john_sarsgard1

For several years I have been using the strongest reading glasses I

can find and stand. Bought one of those little cords that let you

just hang them around your neck. I won't go back to a loupe for

routine use because the reading glasses leave both hands free.

Nothing like trying to focus in a strong wind...one hand tokeep the

dark cloth out of your face, one hand to hold the loupe, one hand to

turn the focus knob....you get the picture.

Just a few comments from my own experience when I started working with

large format 3 years ago. Using a changing bag outside, particularly

when you are hot and sweaty, is not much fun. If you get very

frustrated at all, you may get dust in it and on the unexposed film.

Just a few more film holders, enough for a day's work, will put a

smile on your face. Use the boxes as suggested above. If you use

zone system, label them N+1, N-1, N, etc and unload the shots to be

developed that way at the same time. You can mark the holders in

pencil lightly and erase if you don't want to use a notebook. Don't

put the N and the N-1, etc boxes in the bag at the same time or you

will eventually get them all mixed up. When traveling, try to get a

motel room with an inside bathroom, turn off the room lights, and

light proof with towels, and dispense with the ^%&&^*(* changing bag.

If you put film directly in the BTZS tubes, you will very quickly come

to a halt because you won't get around to developing as quickly as you

think. And holders are cheaper than tubes. Old used holders are

usually a very bad bargain.

I started out with a 210, then added a 90 Super Angulon and then an

old Goertz Berlin Dagor 300. They all have their place. Now, years

later, I just bought a Rodenstock APO Sironar-S 135, and I am in love.

it worked very well this Fall in villages in South of France, with

less distortion issues to worry about than the 90, and nice bright

ground glass (f5.6 vs f8). And this is the sharpest lens I own. It

is small, light, and beautiful. Borrow any 135 from somebody and try

it, then buy this one. Badger Graphic has great prices on it.

Thanks to everyone for the input. John Clark...curious about your

use of the bent hanger. Sounds great for one at a time...or four up,

for 4x5 using that kind of hanger, but why did you stop using the

larger tank? Doing 6 or 8 at a time sounds good. Did you have any

problem with streaking at the edges? Thanks! John

I've been using PMK with rollfilm (TX and HP5+) for some time. About ready to take the plunge also with 4x5 HP5+. Gordon Hutchings in The Book of Pyro recommends against using hangers. But...I've gotten very attached to them. I know there are many different opinions on hangers, but I love 'em! I will break down and try them myself, but just wanted to ask whether anybody else already has, and how it worked out. I have the hangers with holes all around the outside for good flow. Anybody trying this? Thanks!

Does anyone know just what Polytoner is? Does it have the archival properties of selenium toner? Good dilutions? I'm tempted to try it after seeing Linda Butler's Italy book. In the article about that work in View Camera, she said she gets the kind of peachy antique look of those pictures with Polytoner on Forte Elegance paper.

I'm heading toward giving up dust-attracting VC filters and buying a VC head for my Beseler 45MX. I'm not interested in printing my own color any more because I'm hooked (with prices that compare with other things that hook you) on LightJet 5000 prints. So I've decided against a dichroic head, and been trying to find some threads that discuss the various VCCE heads. Haven't found much, though remember seeing some discussions. Can anyone point me to some threads, or weigh in with your own opinions? Also, best places to find one used? Haven't seen any lately at keh or ebay. Thanks, John

I'm not an expert on pre-exposure, but instead of fooling with

plexiglass, etc., why not just use any uniform thing handy, up close

and out of focus, and place it in Zone I or II. Like a small gray

card, or palm of the hand, etc?

I would never claim to be a B&W master, but will answer anyway,

because I am probably in the distinct minority in that I use hangers.

I like them because it's easy to make sure all negs get just the

right time in developer (they all go in at once, and it's easy to keep

track of which is which, in case you want to take some out early or

leave longer for N- and N+). It is also easier to maintain the

developer at right temperature, since your 98.6 hands are not in the

soup. It is also easy for me to avoid scratches, since the negs never

touch each other or my hands. Proper agitation is important...and

will avoid what some people view as disadvantage of

hangers...streaking along the edges. I lift the hangers all at once,

tilt to the right, drop back in the soup, lift and tilt to the left,

drop back in soup, etc. This is described in detail in Bruce

Barnbaum's book...I think title is "The Art of Photography." Special

tanks are not necessary. You just want to be sure the neg is covered,

and it is helpful to be able to cover several negs without using a

huge quantity of liquid, so you don't have to waste developer. I use

small plastic paint buckets from Home Depot. I have a number of

them...I can leave one set of negs washing in one while I do more,

have one for wash aid, etc. Just get plenty of hangers so you are not

tempted to reuse them while they are wet...getting a dry negative into

a wet hanger is not much fun. Hope this helps.

I bought a 300mm (marked as 30cm) Berlin Dagor on e-bay not too long ago, in a nice Acme #4 shutter. Works great and am enjoying the lens. Does anybody know what the coverage is on this lens? I shoot 4x5 now, but am curious about whether it would cover 8x10.

Douglas, there's a very detailed discussion of just this topic that is

listed on the large format home page...it's just a way down from where

you clicked to get here. Short answer is that it is possible to use a

Polaroid holder for both Fuji and Kodak quickloads, but most users

find the results less than satisfactory. Light leaks are the major

problem. Fuji gets the best overall reviews, but there is no black

and white film available for it, at least outside Japan.