steve_feldman

I develop 4x5 negs in the Uniroller II PRINT drum and motor base. About $25 at any camera show.

I figured that if the 4x5 / 8x10 print drum took paper of that size, it could also accommodate 4x5 film. It does. And very well too.

No modifications necessary. Just follow the loading instructions with the drum. That is . . . insert a sheet with the emulsion facing the interior of the drum, one edge against the "v" on the inside edge and the other against the plain stop. 2 sheets can be loaded side by side on both sides of the "v" to equal 4 sheets. Cap and turn on the lights.

I just fill the drum with as much as it will hold (about 16 oz.) or until it dribbles out. It works fine. I do ZS development. Very easy to control your negs. Never a bad neg. . . . . . . . yet.

Note: I'm developing 4x5 b & w only . . . no color. For 35mm and 120 film I'm using the same motor base with Patterson tanks and reels.

Hope that helps.

Thanks, guys, for all of the encouragement. I knew that you'd understand.

BTW, the wife does have a 35mm P & S. Neither one of us understand all of the bells and whistles. She said a person would need a PhD to use it. So I put a label on the shutter button marked "PhD". She said, "What's that for?" . . . . .

Wait for it. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

"Push here dummy."

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Just kidding dear.

Brooks,

Thanks very much. I kinda like the appelation, "Master of My Domain".

"Hey Honey, can I call myself the Master of My Domain?"

. . . .

. . . .

"Yea, sure." (-Honey)

But all of you on this forum will.

After 20 years of "advanced amature" photography. Class after class

taken. Passed a few. Experimentations done. Fingernails a nice golden

brown. Reading endless volumns of esoteric lore. Plotting curves till

I plotz.

I think I finally got it. The Zone System, that is.

I was lining up on a "open shade" scene that my spot meter read 3

stops from dark to light. Pretty flat huh? Zones IV, V, & VI. I

placed the darkest area to Zone III. This placed the weak hightlight

area to Zone V. Flat. Flat. Flat. So I developed this 4x5 film to

N+2. My goal was to coax this measely Zone V to Zone VII. Well, I'll

be hornswaggled and a blue-nosed gopher! It worked! Printed perfectly

on a grade 2 paper. Full tonal range.

Same thing, only in reverse happened in another scene. My figuring

said that I needed a N-1 development. Did so. Printed perfectly on a

grade 2 paper. Again a full tonal range.

I am amazed.

Now if only I was more "Artistic". Oh well. Maybe in another 20 years.

Had to tell someone - My wife only said, "That's nice."

The 2 comments above are right on.

FWIW - Here's my method. Fast, cheap, easy, predictable and repeatable.

I develop 4x5 negs in the Unlcolor II PRINT drum and motor base.

I figured that if the 4x5 / 8x10 print drum took paper of that size, it could also accommodate 4x5 film. It does. And very well too.

No modifications necessary. Just follow the loading instructions with the drum. That is . . . insert a sheet with the emulsion facing the interior of the drum, one edge against the "v" on the inside edge and the other against the plain stop. 2 sheets can be loaded side by side on both sides of the "v" to equal 4 sheets.

I just fill the drum with as much as it will hold (about 16 oz.) or until it dribbles out. I've never really measured. But it works fine. Never a bad neg. . . . . . . . yet.

Note: I'm developing 4x5 b & w only . . . no color. For 35mm and 120 film I'm using the same motor base with Patterson tanks and reels.

1. Print my own B&W (98%) and a local lab does color (2%) 35mm, 645, 4x5.

2. Hobbiest (Advanced amature).

3. B&W, mostly.

4. Wet. Very wet.

Karl,

I completely agree with Kevin on the Crown Graphic 4x5. At 50+ years old mine is still a very rugged box and straight forward user friendly. Heck, last week the front door of mine stuck open. Two light taps with a small hammer on the door hinge pin and all was well again. Probably won't do that again in the next fifty years of it's life.

Yes, movements are limited, but they do work. For landscape scenics you won't need much. By sure it has the Graflok back as stated above. You will regret a spring back at some point.

