terence_m.

If you're determined to go new, I have to agree to go with a Shen Hao. I got a Toyo CF (their plastic entry-level 4x5) and if the introductory price on a demo model wasn't so good, would have gone for the Shen Hao (go to Badger Graphics website). It's not a Linhof, but it's cheap, lightweight, great movements, reasonably tough and a more than passable level of finish. The metal cameras were completely out of my price range, even used.

 

Speed and Crown Graphics are great and very very durable, but the movements aren't great, or easy to use. The Burke & James Press, a Graphic competitor, has better movements (still not huge), a swivelling back, and are usually a little cheaper ($180 for a decent one) because they're not the famous Graphic. In my opinion the old press cameras are the best for backpacking because, although they're a little heavy by today's standards, the front door keeps out a lot more dust, etc., especially if you put a little felt seal around the edge of the body.

 

Don't forget to factor in the cost of accessories. Buy a new pair of film holders, to have something reliable (nothing more frustrating than trying to learn 4x5 and dealing with leaking holders) and go for used ones when you need to expand, and know what to look for. You can get by with the meter in an SLR to start. A black t-shirt stretched over the back is good enough for a dark cloth. Get a Toyo loupe for fine focusing ($35). To start, your old tripod should be fine, but check that the head is stable and tight enough (if it can handle a 300mm lens for 35mm it's probably fine). A decent starter lens like a 150mm G Claron (used for around $200). If you go the press camera route the prices mentioned should include a 150mm lens with shutter. And don't forget some film.

Bed Bath & Beyond (and I'm sure other stores as well) have shower curtain rings that have a spring clip at the bottom for shower curtains without holes (never saw one, and can't imagine why they make them, but I've seen the rings). They are 8 for $5 and two hold a sheet perfectly, and slide out of the way when not in use.

It's a lot less finicky than TMAX to develop. However, I prefer the FP4 as it is even more forgiving.

 

As for the "look", I find the Delta is reasonably similar to TMAX. When I've used TMAX it seems to have a slightly more contrasty look. A little too much for my taste. But then the Delta still has too much for me as well, except for machinery shots and metal objects. It was explained to me (on this site) that the grains (t-grains?) in the TMAX and Delta are smaller and produce a more defined edge than the "old-style" films, creating an illusion of higher contrast(not sure I buy that, but it sounded good at the time). I find this especially true in contact prints.

 

That said, if you like the look of TMAX I think you'd like the Delta. And again, the hand processing is a bit more forgiving. I use D-76 at 1-1 for Delta and FP4, versus TMAX developer for the TMAX (never got TMAX to look right with D-76. Haven't tried the HC-110, or rotary processing on either of these films.

In all honesty, that really was my first impression when I read the title. No offense was intended. I work with a very diverse group, so misinterpretations are a daily event.

 

The fellow in question in my story found it as funny as the rest of us. Had they not gotten all the way to the garden center it may not have been as funny. He was wondering why Americans would sell spectacles at a garden center. Another ESL (English as a Second Language) co-worker once sent me a memo asking me to "clearify" something. Made me wonder why we DON'T spell it that way.

 

Coming from Boston, and having worked in the Deep South, I can tell you that some of the funniest moments were what people down south THOUGHT I said.

I thought you meant Fuji plate negs.

 

We once had a Japanese co-worker, whom we knew loved to garden, come in one morning and say he needed new grasses. At lunch someone took him to a gardening store before they figured out he meant new glasses.

Another vote for Modernage. I've dealt with their West Side office, and they have always been very helpful, even though I always show up 10 minutes before they're supposed to close (maybe it just seems that way). The only problem is that they DO close a bit early if you're trying to run there after work.

As someone who spent a good portion of his last vacation to Colorado photographing the steel mill in Pueblo I can fully relate. If I had my druthers (and a lot of free film and free time) I'd be photgraphing rusty bridges, steel mills and old tombstones for months on end. Being an engineer my friends can at least understand this (except the tombstones), but when the time comes to hang one of my shots on their walls it tends to be a shot of the gorges in Ithaca, NY or other "pretty" pictures. Although this may have more to do with their wives than their own tastes.

 

As a fellow Cornellian I second the suggestion to take up drinking, although as a general, not artistic, rule. Gives you something to do in between photos. Maybe that's why they call them shots?

I use a Bogen 3262QR medium ball-head with 4x5, but just got a 3275QR geared head for the 8x10. My issue with the ball head wasn't so much leveling as fear of losing control of it and having it flop forward if it got away from me, or if it wasn't fully tightened. It also provided a much bigger QR plate to support the much larger camera.

