michael_kadillak6

These posts are about as regular as the change of the seasons. Just went to the Ilford web site and nothing along these lines.

 

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard complete rumor passed on as fact from these so called "company reps". There are more offerings of sheet film available from more companies than I can remember and even if Ilford were to have a stupid attack, other producers will rise to the challenge. Ignore the negative types until you read it in a press release. Then and only then should you go out and invest in a couple of freezers.

 

The fact that you only purchased 50 sheets of film tells me that you felt it was a bit over the top as well. Keep the faith!

Hook up with a platimun printer in your area and watch them make a print. There is nothing more valued than a personal network in your personal and professional life.

 

Another alternative was the recent Alternative Process International Symposium (APIS I believe) that was recently held in Sante Fe would have been a wonderful opportunity that for at very reasonable fees. A week of work making prints with a master for under $400.

 

Keep your head up. Success is when persistance overcomes the obstacles in your path.

There is no way that you would be able to pull this off of the beaten path without a pack animal. The requirements for weather protection, food and sleeping with 8x10 are significant for this situation. If however, you are on the road in Europe, relying on provided accomodations for sleeping and food this would still be a challenge, but it could be done.

 

Logistically, when you consider the balancing act between 8x10 (as you posted) versus 4x5 I feel it really gets down to a balancing act between quantity versus quality. If you are a seasoned pro, you can clearly high grade your image prospecting on the fly to know what is going to work and what is not. From my point of view, I would make a case for a lightweight 4x5, readyloads and spending your time making as many images as possible and not struggling with the 8x10. Many times flexibility and going with the flow are more productive than constantly having your hands in a changing bag. Film and processing are cheap relatively speaking and I would rather be over a light table with 200 images than 50 images no matter the (relative) size considering the time you are allocating to this trip.

 

However, if you must press on with 8x10, the two lenses you mentioned are perfect. I would recommend the light weight darkcloths from The View Camera Store in Arizona. Fold up to about the size of a soda can and they weight nothing. Any carbon fiber with a ball head, such as the Arca B1 would be fine.

 

Unless you want to be constantly changing film, I would try my best to bring at least two holders. Harrison changing tents are what I have used, but they are probably not the lightest. I will look for other comments. Good Luck!

Excellent recommendation Robert. I have the Kodak lens you made reference to and it is a real winner. Small and a performer. Even when you factor the potential of a shutter CLA from SK Grimes that includes a new set of lens caps, it is still a smoking deal.

Todd: Wooden cameras with specialized movements got for between $1,700 - $2,000. The Linhof Technikardan is selling now for $2,300 and for years sold at the $3,500 price level and there is always the used market for which if you are patient, you can still find many deals. My Linhof I acquired used and it was more than reasonably priced given the fact that it was in new condition. I have a Canham 5x7 with a 4x5 back and I dearly love it, but the stability and flexibility of the Linhof is in a class by itself. I will make the point that when you find a camera that is precise and as flexible as the TK45S is, the percentage of your shooting that it represents will increase exponentially. I find it accompanying me just about whever I go as the movements and the small package are simply marvelous.

 

Good luck in whatever direction you proceed. Cheers!

The Linhof Technikardan 45S with a bag bellows is a breeze with my 75mm Rodenstock and the price of the camera is as low as I can remember. This camera is a real hybrid and is very easy to use.

 

Bellows come off and on with two quick levers and the precision of movements and a real joy. When it says Linhof, you know that it not only works, it will last for a lifetime. Good Luck

Having grown up in Montana and spent a number of years in Search and Rescue, I can tell you that in addition to simple common sense skill sets, the easiest thing to insure your safety that is most overlooked is to simply tell someone explicitly where you will be, when you will be back and what vehicle you are driving (license plate, etc.)

 

When you do not arrive at a reasonable time frame, those that go to look for you will be able to focus their efforts in the most expedient and effective manner possible. In closing, there is no such thing as over communication when it comes to any activity off of the main road and that goes for hunters, hikers, bikers and includes photographers as well. I was told that the gentleman from Colorado that had to resort to extreme measures to save his life had a reputation for spur of the moment outdoor adventures by himself for long periods of time without telling anyone where he would be and when they should be concerned when he does not come back. Not a smart idea.

For the life if me I could not understand the confusion with the logistics as to when the seminars were to be conducted o Sunday and why there were differing schedules floating around. We did not have a hitch last year.

 

Was it a productive conference? Absolutely. Could it have been better. Yes.

