peter_witkop

I think your E.I. is unussual, but not surprising either. Most often I've seen this film test between 50 and 80, but recently I did a set of tests with TMX and got an E.I. of 160 (200 at N+2), so every once in a while you get really odd results. The important part is it's repeatable, and I'd double check it's repeatable with a differant batch of D76 too, just to make sure. Do your development tests, find your N time, and make a test exposure, if it works and it's repeatable, that's what you've got. Your base+fog seems a little high, but that's the same results I got with my recent tests too. I was using T-Max developer for the 160 EI, and testing with Pyrocat-HD I got an EI of 50, so if 32 is your real EI and that's too slow, you might get a faster speed with another developer.

Peter

You'll also find that individual units, same make and model, will vary as well. You really do need to do a test for your individual flash. My ussual test is to put my meter on a stand 10' from the flash in a dark room, take a reading and multiply the f/stop by 10 (becasue the flash was 10 feet away from the meter) to get a working guide number for the iso the meter was set for. If you want to be even more precise, put a gray card on the stand instead of the meter, and shoot a big bracketing sequence. Which ever f/stop gives you a density of around .80 for the gray card gets multiplied by 10 to give you the guide number. The sencond way is more accurate because it tests your film, camera snd flash together, but I'm ussually too lazy, and do it with the meter.

Peter

For me, Tri-X in Rodinal 1:100 gives a normal speed of 200, sharp, nice highlights, not overly grainy (considering it's Rodinal after all). Dev. time, temp, etc (for me anyway) is 22 min. @ 70F, aggitation 10 sec. every minute, of course YMMV.

Peter

As a lot of folks have mentioned, be careful of your geat, it can get wet in a canoe. As for exposures, just make sure you're using a fast enough shutter speed so you don't get motion blur from the movement of the boat, even when the boat is still there'll always be a little movement. Most shutter speeds you can hand hold should work fine.

Peter

Making thumbnails you're downsizing an image, which is much easier to do well than up-sizing, easier to throw away information than create it. Esspecially for web sized images, the php standard functions should work just fine, just make sure you're using true color images, which isn't the default, you'll be fine. If you were automating preping files for printing, you might want something with better options than php offers, but for what you're doing, php's image handling is probably the best way to go.

Peter

Freestyle photo in LA caries it, their web site is at http://www.freestylephoto.biz/

Peter

I've doen this before by accident, shot a chrome and B&W neg of the same shot, and mixed up the film holders. What you'll get is a very dark, nearly opaque piece of film with an image that shows up when held up to a fairly bright light source. It's probably not going to be anything you'd want to do.

Peter

I believe the matrix film has been on sale there for a while. The matrix film I believe is Jim's formula. There's a yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dyetransfer/) started by Jim Browning, and frequented by other very knowlegable folks such as Ctien. Efke did a production run after meeting with Jim, and this roll is what's beeing used now. Recipes for the developer are available online, they're not terribly complicated. Dyes are avaiable in powder form from various venders, and there are discusions on the mailing list about vendors. Some are using fixed out multi grade black and white papers, so the only thing that one would need to start printing would be a place to find punches, boards, etc. which could be found used.

I think Dye transfer is fascinating, I've had a great time following the group. I wish I had the resources (mostly time and facilities, but money too) to learn dye transfer.

Peter

This is normal for a lot of films. You generally don't see it if you don't use a pre-soak because developing agents generally bleach out the dyes, but you'll see the dyes in the pre-rinse from a tank too.

Peter

Miles gives good advice about shooting sports indoors. The problem you're noticing with color balance can be fixed in two ways, using CC filters in front of the lens during exposure, which isn't always good because it lowers the amout of light in an already low light situation, or you can correct color balance (as long as it's somewhat close) in printing, or digitally in post.

You are correct, flash would freeze action well, and the exposure would only be for the flash duration, not the entire shutter speed (which is why flash is only controled by aperture). There are two problems with flash in this case though; your flash is only so powerfull, you need to be within the working distance of your flash, probably within around 30', this will vary depending on your equiptment. The other problem is the flash reflecting off the plexiglass, depending on your angle for a given shot it may completely obscure the shot, or you might barely notice it.

Peter

If you can get a hold of a view camera, that might be even better, with a good lens and apropriate technique you'd be able to resolve the texture of the paper easily.