In the structural engineering firm I used to work at all of the hand-drafters feared Autocad because it would displace them as the engineers could now do all the drafting. But it wasn't to be. We ended up with more CAD drafters than we ever had hand-drafters.

 

Being a 30 year-old whipper-snapper (with less snap every day) I remember going into engineering because it was considered a safe job that paid well, or so the older generation told me. One day I picked up a book put out by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1973 saying that civil (structural is a branch of civil) engineers in NYC could expect to make $XX,XXX per year. They were right. Unfortunately they were right. 23 years later that was EXACTLY what I was making. Developers got it into their mind that the engineering cost $1/square foot and never believe it will change. There is always someone who will do it for less. When times were bad engineers were hungry and took jobs for lower salaries. When times were good the wage was already "established". And so it goes. At least until I got out and went into construction management

Working in New York and living in New Jersey you'd think I'd get sick of shots of the Brooklyn Bridge, etc, but I never do. A good shot is a good shot. That said, if I see one more slot canyon photo I might scream.

 

Anyway, photographing Jersey IS tough. When I go out west hiking I worry a little bit for my safety what with bison and grizzlies and all. But it's NEVER as scary as the time I went to photograph an old railroad bridge in Newark. Forget lions and tigers and bears. It was more skells, and pushers, and a fellow swinging an axe in circles at nothing in particular on an empty street corner. Went back one more time and ran into more of the same. Got photos both times, but realized the bridge needed twilight lighting and that I didn't have the intestinal fortitude to do that even with an army of fellow photographers, not that any I asked seemed willing.

 

I have to second my opinion for Jersey. There's some beautiful stuff in Newark, but I've rarely seen photos of it. Could be a good niche market.

Go down to the "cameras" topic at the bottom of the forum page. A brief look turned up:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=004Hc9

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0043Lz

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003xHV

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003v03

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003qtd

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003mCX

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003UzY

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003TLS

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003Rog

Do a search in the archives for "Toyo 45CF". There have been multiple threads about it. The "search" button is at the top of the Discussions page.

The Harlem River, Gowanus and Newtown Creek do abound in opportunities (including 2 examples of rare, retractile movable bridges), but fall into that category of having absolutely no pedestrians on weekends. I often feel a little exposed (no pun intended) without having either others around or a method of quick get-away. The LIRR stations in that area are great but with heightened security, especially for any area that accesses Sunnyside Yard, it's pretty much not worth it.

 

Red Hook, Williamsburg, "DUMBO" (another ridiculous invention) and Greenpoint all offer interesting shots with varying levels of security, whether real or imagined. I find most areas of Harlem (although on the upswing), the South Bronx and Bed-Stuy just too risky for me. I have tried all of them and met with hostility on many of those occasions. I purposely use only equipment I'm willing to lose, even knowing insurance will cover it. Any equipment truly dear to me stays at home for work in safer environs. Other areas like Canarsie, the Rockaways, College Point, etc have become too successful. Often times there are too many people out shopping to even set up a tripod. Some areas of Hudson County in Jersey offer relative safety and interesting shots, although the best stuff is in Kearney and Newark (I know that's Essex County), etc but that really requires a vehicle for safety.

 

Again, I'm always looking for others interested in such photography, so if anyone feels like teaming up some time drop me a line at tmcdonagh2@hotmail.com .

As funny as it may sound, it's getting tougher to find "good" urban decay in this town. The Disneyfication of Times Square was the beginning of the end. "Alphabet City" becoming "The East Village" was just another nail in the coffin of urban decay. Luckily the other boroughs have a few gems, but with fewer cops around, so you're taking some bigger chances. A friend and I are contemplating a trip to Philadelphia Saturday to find the kind of decay we're looking for. Also, security has been getting pretty antsy, especially around bridges, etc. I work for a company building the new S.I. ferry terminal and security here calls the cops on anyone with a tripod. Of course, the hundreds of tourists with their point-n-shoots snap away happily. Very effective security.

I'd be interested but am typically limited to mass transit for transportation. If you're interested in industrial/historical subjects I'm always looking for another shooter to team up with. It's always good to have someone watch your back while photographing as most of the interesting shots always seem to be in the sketchiest neighborhoods, or worse, industrial areas with no pedestrians. I'm located in Hudson County and work in NYC.