 

My personal thanks to Gordon Hutchings and his understanding wife for departing from their travel schedule to accomodate a few of us that were caught in the middle. He was extremely patient given the situation and was most candid and communicative. Gordon is one of the best communicators I have had the pleasure to interact with. A gracious professional and an all around great person. If you are listening Steve, you might think of picking up the dinner check next time the Hutchings come to New Mexico.

 

I sat in on a small portion of the APIS (alternative processing conference) and was very impressed at the quality of the images and the skill set of these individuals. Clearly platimun and palladium has a wonderful tonal range worthy of consideration. Generating a ULF negative from a 4x5 negative with the assistance of an Epson printer and getting high quality results blew my mind.

Mine just arrived today in Colorado. Mailing label is about a 5 or 6 font so it is bearly legible. Coralles,New Mexico is only 400 miles South of us. Can't figure out why it took so damn long.

Similar situation here in Colorado. No magazine yet. I am going to get one in Sante Fe later this week at the conference (if it is still a no show)and find out what they did different from previous mailings to cause such a disruption in deliveries as evidenced by this dialog. I am going to hold off blaming the Postal Service until I get the full story. There is nothing worse than lacking performance in a service industry.

Don't take a chance with just sending in the lens as it will cost you nothing more to send in both the camera and the lens. As Bob stated, you will have the comfort knowing that everything is your system has been calibrated. Krekor at Marflex is are about as good a technician as you will possibly find. When my Master came back I checked it against my loup at various focusing discances and it was virtually on the money. Surely, getting the cam problem will require the camera goes to the shop. I use Fed Ex exclusively for this as you know that it will get there and back to you as quickly and as safely as possible.

Kodak Master, the Zone VI or the Burke and James are a few that are lighter than the Toyo and would work great or you. Price will be a function of condition, but there are deals to be had. I would also recommend looking at a 5x7 back for your 8x10 as it is a great way to explore this marvelous format for a nominal incremental investment as it is large enough to also be contact printed. Good Luck

George, you are correct in the fact that it is "half a camera". The reails for the existing format remove the bellow and ground glass assembly and the new back and bellows are put on as the rails fit on the existing camera bed. Innovative design.

 

Yes, care must be give to swapping them out as before the rails are fully inserted, the weight cannot be adequately supported by the thin cross section of the rals as the back is fairly heavy.

 

Adding a new perspective to an existing format is a nice way to compliment your equipment without a new base camera. Cheers!

With an inherent amount of uncertainty following recent posts on this

forum on Wisner product delivery and quality control, I proceeded

with the order of a 12x20 back for my 11x14 camera through Quality

Camera. The order was placed on April 18th and I am very pleased to

say that I received the back yesterday (July 2nd)in fine order.

 

Kudos to Ron on a job well done with high quality and on time. Truth

be told, he and his staff were ahead of my expectations. Keep up the

good work and we will all benefit. I also feel expressing

appreciation to the instrumental assistance of both Jeff and Jerry at

Quality Camera for constantly following the progress on my behalf and

insuring that I was taken care of is in order. Professional customer

service at its finest and flat out great people. I did not have to

pick up the phone once during the process. Jerry called me.

 

If you are considering a Wisner product, or anything photographic

give Quality Camera an opportunity to show you their stuff. The smile

on my face is from a very safisfied customer and I will leave it at

that.

At the price you can get these products with all of the accessories including additional formats, extra rails and other accessories - absolutely. I think I know why the B camera was discontinued. I would cost a small fortune to produce it today. It simply has it all. Marvelously engineered and designed with the user in mind. And it is a Linhof. Just my opinion. Nothing else.

Don't overlook the Linhof Bi camera. While it is no longer produced, it can be found in the used market and blows away the 45S. Plus, it can be fitted with a 5x7 back. After having used one for several years I feel it is the best monorail camera that has ever been produced - period. Has adapter boards that take the standard linhof offerings and can take just about any lens that you could care to use with it. Yes. lenses will make the impact on your images, but rigidity and operating flexibilities allow those lenses to do their thing. We can easily fall to the old pitfall of being penny wise and pound foolish.

I have had SK Grimes fabricate several sets of custom made lens caps for me. They are very durable/strong and fit like a glove.

Goodness. What a hassle.

 

Just got back from a week in Montana and Wyoming near Yellowstone and aside from the snow that presented unique off season photographic opportunities, you could go where you wanted at your descretion. I went to Yosemite two years ago and felt completely boxed in by the masses of humanity and did not even take out the camera.

