will_wilson

Well...I just logged back in to the site after an extended absence. None of my old photos are still here. Any insight?

 

Thanks, -=Will

The above answers pretty much sum it up sharpness wise. You just need to stop down in order to put all of the elements into focus. The people problem is a little different? Neutral density filters are your answer. This will allow you to increase the shutter speed to the point where the people will not record in the image. You can also cover the lens with a hat or dark slide if something bright is going to enter the scene.

Well, Lots of good advice. I agree with one of the above posters that you are a good photographer and that you will pick up LF very quickly. It's really not that hard. Us LFers like to think that though. I would however advise against a Shen Hao. I have one and have used it for about 2 years. It has made some great shots, but it has the worst problem with in camera flare ever! This is caused by the "extra light" created by the excess image circle of your lens bouncing off the interior of the camera right next to the film. It fogs the edge of your film during long exposures and with very bright areas along the edge of the frame. I have tried to fix it with paint, telescope flocks, and I even considered modifying the actual camera to help this problem. I choose instead to order a Chamonix through Hugo Zhang. The Chamonix is a new camera that can take a super wide all the way to 450mm with an extension board, and it only weigh a little over 3lbs. Check it out here:<br>

<br>

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178<br>

<br>

The shen hao will take a 75mm with no bag bellows on a flat board, but movements are limited to front tilt and swing with 1.5mm of rise/fall; with the bag bellows on you can get for rise and fall movements for architecture type stuff. I hardly ever use my bag bellows, but every once and a while it makes the shot.<br>

<br>

I also disagree with some of the above posters about your choice of lens. I love my 75mm. I use it all the time. You obviously like wide shots. 90mm never satisfied me. This shot on your flickr, DSC_0066, is a 75mm shot on 4x5. Not only that, but you could have everything in the shot crazy sharp with just a wee bit of front tilt or you could of gotten even closer to the foreground rock and made it even more dramatic. You will love front and rear tilt.<br>

<br>

The 135mm-150mm focal length is very versatile on 4x5. There is very little difference between a 135mm and 150mm except coverage. 240mm is also a great focal length on 4x5. You can use it easily on most smaller field cameras with 12 inch bellows, where a 300mm would only focus to 10-15ft. <br>

<br>

My set-up currently includes:<br>

<br>

Shen-Hao HZX 4X5-IIA (soon to be a Chamonix 45N-1)<br>

Rodenstock 75mm f4.5<br>

Fuji 135mm NWS (52mm front filter thread)<br>

Fuji 240mm A<br>

Lens Shade<br>

12 Holders (I have 40 or so for long trips, this makes for less changing bag time)<br>

Spot Meter<br>

Filters (I shoot BW, so I carry quite a few)<br>

Rodenstock 6x Loupe ( A nice loupe is your best friend)<br>

Small Tape Measure (for Macro)<br>

Dark Cloth<br>

<br>

I think you will fall in love with LF. All of those near far shoots you like to do will be cake on LF with a little front tilt :-) Instead of snapping shot after shot. You will learn to see the photograph you want to make. <br>

<br>

A few links of interest:<br>

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/<br>

http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/<br>

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses/<br>

https://graflex.org/lenses/lens-spec.html<br>

http://www.allenrumme.com/lensdb/DBIntro-1.html<br>

http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/testing.html#180mm_thru_270mm<br>

<br>

Good Luck, -=Will

I don't know about you but I hate film testing. I would much rather be making

photographs. I also hate not being able to try out different films without a

ridiculous amount of time and wasted film.

 

I just recently purchased a densitometer and it is great! Three sheets of film

and 45 minutes or so of processing, followed by a little time on the

densitometer, and I have times for N, N+1, N+2, N+3, N-1, and N-2. I made a

spreadsheet to organize and calculate everything, so I thought I would share

it. EFS is just an estimate. You should do in camera testing to determine efs.

 

This spreadsheet is based on the method explained by Gerry Russel in View

Camera Jan/Feb 2001. This is also similiar to Phil Davis' method.

 

You can download my spreadsheet here:

http://www.willwilson.com/filmdev/Film%20Test%20Chart%20-%20Delta%20100.xls

 

A run down of the method I use is below:

 

1. Contact print Stoufer 21 Step Tablet to 3 sheets of film to be tested, at an

exposure that will give .10 + film base and fog, for step 21, with an N

developement.