Funny you mention this. I just started taking a painting class. I shoot a lot of old industrial buildings and bridges. The problem is, I can't photograph nearly as quickly as people can tear them down. At least not in depth. For a long time I only took photos that I knew would turn out well (or at least I THOUGHT would turn out well), but soon realized I needed to take record shots before the structures disappeared, no matter how bad the composition, lighting, etc. I'm taking up painting to try to recreate the shots I missed. Not quite an answer to your question. I'm studying painting to do what I was unable to do with a camera.

Try using a stiff steel wire (preferably stainless). The wire used for transmission lines, or that used as guy cables for construction are pretty easy to find. Home Depot typically carry small diameter steel rod, which is similar. The fastening is a bit more of a pain (I used cable clamps), but it's easy to find different diameter wire for different stiffnesses.

I'm not sure that you "can't" as opposed to "shouldn't". It was explained to me that for international shipping there are different tariff laws, etc for developed vs undeveloped vs unexposed. It's a ridiculous red-tape affair the same way you write "documents" and not "blueprints" unless you want to pay a much higher shipping charge. Ask me how I know.

[A] I have access to a computer, but no scanner, and haven't seen fit to "go digital". I have a hard enough time developing my negs properly and cleanly. I have no time (or real desire) to learn Photoshop, etc.

 

To me PN is a resource. I want to know HOW to do something and come here to get the answer. Some questions might benefit from a photo to demonstrate something, but most, especially on the large format forum, do not.

 

[C] I have never gotten "bum" information from anyone on the forum. If you're doing LF you probably already know more than the basics and have seen enough photos to know what someone is talking about for most situations. If someone is grossly in error on a subject, it stands out (and usually draws comments as such). I'll agree I find some of the material esoteric, but being an engineer I can see how people can get carried away with what others consider minutia.

 

I've gotten more out of this forum than any book, class or photos. And there's always more than enough sarcasm (Chad) to entertain.

Alan, you're totally off topic. What does groundglass brightness have to do with ethnic cleansing? PLEASE try to keep up.

 

Just kidding. If the guy had a field camera instead of a monorail he wouldn't have even needed a vehicle to get all the way out there, cutting down on greenhouse gases, reducing America's dependence on oil, reducing the income of Middle Eastern countries and eco-nazi western conglomerates, bringing even more poverty and hardship to the Middle Eastern people, forcing them to rise up and topple their dictatorships and replacing them with "democratic" governments based on Shariah law, creating the need for the U.S. to overthrow them and install puppet leaders and letting warlords rule vast tracks of land and generally making the world a better place. It all seems so easy.

 

This forum really DOES have the answer to all the questions you can imagine. But what lens would you use to photograph the warlords?

I find my "travel partner" gets annoyed when I DON'T take pictures. "We hiked all the way out here and you're not going to take a picture?" "We drove all over creation and you're NOT going to take a picture?" The 4x5 makes it a little easier. Just click the shutter and don't pull the dark slide. "See honey, I just took four pictures." Just don't teach them about the dark slide. Of course then you'll forget to pull it when you really DO want to take a shot. On my 6x6 I can't fake it as easily. Women do their faking and I do mine. It's only fair and everyone is "happy". Take the 4x5.

Maybe I've just been ordering the wrong booze.

 

Anyway, where did everyone get the idea that large vehicles are a new thing? My old Cordoba was bigger than my Suburban. I think it even had more storage space. There was a whole 18" between the radiator and grill that allowed you to keep a case of beer cool AND sneak it into the drive-in. Very civilized. Miniaturization is the newer trend. Me and my Korona barely fit in these "modern" cars.

Suuuure Jason. You NYC guys have it easy with enough room for a 5x7. My fifth floor Hoboken walk-up barely fits a 4x5. I won't even get into New Jersey's radioactive waste fogging my film . . .

 

Just kidding. I actually just got a second 5x7, but had to kick out my girlfriend to make room for it.

15 years ago I could afford a nice Chevy Suburban, good cigars, single-malt scotch and, if I had been into it then, a 'dorff. Since then I've had to give up on trucks, cigars, switched to Guinness and picked up a 5x7 Korona with holy bellows. If anything else I like becomes trendy I'll be in the poor house. I'm reeeeal scared of the day bacon is "discovered".

Saw the aerial camera. Just wondering which of you guys bought the $35 metrogon. If Grimes' site didn't scare me about mounting it to a shutter I would've snatched it up months ago. While I should be thinking about adding storage to my apartment I instead think about making a homemade 4x5 for the 16" Cooke (as I currently don't have enough bellows nor a shutter), and making that portrait lens. Love the G Clarons, but something about looking at 19th century photos makes me yearn for a little adventure.