 

I guess that if you live in California and Yosemite is reasonably close by, I guess it makes sense. But why not wait until the late fall when the tourists depart? Me? I'd much prefer to be by myself even if I need to carry bear spray and come out from under the dark cloth at regular intervals. Cheers!

You worked hard for the money to make a lifetimes investment in your large format equipment. Why take a chance with the results. Suck if up and pay the $100 for a Kodak holder and move on. The thought of plugging up a ready load holder in the process of using a different manufacturers holder is rather unsettling to me. Good Luck.

This is an easy one. I would be shocked if they DID read the same because you never bothered to have them calibrated.

 

Yes, you can become so familiar with a particular film with lighting that you do not have to meter and get professional results, but you have to shoot a pile of film to get this familiar with the particular emulsion. With 35 and 120, this is not that hard. Process the whole roll the same because that is the way that it is done. You can figure it out pretty damn quickly.

 

Shooting large format is a different ball game for the very reason that we want to contract or extend development for optimal results -WHY? Because we can. Lazy metering practices can surely defeat the whole process.

 

Best recommendation I can give you if you are serious about results. Buy two identical spot meters (or any kind that you use) of the brand that you like and immediately send them both to get calibrated by a professional and reputable company. Leave one in the closet (less battery) as a backup and every four months or so take the one that you regularly use and check it against the one that has been sitting in your closet. When it deviates more than 1/3 stop in any difection from the idle meter, send it immediately back for a calibration. Then the process starts again as the meter that comes back calibrated is now the user meter that checks the other one.

 

The meters that you really use if you do get out and photograph consistently MUST be calibrated every year and it should be a standard part of your equipment maintenance plan. If you travel on an airplane, microvibrations that we do not really feel can play hell on electronics as can bouncing in the back of your pickup truck on the weekends to shoot. Play it safe and look at it as insurance. Until the laws of physics are changed, light that is carefully measured should read the same with each and every meter that reads it every time. I can't tell you how many times I hear that "things are not looking as consistent with my negatives" and the blame immediately goes to chemistry or any number of potential processing shortcomings when the answer is very likely assuming that the meter should work for a career as it came from the factory. Spectra, unquestionably the most respected name in measuring light for years also recommends that their meters be calibrated each and every year. Good Luck

I use regular 5x7 Fidelity holders in my Linhof 5x7 bi camera and you can similarly use any new or used 5x7 holders in yours no problem. The bail back is a great feature. Make sure you are comfortable with the weight of the camera as they tip the scale to the same degree as a typical field 8x10 camera (12.1# with rangefinder). My Canham MDQ57 weights in at 5.7#, a pleasure for any distance from the vehicle.

Thanks for the many recommendations. I measured my film holders and the gross outer dimension for my 11x14 holders is about 18x14. And a bit of room beyond that would be good to make sure that they can be sealed properly. Thanks.

I have become so conditioned to having my 4x5,5x7 and 8x10 film

holders protected with zip lock bags, that the thought of taking

11x14 holders in the field for the first time without one is rather

disturbing. Anyone know what is the largest size locking

plastic "bag" that can be acquired and where can you get them. Other

alternative recommendations that would protect the ULF holders from

dust would be greatly appreciated. Many Thanks.

I have driven across Nebraska and Iowa more times than I care to think of from and back to Colorado in the last five to eight years and have yet been inspired to exposed film although I am sure that they can be found. The roads seem to continue on a straight line forever in each direction. There were a couple of times when I was 90 miles away from the interstate pheasant hunting and I found an abandoned farm that had some possibilities. But I never found it worthy of a return trip with the equipment.

 

Now that you said you will be in Colorado, that is where you could find something to shoot. If you are going to spend some time in the state, let me know. Besides myself, I know about five others that could give you all kinds of places to shoot a short distance from the city. Safe Travels.

I would recommend that you find a photographer whose work you really like and take their seminar. If you freak out on the fees, remember that nothing is free and you would probably spend at least that amount of time and resources by yourself and not be guaranteed of being at the same comprehension level of the materials and technique. You will have all of the opportunities you can imagine to get the personalized attention you seem to feel a need to obtain.

 

While your idea sounds good in theory, there are so many variables in the equation that runs the gambit from composition to a finished print that your head would be spinning from the possibilities.

 

At the end of the day the mission is to establish your own style as clearly emulation can only take you so far. But we all understand that we need a starting point. Who would want a print from a wanna be when they can acquire the original? There is no short cut primer to quality in this process that is a substitute for good old fashioned experience. I guess the next best thing is the free seminar offered above. Good Luck.