bob_parsons2

I think that the pevious comments are really sound but I will toss in my two-cents worth. I use an early Wista 4X5 Field which looks to me to be almost identical to the Tachihara. I have found it to be a delight to use, and while not as sturdy as the Linhof Technika that it replaced there is something about working with a wooden camera on a wooden tripod that I like. I dip and dunk in small tanks with good results and use an old Omega D-3 with coldlight head which has served me well for years. Buy a "good " enlarging lens and you should be set for years of enjoyment. I think that if your previous experience has been 35mm or even medium format you will come to love the slower methodical approach that large format dictates, not to mention all the goofy comments you will hear while under the darkcloth. Welcome to large format...there is nothing quite like it.

I shoot landscapes in the 4X5 format and after spending several years with T-Max 100 and 400 I found myself trying a box of Tri-X when my supplier was out of T-Max 400.

While I never really cared for Tri-X in 35mm or medium format I found that when I used it for 4X5 it gave me a gradation and tonality that I found quite nice. The increased grain is slight but I think it adds something subtle to my work. I generally develop in either Rodinal or HC-110 (dil B) and print on Kodak Polymax Fine Art FD or Kodak Elite. Try it, you may like it as well.