jose_angel

And if you write to their contact e-mail from Europe (Rodenstock, Schneider or Nikon), they never answer you... Because of this I'm grateful to Bob Salomon, that give us a very valuable information in this forum...

Just what I'm looking for, thank you Richard.

I can't find the link that goes to a photographer web page that have

a non official catalog and info about the Nikon large format

lenses... Could somebody help me?

 

Thanks,

I usually clean pencil marks at work in different surfaces with a home type vapour cleaner machine.

 

Good luck,

The tripod is perfect. I have been using it for the last years.

 

About the head, I started using an Arca Swiss B1 ball head. Later I changed to an old/small Gitzo pan tilt head, more easy to use when leveling the camera; now I returned to the Arca Swiss, and I changed the original plate with a Gitzo quick release device, fitted directly to the B1. I level the tripod&head first and then I put the camera on them. To level the head with the camera on it is a pain. I like this way of working.

 

My recomendation is to look for the lightest/best ball head you can buy, like the Arcas, Linhof or others. But WITH a quick release device directly attached to it.

I am absolutely impeccable with the charging of the Jobo drums. I put all the sheets with the emulsion side to the center, the reel with the plastic flaps in the --correct-- position, etc.

 

In an older post, we can read about an older Jobo sheet film reel, with a little differences (without the flaps?) that could cause other results...

As I am so interested with the Jobo affairs, I will write my experiences.

 

I have find also a small rotation when testing the system by hand, but I wonder if the drum rotates during the process... I think that it doesn't. I think it is easy to lock the reel to the center post with a little "bricolage". The separation ribs of the inner surface of the drums doesn't affect the use for films. (All my drums have this separation ribs).

 

When I started developing films with the Jobo, I find sometimes some exposed parts on the film, but I think that it was produced before the developing process, when charging the film holders, or when discharging the holders to fill the Jobo drums... my darkroom were not absolutely ligth tight, and the changing bag is not absolutely "dark" also (zippers and arm tubes). Now, I take a great care when handling the film, and I don't find this problem again...

 

The ammount of solution used is exactly the recommended by Jobo, 270ml. for 6 sheets in a 2800 drum with the 4509n reel. Tmax RS 1+9. The emulsion side to the center of the drum.

 

About the Photo-flo, I never experienced a problem. I can't find in my old plastic drums (not Jobo) any substance on them, and I have been using some of them for more than ten years with the Kodak Photo-flo at 1:200. I believe that the plastic of this drums (the Durst 35mm plastic drum) are the same than the Jobo, but I'm not sure. Now I am using the Photo-flo in the Jobo drums only for roll films during 30 seconds, and inmediatly (once the film is out of the reel) I put the drum under the tap. With sheet film, I use a tray (I'm afraid of what I had read about it...)

 

Hope this helps,

I second the suggestion of the Lowepro Pro Trekker AW. I find the Super Trekker too big and heavy. In my Pro Trekker I can carry the equipment you are talking about plus another 5 4x5 film holders, meter, a big compendium lens shade, roll film, two small boxes (for the loupe, metric tape, adhesive tape, small items, etc.), six filters, the tripod and more... weight is over 10 kg. More that the weight I would like to carry in backpaking, but all the equipment needed in a "normal" use. If I would need more, I add a Domke bag to the car...

I don't experienced uneven development with 2500 and CPA-2. I always use the drum with one to six sheets, emulsion side pointing to the axis of the reel, and always with the two plastic flaps in the correct position. Always 270ml. of solution. If you use the system as I do, I think there isn't a "mechanical" problem.

 

With the last films I started using pre-soak (5 minutes), and I don't experienced a diference in the results, but my dev-film combination is different.

 

Hope this helps,

Paul, I have the Wista 6x9 international back. I never detect on it a problem in the film flatness, yesterday I developed the last 120 film, -absolutely sharp-. I bought it because the price, and I'm satisfied with the results. I usually buy 120 film.

 

The shape of the edge of the holder makes that the sliding locks of my Canham fit so smoothly on it, but it works. I have thought to glue four small pieces of plastic to the holder, but I found that it's not necessary. Good luck,

Be careful with the bellows factor calculation system. Normally you will use the total lenght of the bellows to make the calculations, but with other systems you use only the expansion of the bellows from the point when you focus to infinity (for instance with some programs used for palm or other devices).