As for lenses, a 135mm to 150mm are considered "normal". 65mm to 90mm are wide angles. 250mm and longer are good for portraits. Look for "Tele-" on the longer lenses as the Crown can't extend more than about 12" for a 300mm. (General rule of thumb - 3 times focal length of 35mm camera lenses equals the equivelant in LF lens). My personal favorite is a coated Kodak Ektar 203mm f7.7. I call it my "tweener" lens because it's in between a normal and tele length. A very sharp lens. The older 1950's vintage lenses won't cost you arms and legs as most of the modern glass will. That's for later on when you're completely crazy.

This camera also meets my personal requirements: It's just plain FUN!

Your first 4x5 neg will astound you. Have a great time with whatever you choose.

Tuan,

Great job! Wish I was me.

Come on - Show us a few.

Please.

IMHO: Uses for Yankee Cut Film Developing Tank:

1. Drill small holes in the bottom, fill with potting soil and small flowers.

2. Insert end of 30' chain, fill with concrete. Makes a small boat anchor. Without the chain - door stop.

3. Insert very long straw. Fill with beer. You know the rest.

Dave,

I think we've all had that problem. My problem was developing in trays. Streaks, uneven dev. and scratches. Also boring. Rocking trays in the dark. I had heard about the Uniroller print drum and motor base. Yes, that's correct - 4x5 negs in the PRINT drum.

I figured that if the 4x5 / 8x10 print drum took paper of that size, it could also accommodate 4x5 film. It does. And very well too.

No modifications necessary. Just follow the loading instructions with the drum. That is . . . insert a sheet with the emulsion facing the interior of the drum, one edge against the "v" on the inside edge and the other against the plain stop. 2 sheets can be loaded side by side on both sides of the "v" to equal 4 sheets.

I just fill the drum with as much as it will hold (about 16 oz.) or until it dribbles out. It works fine. Never a bad neg. . . . . . . . yet.

Note: I'm developing 4x5 b & w only . . . no color. For 35mm and 120 film I'm using the same motor base with Patterson tanks and reels.

Hope that helps.

-S.

I use the MacDonald's approach - Fast, Cheap and Easy.

Go to your local large hardware store (Home Depot, etc.) in the electrical dept. find "Liquid Electrical Tape". (Sorry, can't remember the exact brand name). It's a small bottle of black, opaque, sticky liquid. Paint inside the bellows corners. It's works fine and doesn't show from the outside. About $5.00

For all who are interested - Here's what I've found:

Century Business Solutions - on the web www.centurybusinesssolutions.com

1-800-767-0777

#BG150 - 17"x21" press-N-seal polyethylene 4 mil poly bag

25 per package

15.95 + tax + shipping per package (that's only $0.64 each!)

(I believe this is a sister company of Light Impressions).

Hope this works for you.

Pete,

Ain't it the truth.

BTW how did you get bold face type on your post?

-Steve (Not A. H. Adams)

While using my Crown Graphic in Yosemite, I was approached by a middle aged couple who wanted to know if I was Ansel Adams. My white beard may have been the only similarity. My wife said, "No, that's A** H*LE Adams.

Fill in the blanks (**) yourself.

"BITCHIN" ! ! ! ? ? ?

I haven't used that expression since the sixties. (1960's that is).

What happend to the yak?

Personally, I'd want a large burly line-backer type to keep the looky-loos away from me when I'm on top of a ten foot ladder. Also handy for tossing up the $400 spot meter.

Tell me, when looking at a night-time 8x10 image upside down and reversed 10 feet in the air, does this word come to mind - -

VERTIGO

Hey, catch!

Great Weegee's Ghost!

Hey Chris (Chris Jordan - Seattle) Tell this guy 'bout your 9' tri-pod and the yak.

Actually Robert, Chris seems to be doing this type of photography on a semi regular/irregular basis. Check for his e-mail address on this forum.

Hi Gang.

Does anyone out there in LF Land have knowlege or experience with

this meter? Offered on e*ay is a Sekonic View Spot Meter Model L-438.

It covers 3 degree to 10 degree angles, and is powered by one double

A battery. Any idea of value?

Thanks

Jerry,

I, too, have an older ('bout 15 years old) Zone VI Beseler 45MXT cold light enlarger. I've seen that filter. I believe it would not dramatically increase your exposures. Heck, I'm stopping down the lens to f16 & f22 to lengthen my exposures. Maybe it would help. But the image becomes hard to see for dodge/burn routines.

