don_wong

Toyo VX-125. The fastest settin' up 4x5 I've ever used. Of

course, I've only used about 3 or 4. Bonus: it's pretty compact

too. Kinda pricey.

Put a mirror at the subject location. With all of your rises, shifts

and tilts zeroed out, move your camera around, and when you

can see the reflection of your camera lens centered on your

groundglass, then your camera's axis will be perpendicular to

the mirror. Does that make sense?

Steve:

<p>

Thanks for asking.

<p>

Please continue to do articles about digital. It�s the future of

photography, without a doubt. There may be other sources for

information about digital, but the revolution that we�re witnessing

deserves to be reported from many different viewpoints,

especially the ones that VC can provide.

<p>

For instance, an article could profile a great digital practitioner,

his or her techniques, how those techniques affect the final

images, and of course, a portfolio of images.

<p>

Don�t exclude the perspectives of the working professionals (for

digital or film.) For that matter, why make a distinction? All

practitioners, commercial, amateur, fine arts, young and old, are

gaining experiences that are worth sharing.

<p>

DW

I'm a contributor to that exhibit and unfortunately I won't be able to

see it in NYC. An yes, I'm disappointed that the quality of the

repros is not the best.

<p>

When turning over images for use in some else's media, there's

very little control I can exercise over how well those images are

reproduced. Maybe when I become world-famous, ha ha. Often,

most of my effort is spent in negotiating the use fee, and by then

I'm very tired.

<p>

If you'd like to see some other Weisman images that didn't make

it into the show (I'm assuming my images made the final cut)

check out my website. www.donwongphoto.com

Damon:

<p>

I wonder if a field test might settle your doubts about focus

accuracy, since final results on film are all you really care about,

not a test that might involve any number of variables (such as

where the matte surface of the groundglass is, or what the

Fresnel might be doing to throw off your focus.

<p>

Focus a subject on the groundglass and shoot a number of

sheets with a long lens wide open, using Kodak film in your

Kodak holder. However, on successive shots, refocus the rear

standard by 1/16 inch away from the plane of sharp visual focus.

<p>

Keep good notes on how each sheet was focused, and when

you examine the sheets, the one that's the sharpest will tell you

where your focus plane is.

<p>

Just a thought.

I am anticipating the new single sheet Readyloads with guarded

optimism. The singles will take more room, but will have the

greater flexibility and security of keeping all sheets separate, ala

Fuji.

<p>

I've talked with many users of the old system. Some have had

many problems, others have had none. I had more problems

before disassembling and reassembling the holder. I suspect

that many of the problems stemmed from quality control in the

manufacture of the holders and basic design flaws in the overall

system, as well as user technique. (That's my own opinion, no

hard evidence.)

<p>

I only hope that Kodak will achieve the same track record as

Fuji's Quickloads (my experience: zero failures; also, I've never

heard any complaints), and that they will make enough of their

emulsions available in Readyloads.

<p>

Don Wong

SK Grimes may be able to fabricate what you need.

skgrimes@ma.ultranet.com

(617) 951-1480

(508) 384-7107

One instance I've found advantageous for putting filters behind

the lens is when using multiple gels to correct artificial light color

to match transparency film.

<p>

Multiple gels in front of the lens will cause ghost images of bright

light sources (such as HID lights in a gymnasium). I use 3" gels

for compactness, but they're too small to curve in front of the

lens.

<p>

Rear lens elements are smaller than front ones, so the 3" gels fit

there, with room for some curvature of the gels. The curvature

removes the ghosts.

<p>

There are problems with this method, but it's the best way I've

found to solve that particular ghosting problem.

<p>

Don Wong