 

Hope this helps,

I would mount each lens on the camera. Then, focus carefully to infinity, and mark the point to somewhere in the focusing rail. When focusing to a closer subject, measure the difference. That's the extension of the bellows I use to calculate the factor. My wonderful Canham have a metric scale that make this calculations so easy. Each mark is the zero setting for my camera and each lens. Which camera do you have?

 

Good luck,

Do you really need a center filter on the 110XL? I never use mine. I use my original Rodenstock 67mm CF sometimes (not always) with the Grandagon N 75/4.5, when using Velvia, and/or when movements needed.

 

Which format do you use? I think that with 4x5, the 110XL have a big circle and the fall off (and vignetting) doesn't affect the film on "normal" shots. High quality center filters are so expensive, and coloured filters also, go for the smaller ones... (I use 72mm B&W filters with the 75/110/210/300 lenses)

 

I wouldn't be worried about to use more than one filter at the same time; if you are not a pro, perhaps you can accept a bit of vignetting when using filters (more than one filter on the 75mm lens, I never have been in this situation...).

 

I think that a 67mm filter ring used as an extension on the 110XL is the best way to protect its surface.

Buy the best filter glass you can. I bought B&W years ago, and I'm so happy now...

 

CF have female threads on the front to use with another filters (86mm! front thread).

 

Good luck,

(I think that it's all said, but here it is my contribution)

Last week I have been once more time in one of the peaks of my city. I take the DLC, a carbon tripod and a SS110XL with just two holders.

Like always, I spent more time than I would like to set the standards parallel at zero position, the zero detents and the bubble levels simply doesn't work. I marked in the standards the "zero positions" and with this are more easy to set up the camera. I must take care when inserting the film holder, but I never have a problem with it. The rest of the characteristics of the camera works perfectly for me... (Weight, STRENGHT, bellows, etc.)

I only would change the DLC in this situations (when a faster operation are required) with a folding camera like the Linhofs, but price and weight are out of consideration.

 

Good luck,

Despite of the developing time (perhaps too short) have you tested the fixing?

The pink color of the base could be produced by a short fixing time... The concentration is correct (I use the same fixer but in 1:9), or the washing too short... Do you use Hypo clearing agent?

I have used some tanks and at last the best for me is the Jobo 2500 series with their plastic reels. The problem is that you need more solution to fill this tank, unless you work rotating the drum.

 

I have been using this tank in this way (hand inversion processing) for a long time, I prefer this system over others like the HP combiplan or tray processing... Now I have a CPE-2 processor, and I use the drums I bought years ago.

 

The filling and draining of the Jobo drums are faster, the only drawback is the quantity of chemical to use with a hand inversion system (about 1,5 litres).

You can use also the Jobo roller base, and use a little chemicals (270 ml.) rotating the drum by hand, but it's a bit "uncomfortable".

 

I don't believe that the reels for 4x5 of the Jobo's (serial no. 4509n, accept just 6 sheets) will fit in any other stainless drum, and for me, is the best quality developing system available in europe... (and cheaper than in the USA).

 

Hope this helps,

Now I'm working in a high quality b&w wedding report (I feel that is "high quality" because I am working a lot of hours in the darkroom, all the copies with burns and reserves...); I shooted mostly before the wedding, specially when preparing the celebration, the chapel, people working in the house, the childs of the family, etc. A few shoots during the wedding an after the celebration. The place where the wedding was celebrated is the motive that makes it different from others, a family owner very old palace in the deep spanish country side.

 

All the photos shows details of the building, tradition, etc. I feel the need of photographing this because much areas of the house still remains intact since a lot of decades (I'm sure that I visited parts of the house for the first time in the last 100 years...), and I know that not for much more time. This kind of buildings are changing in their use, and in a few years this house will be an absolutely changed hotel or a restaurant or museum. Times are changing too fast in my surroundings, I accept it, but I need to keep with me the small things (images) that makes me feel.

 

I am so lucky about the posibility of working in this kind of things, and I want to make good use of it. Other motives need to be studied by a psichoanalyst.

This summer I spent part of my holidays in a bike with my girlfriend. Where do you leave your equipment where you are visiting a big city, or when you go to a restaurant at night? Where do you sleep, hotels, campings?

I think that Spain (where I live) is relatively secure about robbery (in general), but it was the question in our last trip, specially in the above situations...

 

I am sorry about terrorism in Spain, in summer they usually let one or two bombs in the south of Spain. We are SOOO bored about them.