Some may argue that the cc30G is the way to go to make VC papers really behave. Others say the the VC tube is the *only* way to go. I have discussed this option with some of my friends. Our concensus is, "Whatever you have - leave it alone." The original single tube, for me, works fine with any brand (I use Ilford) VC filters on any VC paper. Converting to the two tube (V54) VC cold light replacement may be fine for another user. But I wouldn't just change tubes to see if you like it. Unless you have lots of money - that green/blue tube is expen$ive! Rent time on one if you can find a lab/user in your area. Expect a long learning curve - mine was.

DISCLAIMER: These are just *MY* opinions. They work for me. They may or may not work for anyone else.

Good Luck.

Clark,

The eyes always have it.

I don't know if a 210mm can focus at 1 -2'. However, ALWAYS focus on the eyes. I prefer 1 stop closed down from wide open. This may soften anything back (ears & hair behind that plain) of the eyes and perhaps soften the tip of the nose or the chin. But that's OK. But if the eyes aren't sharp your subject won't like it.

BTW - Here's my general portrait guidelines:

Eye direction follows the nose direction

2 people portrait - eyes on different levels - both looking in the exact same direction - at the camera.

Place the front of the body toward the main light and shoot into the shadow side of the face. Looks more dramatic.

Here's a print trick for women's portraits. Proof print her head shot reversed l to r. Women are very critical of their own appearance. But they never see themselves as the rest of the world does - left is left and right is right. When you reverse the proof image the lady will see herself exactly as SHE sees herself all the time - in a mirror - l to r reversed.

Good luck.

Daniel,

Orthochromatic film is used in the printing industry. Extremely high contrast and very slow. Litho film sees medium to light blue as white, red and orange as black.

You could use it in a 4x5 holder . . . but why?

When I need a litho film for contacting I project a camera neg, of any staring size, and project it on to lith (ortho) film for a positive and then contact again to litho for a negitive. Develop under red safelight Dektol 1:1 68 deg 3 min.

John,

Opinions are worth everything you pay for them. So here's mine for free.

Option 1: IMHO the best idea. I place a small post-it note with my notations on each exposed holder darkslide and transfer the film into a film box at the end of the day. Film goes in first, followed by a piece of paper cut to the same size as the film with the post-it transfered to the paper (not on the film)- this becomes a divider sheet. Unload and stack em up and replace into the paper envelope (if possible) and into the dark film box. For home lab processing - lights out, open box, remove the top piece of paper with post-it, close box, light on, read info, lights out, process accordingly. Repeat as necessary.

Option 2: BTW I have used this nearly foolproof device for a long time. It works great - at home and under perfect control/monitoring.

IMHO on the road it's too much to schlep around with you. Let's see, motor base, drum, (maybe 2 drums), developer, hypo, stop (plain water is fine), hypo clear, wash aid, a thermometer, bags of crushed ice to help get the temperature of all solutions stable, a portable set-up table to put it all on, a small carpenter's level, (the base must be level or the drum dribbles), clothes pins to hang up the film, film envelopes. Oh yes, and several rolls of paper towels to clean up after yourself after slobbering all over the bathroom. Sorry - not my cup of hemlock for the road.

Option 3: tray developing - see option 2 above - delete motor base/drum for trays and double the number of rolls of paper towels.

And add a mop.

I've used the Uniroller base and drum for my 4x5 work for many years but only at home under controlled conditions. Photographers are the ultimate control freaks. I like to be in control of my camera, lenses, film, processing and printing. Call me crazy! At least it's one aspect of my life where I can be in control. Don't start me.

Again it's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Good light.

-S.

Chris,

2 yaks and a llama are on the way.

-S.

Sorry, that should read, "latent silver".

My typing has a learning curve also.

Hi Joe,

Sounds like your neg is thin/weak. Although I have no experience with your film, I do have experience with thin negs. LOTS OF THIN NEGS. My learning curve has been long and steep.

You're developing a latent sliver image. Exposure yields density - development yields contrast. Sounds like you had neither. My thought is because the image is weak there is not enough developed silver image for the Selenium to "hang on to". So it had no visable effect. Have you tried chromium intensifier? Also contraction development (N-1, N-2) requires additional exposure to hold the shadows (down rating the film speed).

If I'm wrong on any count I'm sure someone will correct me - - - and often.

Good luck.