philip_sweeney

I use two meters much as david described. any incident meter has its time and place, and I find it valuable with small subject brightness ranges, flash, etc. otherwise I always use a Pentax digital V. I have the fancy modified one, but I understand the modifcations are not necessary. I am a zone system abuser (SIC) and could not be without it.

 

I also find the V invaluable in the field for transparencies. I only use the E100 line of films and they have a 3 stop range (VII-III). Zone IV is still open and luminous and III is getting dark. You would be hard pressed to control that scale with a wider angle averaging meter. many folks would argue that the V is the standard.

 

if you are going to do the tests, I recommend a zone board (see The Book of Pyro - gordon hutchings). it ties everything back to the meter. I think the BTZS book is great, but their style of testing does not suit me. http://home.att.net/~shipale/pmktimes.html

PMK development times

If you already own it, quick check with a polariod. the lack of 1/3 marks isn't significant just interpolate.

Hey!

 

I have a F1 and have backpacked it. Its brutal and time consuming (totally disassembled). I finally bought a Wisner field to speed me up. I still have the F1 and use it when I only need to carry a camera a short distance. Isn't a short distance urban field work.

 

regards

 

phil

Leonard:

 

Gee wiz wally I did not mean to offend anyone! the beav

 

I thought Richard's question required him to understand hyperfocal distance, in order to understand why the differences did not matter stopped down. It sounded to me he did not. Thought I could contribute.

 

regards

 

phil

I put it off for years, but alot of folks do use PMK and other pyro formulas for good reason! http://home.att.net/~shipale/PMKagitation.html

 

phil sweeney

I have been using homemade tubes for years and I like it to minimize neg scratching. Compared to the tray it does cost me time. FYI I recently figured a way to develop with PMK in my tubes. I can evenly develop down to 3 min although my N-4 development is 6.5 minutes at 75 degrees. http://home.att.net/~shipale/PMKagitation.html

with all the responses mine is really not needed but its early and I have not finished my coffee: for me using a 4 x 5 camera, PMK and my darkroom, digital means: a few digital contact negatives (4 or 5), a few color drum scans outputted to everything from my 1270 (and I do mean damn few) and commercial devices. I have also done some panoramas using 3 transparencies to make 36 x 13 prints (see http://home.att.net/~shipale/pitts.html). digital is primarily salvage only, for me. a $20000-$30000 digital back ain't going to happen, not to mention the conversion to pixel optimized lenses. To boot the printers that rival the conventional fiber print are expensive also. For the professional I can see it, for the enthusiast, no way. For you digital folks with cameras with no movements: its a large format thing, and you would not understand (and lets not even talk about the zone system!).

found this site with the formula: http://www.students.tut.fi/~vahonen/computer/digiphoto/DOF/

I thought some of the responses were a little too "techy" so hope this helps. The difference should be negligible once you stop down. The value you state for the circle of confusion (COC) is a little tight. I personally decided a few years ago to use a COC of 0.004 inches. This is 1/1500 times the diagonal of the film. Actually most small format fixed length lenses are calibrated using 1/1000 for depth of field scales. So first one must decide which spec to use. I am sure your camera is fine, do some practical tests with some polaroids! Once you decide on a COC use the formula for depth of field and do some calculations for depth of field to familiarize yourself with what the lenses can do (see appendix "the Camera" or elsewhere, its hard to type the formulas on screen - you need hyperfocal distance and then you calculate the near and a far focus points). For a 4 x 5 camera using 6 inch or longer lenses I rely on tilt and swings for depth of field control and rarely use any stop larger than f22 (I mean area not the number!). Now lets talk about a 90mm lens for a 4 x 5. With my calculations: focus at 11 feet, stop down to f22 and from 5.5 to inf everything will be in focus. Some tables may indicate otherwise, but from 5.5 to way out there, will be in focus. I have pencil marks on my camera for pre-focus at 11 feet. Now if one were to focus at 11 feet, use a tilt and stop down to f22, a tall vertical object say out 15 feet would not be in focus at the top, because we shifted the plane of focus and it is hard to see in low light at f6.8. I never use tilt with my 90mm lens. I always test a new camera or lense with a couple of polaroids. Remember: format goes up, depth of field goes down.

I do not have experience with that model, but at that price it will probably produce something tolerable for screen display only. I have a UMAX that cost appx $190. I use mine for making 4 x 5 masks so low quality is tolerable. For transparencies and negs I do not believe there is anything affordable for the enthusiast. Fortunately my digital needs are low and I occasionally get a drum scan or $15 scans from a local guy who has a professional flatbed. And his scans are a tradeoff compared to drum scans.

I got a kick out of some of the responses! With my 4 x 5 and a 90mm

lense (f6.8) at f22 with the standards parallel, I focus on my cases

at 11 feet. Therefore from 5.5 to infinity (in theory) everything is

in focus. One thing is for sure: from 5.5 out to who knows where, is

in focus. I then use rise or fall for final adjustment; however no

tilts! I do this all the time! This technique is not necessary with my

150, 210, and 305mm lenses. With those I use the movements for focus!!

For me the technique works because all my 90mm shots are done at f22.

It works for me. I hope you find what works for you!

I really like the Kodak E100 line. its fine up to 10 seconds. with a

spotmeter place the brightest area (that you want detail in) in zone

VII. the transparency will be open and luminous in zones IV thru VII.