 

2. Give one sheet N developement, one N+ (30-45%), and one N- (20-30%).

 

3. When your film is dry, measure the densities and enter them into the

spreadsheet.

 

If your processing and exposure style is fairly consistent you should end up

with developing times for N, N+1, N+2, N+3, N-1, N-2. The N+3 times are iffy,

you typically need specific testing for anything more extreme than N+2 or N-2.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lensboard_hole_sizes.html

It covers. I know because I use one on my 8x10 all the time. Schneider is very conservative on its usable image circle specs.

Although if I was buying specifically for 8x10 I might go with a lens with a bit more coverage for movements, like a fuji 210mm W or the more expensive and rare 210mm Super Angulon, especially if you are doing big enlargements.

Touche Alan...I'm thinking for the field photographer, who wants to avoid a changing tent and keep weight down. I'd like to see a load your own film Readyload or Quickload Kit. Just think, What if you could buy a 50 pack Readyload kit with no film, just disposable holders, that you could load with whatever type of film you'd like.

Anyone ever tried to make their own readyload/quickload? I know you would lose

the dust properties of the real thing, but how long do you really expect big

yellow, or green for that matter, to keep making these things. I think there is

a huge opportunity for a startup company here.

 

You could sell a ton of Delta 100 or HP5 Readyloads. I know I'd be lining up.

 

Ideas, comments? I'll engineer the holder and packets if you put in the cash.

unicolor, unicolor, unicolor. you only need trays for water bath and severe n minus developement. Get the automatic roller and an 8x10 paper drum off *bay. you can also search the archives here on photo.net for more info.

photography is inherently technical. it is possible to learn how to capture an excellent photograph. to learn how to develope 35mm bw and print an 8x10 from that negative. the technical skills are learnable.

 

but the mind of an artist is only his/her own. in the end there is no school or book. your eye is your eye. your thoughts your thoughts. honing those tools is within your reach but transforming them into something that they are not, is impossible.

 

who are you trying to satisfy? the general public? art america? people who print calendars? your newspaper editor? what are you trying to say?

 

perhaps none of the above? then, simply take more photographs, expose yourself to different photographers and artists, and eventually you will improve your technical skills. i would suggest a digital camera. the instant feedback offered by digital cameras is a wonderful learning tool. even stepping down into one of the "non-technical" arts, drawing/painting/sculpture/etc, might help you "see" better, at least it might give your artistic side a change of pace, let it play a little.

So in response to the question about affordable large darkroom trays. I would suggest the large additional shelf made by rubbermaid for their bus carts available here or somewhere else probably:

 

http://www.labsafety.com/store/product_group.asp?dept_id=7085&parent_id=10995

 

The perfect 20x30 darkroom tray on a budget.

i create things that my mind leads me to. the intent to create, makes art, not the specifics of the intent.

Using different tanks for 220, 120, and 35mm seems to be overkill. This use of a dilute developer is an easy way to acheive completely even developement. Any time of 8m or longer is fine for even developement, using proper agitation technique.

I love both films. Delta 3200 is definitely better in the shadows, but I just get more feel with TriX pushed to 1600. I find the TriX has a more distinct look with the 3200 having a more bland overall tone. But if you do your editing in Photoshop the 3200 is definitely the way to go, because it just seems to capture more information on film, and you end up with more options post shoot.

 

Feel free to check out my music folder for some examples. I shoot most of my concert stuff wide open at 1/60 with a Rolleiflex 2.8f. Keep in mind that some of those shots are heavily edited in PS or during printing.

Love the new system, but could I suggest adding a "prev/next" button at the bottom of the page as well. That way you wouldn't have to go back to the top to continue browsing.

I would love to help out. I think #5 would suit me best. I dont have extensive programming knowledge, but I have lots of Unix experience and html know-how.

 

I could throw in 6-7 hours a week.

 

P.S. I wish I wasn't going to Europe June 7 - June 28 or Id drive your RV to Alaska. I think I would pay you to let me drive. If Europe blows up or something, count me in.