 

Mmmm, yes I'm so afraid with this... A lot of times I have thougth to take the Canham DLC and lenses with me when traveling with my R1150RT, but I'm really afraid with the vibrations... I feel so comfortable traveling in motorbike, and when I want to photograph I feel thats it's obligatory to use the car...

 

A top case adapted for the photo equipment would be perfect in my bike, but I think that the vibrations (even in very good roads) could be awful to the expensive shutters, meters, etc. perhaps the best location for this are the tank bag, isn't it?

 

Congratulations, a very nice trip. (Are you tired?)

I second the opinion of the glass filters. Resin and gel ones are too delicate for the way I use them. I have all in 72mm diameter to use with my 210/5.6 and a good step-down ring to use with my wide angle lenses (all 67mm). I bougth this thinking like Eric to buy an extra set to use with the wide angle lenses, but I never needed it. The center filter for the WA takes 86mm filters, but usually I never need it...

 

A good steping ring let you to screw the filter without jam it to the ring. If not, it could be a hard work to usncrew it from the ring...

 

Hope this helps,

You need on the film a limited range of contrast that can be easily printable (all the zones) in a "normal" paper as the Grade 2.

 

The whites of the print are controlled by more or less development time of the negative; but if you have a condenser enlarger (for instance), you will look for a less "darker" negative and develop for a shorter time.

 

This shortened time could be correct for the highlights but too short for the lowest density areas on the negative (zone I), that could appear too much soft than desired (darkest areas on the print without "control").

 

If you give bit more exposure (like changing to a lower ASA setting), you can improve the density in this lightest areas and to set the desired blacks with detail on the prints...

 

Small changes in the dev. time don't change too much the density in the zone I, but a big change in the development(like when you need a N-2 process) need to be compensate for this zone I, adding more exposure.

 

Hope this helps (and please, excuse me if I am too obvious),

You article clarify me the ideas, John, thanks.

 

The results from Michael are closer to my tests, it ratify my work... My procedure are the same than Bob, but the time are much lower, I think that it could be a difference in the rotation speed together with a higher density in the high values; and you are right Bob, I have just find a relatively big difference in the meter of the camera.

 

Your comments makes me feel more tranquil, thank you very much.

I´m sorry, I usually read only the posts of this forum and I mixed questions of two formats...

 

I started with TMX100 in 4x5, and now I´m testing 100TMX in 35mm. Results are the same about the very low densities in the zone I.

Dear forum users,

 

Now I´m using a Jobo CPE-2 processor to develop film and to obtain

more consistant results. In this way, this machine gives me what I´m

looking for.

 

The problem I have found is that it looks so difficult to obtain a

good zone I (at least over 0.10 of net density) usable with my

condenser enlarger and MGIV FB paper (I need a net density about 1.10

in the zone VIII). EI goes with 100TMX to 40 ASA or lower, when

developed in TMAX RS 1+9 (5min. @24ºC). Is it normal?

 

First I tried with XTOL 1+1 (I like this developer) but it didn´t

obtain workable densities in the zone I.

 

I have the same problems in all formats. (I´m testing now 35mm film

with the same results).

 

I´m thinking that the continuous agitation of this machines is too

fast and this makes difficult to develop the lower densities on the

film... Is it correct?

 

Is there any system to obtain higher densities in the lower values

when processing in a Jobo?

 

Could somebody give me a good starting point to test 100TMX using a

CPE-2 with this developers? It could be better to use more diluted

chemicals?

 

I´ll be grateful with any comment. Thanks,

I agree with Julio about this kind of postings. For over 20 years I have been making images, just images.

 

Now I'm learning photography, but the technical side, and I'm so excited with it. Sometimes I let the camera at home and take the books to enjoy a weekend. And now I feel that photography it's more important to me than I could thought years ago.

 

To me this forum is the place where I would like to find posts like the Graeme's one. And also all kind of thoughts from people who have something to share with others...

If I'm not wrong, you are refering to the surface around the front element designed to avoid reflections that could pass throught the lens...

 

Reflections or light rays rebound on this perpendicular-to-the-lens-axis surface, and goes out of the lens. If you haven't this perpendicular surfaces, (and have a plain surface) the rebounded light could pass throught the lens, producing undesiderable effects (reducing contrast, f.i.).

 

They are concentric to avoid vignetting.

 

I never test it concretely but I have tested some lenses with and without lens hoods, and always find lower densities on the lower values when I don't use them...

 

Hope this help...