Peter

I've never had a problem with my film being x-rayed, mostly 120, wich would be just as vulnerable to x-ray damage with it's paper backing as sheet film in a box. That said, I just went through Denver Int. Airport, and they had a sign near the security check point listing "Profesional film, Large Format film, and Sheet film" along with a few other things as being eligable for a hand check. As it's listed on the sign, it's obvious that just what those things are isn't well understood by most of the TSA (since they list large format and sheet film seperately), but it at least is written down somewere that such a thing as sheet film exists and it's something that might legitimately want to be hand checked.

Peter

If I were you, I want to evaluate the images on contact sheets. Your lab should be able to make them for you, or you can make them yourself; put the negs into protective pages, sandwich a piece of paper uncer the negs and piece of glass to keep them all flat, expose and process (goes fairly quick if you setup an assembly line kind of thing). The contact sheet makes the images easier to evaluate because you're looking at a posative. A loupe or some kind of magnifier will make things easier to see, and if you really want to see what kind of fine detail is on the neg, then you can put the neg onto a light box, and use a good loupe.

Peter

I do my 4x5 film in that tank, and load it in a photoflex changing room. You're right, the trick is to practice. What you need to do is practice in the dark, or in the changing bag/tent, etc. feeling with your fingers if the film is in the right groove or not. Also after you're done loading the film, before you put the plastic pieces in the reel, run you finger along the ends of the film to make sure none of the sheets got into the same groove.

Peter

I've never brought a polaroid back with me traveling, but I also don't shoot people much (I'm a landscape person), and wouldn't encounter issues with people wanting pictures, etc. I ussually don't carry one because of the weight issue and the back isn't worth the effort for my work, but it sounds like it might be for yours, it's a good idea, at least worth trying I'd imagine. As for the film, MF film backs take pack film, which can be had at good pro photo stores, though many locations don't have good pro photo shops, even in the US, I'd imagine that would be more true in less developed areas abroad. In terms of cost, polaroid film is around $1 US a shot, so it may or may not be worth it, depending on your budget and the number of shots you anticipate taking with it.

Peter

I find the jobo reels fairly easy to load, but I also learned to load 120 onto cheap stainless reels, which in my experience were are nearly useless (I do like the hews 120 reels quit a bit though). It took me loading them in the light a few times to get the hang of it.

Peter

Most liquid and powder developers work just the way Anne pointed out. HC110 is a little bit of an odd ball though, in that it can be used in two ways; the syrup made into a stock solution that is then further diluted into a working solution when used, or diluted from the syrup directly to a working solution which is what most people do and what the 1:31 dilution is for.

Peter

One of my favorite spots on the coast is Popham beach state park, and Fort Popham, it's down the Kenebek from Bath (near the mouth of the river). There are many spectacular locations, just keep your eyes open, and poke your way down the coast, you'll find plenty. There's plenty of places inland, too, but I think you'll pretty busy down on the coast; there's a life time of material in just in Acadia.

Just be prepared for anything in terms of weather. The fall (ok, all year long really) in ME can have very variable weather. Temps in early october can range from the 85 degree indian summer days to 20 degree nights. Now neither of those are average days, but neither very uncommon, and I'd be very surprised if you didn't see something close to one of them. Always keep rain gear with you, and warm cloths, no matter what the weather is in the morning, it could be completely differant by 10:30, nevermind noon. I'm not sure where you're from, but that may be something that can take some getting used to. A cold rain that in mid summer is little more than really uncomfortable can be dangerous if you wander off the trail for a shot, unprepared, and get a little lost and it turns cold, that's very easy to do. Just use common sense really and follow the standard precautions any hiker should follow and you'll be fine.

And have a great time, I always look forward to getting a chance to shoot back home. I grew up not far from Lewiston, and I can't wait to go back this christmass time.

Peter

There is an adapter that allows that back to be used on the RB67 (and I assume the RZ, but I'm not posative) to make 7x7cm images, but that's as close as I think you can get.

Peter

Basically that look is very good makeup (there's makeup on more than just the face), with a model that has a nice tan, and some very good re-touching. Maybe a slight warming filter, but that's not a big factor. The lighting here isn't too complicated, rim lighting on each side (can be challanging to setup until you're used to it), and the key light looks like a ring flash.

Peter

A white balance from a gray card is better than a white card because if any of the chanels are over exposed, the white balance won't be correct, with a gray card you'll have an accurate value for each chanel.

Peter