stu dall Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Ok, so I've got a Shen Hao, with a removable back (obviously), which contains the ground glass screen. I also have a Horseman 6x9 back, and nothing else.I want to start shooting 5x4, and have decided on 'quickload' film. I have been told that I need Double Darkslides, a Polaroid Back, and a Quickload Back!. Do I really need all this?. Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john mackay Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Hi Stuart, You'd only need a Polaroid 545 back if you were going to shoot 55p/n or some other Polaroid 4x5 film equivalent. And yes you will require a quickload back if you are going to shoot the Fuji Quickloads. The double darks are only required if you are going to shoot 4x5 sheet film. Hope this makes sense. Cheers...John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu dall Posted July 30, 2006 Author Share Posted July 30, 2006 Thanks John. So just to confirm....I need the quickload film holder, and the quickload film, and i'm there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vibin Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Yup. That's it. I just started shooting 4x5 on my Shen Hao last year. All I needed to get started was Kodak's Readyload film holder and Readyload film. Though if I were to do it again, I would go with Fuji. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_gentile Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 The newer Polaroid 545 backs will also handle Quickloads and Readyloads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photojim Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 It sounds like you're new to 4x5. You might prefer to start with normal sheet film and the double-sided sheet film holders to keep the cost down initially. Quickload holders are very convenient but essentially double the cost of your film. They are, however, much handier when you are travelling in the field and don't have a lot of space to store film and holders. Fuji Quickload film will work in a Polaroid holder but it works best in a Quickload holder. If you are going to shoot Polaroid film as well, you could start with a single Polaroid holder to use both films. I don't find the normal dual sheet film holders to be too awful to use, so I'm using them exclusively right now. If I find that I want to hike with the camera, I am definitely going to check out Quickloads, but the cost is a lot higher, so I'm not in a rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friedemann_pistorius Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 ... what about a lens? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_ellis16 Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 "Quickload film" isn't really a kind of film, it's a description of a method of packaging various kinds of Fuji films. If all you want to use is one of the films packaged in Quickload form then all you need is a Quickload holder. "Double dark slides" (i.e. film holders, where the term "double dark slides" originated is beyond me) are totally unnecessary for Quickloads. Polaroid holders can be used with Quickloads but unless you planned to use other types of film with the Polaroid holder in addition to Quickloads there would be no reason to buy one. Film packaged in Quickloads costs about twice as much as the same film in a box (for which you'd use film holders) so it's an expensive way of learning but it does save you the trouble of loading film in holders, plus it minimizes dust and the enevelopes are convenient for making notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu dall Posted July 30, 2006 Author Share Posted July 30, 2006 Thanks once again everybody. Brian...I've become fairly accurate with my spotmeter, but I would always take 2 shots of identical exposure, and have the lab expose the 1st one, and adjust the 2nd one if need be. Friedmann...I forgot to say that the camera came with a Scheider Super Angulon 90mm Multi-coated f/8 lens. After reading in the forums here, it does appear that I may have some fun focusing accuratly in low light conditions! Thanks again. Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friedemann_pistorius Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Stuart, I used to have Polaroid 545i, Kodak Readyload and Fuji Quickload filmholders. If you love Fuji film, go with the Fuji holder. It's the only one I still use, and it never failed. BTW, if you get accurate readings from your lightmeter, I assume most of your images to be exposed properly. So why do you expose two identical images? I mean, two identically exposed Quickloads is a lot of wasted money (and film!) over the long run. I'd rather invest in another lens, 150 or 180 mm for example. Just my opinion. Friedemann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu dall Posted July 31, 2006 Author Share Posted July 31, 2006 I did say "fairly accurate"!. If one is 1/2 stop or so out, the 2nd can be exposed pretty much spot on. Is this Schneider f/8 going to be really difficult for accurate focusing in low light? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friedemann_pistorius Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 "Is this Schneider f/8 going to be really difficult for accurate focusing in low light?" I'm afraid, yes - at least with the Shen Hao ground glass. I used to have a Shen Hao HZX45-IIA. The ground glass was not very bright. Accurate focusing in low light with f5.6 was - - - still ok, but with my Nikkor 90mm/f8 it was a real pain to check the focus in the corners, even if this specific lens illuminates the ground glass relatively even. The overall built quality of my Shen Hao was poor, so I replaced it by an 4x5" Ebony last year. Even if the Ebony fresnel is much brighter than the Shen Hao ground glass, I replaced the Ebony fresnel by a Maxwell fresnel screen. Not the cheapest choice by the way, but I could not be happier - even and VERY bright with lenses from 65 to 450 mm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_davis5 Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 Change the groundglass on the Shen Hao for something brighter. The factory original is bad, but just about any alternative will do. I have a Keith Canham GG and Fresnel mounted on mine, and it fits without modification. It is also extremely bright and easy to use, even with f8 lenses. The Bosscreen or the Maxwell will also be a help. Even a SatinSnow groundglass would probably be an improvement over the factory gg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john mackay Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Actually, I bought a Satin Snow when I purchased my Shen Hao but found that brightness was identical and this confirms for me the comment I read in the Shen Hao Users Group that perhaps they are now using an improved GG on the cameras. However, I would definitely opt for a fresnel. I chose one of the inexpensive ultra-thin jobs for sale on an unamed auction site and it was a case of night and day and it's thin enough to slip in front of the GG. Come to think of it you've reminded me that I have about 18 sheets of expired unused 55p/n waiting to be shot in my cupboard. I hope it hasn't turned to rubbish yet as it's around 6 months over now. Crikey, I hope I'm not turning into one of those "One Year LF Wonders" :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu dall Posted August 1, 2006 Author Share Posted August 1, 2006 Actually, i've noticed that the GG is an Ebony, and there is also a thin screen over the top of it (which I presume must be a 'fresnel screen'), which is not named. Not having any experience at all here, do I just rely on my own judgement as to whether the view through screen is bright or otherwise, and upgrade one, or both of the above? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friedemann_pistorius Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Even if there are still brighter screens on the market, Ebony fresnels are definitely "on the bright side of life". If you have an Ebony screen, I'd go with it for the moment, it will work well with your Schneider 90/f8 lens in low light conditions. I replaced my Ebony fresnel, because focusing with LONG lenses (300 and 450mm) was difficult. Lenses with long focal lengths tend to produce a narrow "light channel" in the middle of a fresnel screen (the longer, the more), leaving the corners pretty dark. The Ebony screen was fine with 90 and 65 mm lenses. When I got my Ebony camera, the fresnel screen was mounted into the frame first, facing the lens, while a thin, clear protective glass was placed over the fresnel, facing the photographer behind the camera. If you can read the "EbOny" logo in the lower right corner when looking through the screen, everything is mounted properly. Friedemann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friedemann_pistorius Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 "...and there is also a thin screen over the top of it (which I presume must be a 'fresnel screen'), which is not named." Sorry, I forgot to mention that the the "EbOny" logo is on the fresnel. The covering protective glass (which is not named) is NOT the fresnel screen! Friedemann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john mackay Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Hi Stuart, I mistakenly assumed that you'd bought a new Shen-Hao. If you have purchased a second-hand one it may have one of the older darker screens in which case an upgrade to a Satin Snow or alike may be in order. It sounds as if the previous owner may have installed an ultra thin fresnel. However, I have found that even with the new fresnel and bright GG I still have to move my head around in a circle to see the whole frame with my 90mm f6.8. Cheers...JOhn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goncalo_mendonca Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 hey guys! I´m considering in buying a shen hao and the reflex viewfinder , as I have no means of testing it has anyone used it?! Is it any good? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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