covered with

black velvet. A little practice and you can time speeds pretty close.

I place the card on the front of the lens, pull the slide, let

everything settle down and then move the card slightly forward and

up. No shakes. It would be easier though with a Packard, and you can

use any lens on the camera with mount adapters.

 

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Hope this helps, Doug.

Packard shutters were and still are made with the portrait

photographer in mind. Used ones are bargains but I also consider new

ones to be economical since they will last forever with little or no

maintenance, can be purchased with modern flash sync, and can be

configured to make one shutter serve many lenses as in the 35mm

systems. With a little practice, one can also obtain repeatable and

predictable speeds. As a portrait photographer, I like to eliminate

unpredictable variables in my procedure -- the Packard provides a

logical method of working from behind the camera which saves time and

motion, letting one concentrate more carefully on the subject.

With a 300mm or 405mm lens, depth of field will be extremely short

wide open, particularly if you are close enough for a head & shoulders

portrait. I've taken some portraits like this with flash in a dimly

lit room and a barrel mounted 360mm Heliar at f:32. The ambient light

is so low compared to the flash, you can get good results this way by

removing the lenscap briefly while firing the strobes.

Bill: C.W. is correct. I tried to find a Packard Shutter web page but

it is probably listed under another name. However, Photographic

Systems in Albequerque lists themselves as a dealer for Packard

shutters. You ought to be able to find one used. They are great

shutters for the studio. It isn't difficult to convert an old one to

electronic flash. Most I've seen used have been converted. There is

about a ten minute learning curve with a Packard, then it's the

easiest studio shutter you can use. The whole thing is controlled by

the air bulb.

The website of the manufacturer is http://www.hubphoto.com

Oh BTW, you can Packards at good prices (new and used ones) at Equinox

- http://www.pond.net/~equinox