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philip_sweeney

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Posts posted by philip_sweeney

    PMK, graded paper, VC paper

    in Large Format

    Posted

    I was going to email CP Goerz direct on this but thought it might get

    a broader feedback here. Reacting to previous posts I read "Edge of

    Darkness" by barry thornton. My PMK tests are still preliminary and I

    do not mind switching gears. My initial tests and a few negs are tuned

    for variable contrast paper. But now I am thinking to standardize on

    graded grade 2 paper. It appears I may then typically print on grade 2

    (graded paper) and if I think the highlight contrast reducing effect

    on VC paper may be desirable I should be able to print around grade 3

    on VC paper.

    LF by stiching digital pics to big size ?

    in Large Format

    Posted

    stitching is stitching whether its a pan or what you want to do. this panorama (3 transparencies at 800dpi) would take me about 4 hours in photoshop. the print is 36 x 13 at 240dpi<html>

    <ul>

    <li><a href=http://home.att.net/~shipale/pitts.html>a pittsburgh panorama</a></li>

    </ul>

    <html>

    PMK and paper choice

    in Black & White Practice

    Posted

    Recently in the large format forum a few statements on PMK have been:

    Use graded papers for PMK versus variable contrast papers because it

    prints the highlights better, etc. (I am paraphrasing). This seems to

    contradict what I have read in Hutchings' book. On the other hand

    others have responded that they have had good luck using variable

    contrast paper.

     

    My PMK tests are still preliminary and I have calibrated for use with

    variable contrast papers. I only use FP4. I have yet to understand and

    realize any of these facts. I have observed an increase in sharpness.

    I'd appreciate any response from your experiences.

     

    I also just got a 8 x 10 camera and want to do contact prints. On the

    subject of highlights: should I consider Bergger 200. Because of the

    thick emulsion and a straight shoulder does that mean the highlights

    would seperate even more? And how would one expect it to print on

    graded versus variable contrast paper.

    depth of field

    in Large Format

    Posted

    Ian: the shortest lens I use is a f6.8 90mm. And I have had numerous focus problems using it: low light and vertical devices outside of the depth of field. I almost always use this lens outdoors. I would not suggest anyone carry tables around but I think it is good to understand HFD at various f-stops and selected CoC. I have responded to similiar discussions before on this subject. I use movements on all other lenses. However with the 90mm: if there are no vertical devices, I'll use the movements. But at night and with the problems I have outlined I have pencil marks on my wood field camera for prefocus at about 12.2 feet (CoC = 0.1mm) for f22 which yields a focus from about 6.5' to inf. Standards level. I always use f22 or f32. With my F1 in the same situation I have a small wooden dowel (cut to the appropriate length), and after I level the camera I use the dowel as a gage between the two standards, set f22 and shoot. For the night work I had to. Incidentally a CoC of 0.108mm is good, 0.1 is better, 0.07 is tight and allows for very big enlargements.

     

    I would think prefocusing for shorter lenses could be helpful.

    Understanding Luminance For Color Transparencies

    in Large Format

    Posted

    Scott I know I responded to a previous post using zone language. Although development controls for color are somewhat limited as others have pointed out we can still describe the scale of our transparencies and SBRs (subject brightness range) with zones (or stops, or EVs). As I described before E100S has a 3 stop scale (or Zones IV, V, VI, VII) that will be open and luminous. Scale = VII-IV= 3. Although I prefer to consider E100S a 4 stop scale. Zone VII holds highlight detail well and at VIII it is blown out (or starting to). III is getting dark.

     

    With a 3 stop SBR one could underexpose by one stop very accurately with a spotmeter and hold detail throughout. I own a spotmeter and would not trust capturing a wide SBR with a wider angle averaging meter. It would fail me metering city lights etc. I consider the spotmeter just as important for color as B & W. I only use color transparencies when I do color.

     

    If you were to undertake a little study of sensitometry and/or the zone system, I think you will find that using a spotmeter is actually less complex than using a wider angle averaging meter. If all the light and dark values are even about the middle your meter reading is perfect (theoretically) or is it? Let's not even go there BTZS.

     

    Zones are a good language for SBRs and film scale, just as math is the language of physics!

    looking for a 8 x 10 Wisner

    in Large Format

    Posted

    Some of the deardorf's I have seen advertised were a little high. I recognize they are a good camera. I am a little shy to spend $2000 on a used camera when the new price on the wisner is $2495. I would have to see one first, maybe I'll make a NY run.

     

    I got an email from someone willing to sell a wisner. Anyone have advice on buying a $2000 camera from a stranger. The idea of sending a money order and hoping for the best is scary. Is COD via UPS a possibility?

    ZoneVIII or IX test.

    in Black & White Practice

    Posted

    I don't think I can answer your question directly. However, ideally first we need to decide what paper we will print to, or papers. If it is more than one paper it gets more complex. Lets stick to one. So for a grade 2 paper, lets say our negative's filmbase plus fog (Fb+f)is 0.06. So 0.1 plus Fb+f is 0.16 and this will be our speed point (zone I). We need a 1.2 density range for grade 2. So our total density at zone VIII should be 1.36 (+/- 0.04 or something like that).

     

    After all that we are ready to print to our paper. Lets assume our paper white is 0.04. You want zone VIII to print at 0.08 (0.04 over paper base). So VIII is top of the scale and IX is pure paper white.

     

    I think the best books on the subject are "The Negative" by Ansel Adams and "Beyond the Zone System" by Phil Davis.

     

    For some actual test results see my site:

     

    <html>

    <a href="http://home.att.net/~shipale/index.html">phil sweeney's website</a>

    </body>

    </html>

    Film speed

    in Large Format

    Posted

    I agree with Vince and think "the negative" is essential reading. Although a little complex is "beyond the zone system" by phil davis. for film testing I use a zone board as described in "the book of pyro" by gordon hutchings. I use six speeds depending on the N number. Some test results at my site:

    <html>

    <a href="http://home.att.net/~shipale/index.html">phil sweeney's website</a>

    </body>

    </html>

    First Trannies Are On the Lightbox

    in Large Format

    Posted

    can't always get what you want! try to realize the scale of your film. I use E100S when I do color. for metering I use a Pentax V. you did not say whether you use a spotmeter, if you do I have found that E100S does well from zones IV to VII (brightest value placed VII), III will start to be dark and will no longer be "open." If your metered shot was V to VI, you could shoot for IV to V, darken a sky and hold detail (open and luminous) at IV.

     

    When I want to use the entire scale of the film I place the highlight at VII, with some night shots one could place lamps, etc. at VIII.

     

    I shot this with the lights placed at VII, and I personally can't achieve that kind of control with an averaging meter:

     

    <html>

    <body>

    <ul>

    <li><a href="pitts.html">a pittsburg panorama</a></li>

    </body>

     

    </html>

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